geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: ntw on Fri, 04 November 2016, 02:29:32
-
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5555/30729502666_abcafcc925_k.jpg)
Received this beautiful piece of art some time ago from a friend and finally decided to give it a quick review.
On the datamancer website, it states that the Machinist comes with an aluminum frame and a plywood bottom. There are dedicated media controls using the Fn keys are different configurations using the DIP switch at the bottom but I didn't have the manual and too lazy to figure it out. The switches are plate mounted.
The details on the Machinist is amazing. Every part of the keyboard are hand-painted and scuffed to give the rugged vintage feel. The gears assembly keyboard feet at the back raises the keyboard at a comfortable angle for typing. However the feet edges are sharp and will leave scratches on a glass tabletop or a linen keyboard mat. I'd be extremely cautious if I were using any expensive tabletop material.
Upon closer inspection, I found that even the Cherry MX Brown switches are painted over to achieve an uniform theme over the whole keyboard. And not just the switch housing, even the switch stems are painted over with a copper paint. I was shocked at first that the paint might seep into the sliders and cause unnecessary friction, but the Datamancer team did a great job at this. Only the switch stems are painted and switch internals remain smooth and tactile without affecting its typing feel.
This particular keyboard comes with Cherry MX Brown. The plywood bottom paired with steel plate gives the typing a thocky sound. The Datamancer typrewriter keycaps are a nice touch. Its hand-crafted with a 3 piece combination, a aluminum-layer for the lettering, the middle layer is the iron nuts, and the plastic bottom layer thats also the stem. It feels really heavy. This somehow affected the actuation of the switch, especially on the modifier keys. The keycaps are just too heavy for the stock Cherry MX Brown switch to properly debounce to its original point. I have tried fitting other keycaps (GMK 9009) on the keyboard but overall aesthetics are ruin'ed. Since the whole keyboard is hand-crafted, I thought that Datamancer team could spend a bit more effort to replace heavier spring in for the modifier keys.
The finishing and details on the typewriter keycaps are amazing but I find that some of the keycaps have sharp edges to them and prick my fingers when I accidentally mashed at them with full force.
Lastly, I'd like to say that the typing experience is fun but not enjoyable for me. I find flat profile keycaps difficult to adjust to but your mileage might vary. In my opinion, the Machinist is a piece of modern art to be admired more than used.
Pros:
- superb packaging
- beautiful hand-crafted keyboard and keycaps
- fun typing experience
- typewriter keycaps are compatible on other keyboards
Cons:
- spacebar don't debounce properly
- keycaps surface might scratch fingers
- crazy price
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5632/30731934336_f9580e7974_k.jpg)
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5338/30768721675_697a3b3174_k.jpg)
(https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5583/30731928476_cd482f6c09_k.jpg)
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5691/30468024910_4e012bd628_k.jpg)
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5489/30649576962_2bf7049c10_k.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5823/30649603472_4a981731de_k.jpg)
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5337/30649581662_7c8856379c_k.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5486/30134306944_0f1cffb317_k.jpg)
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5563/30134314654_621d35ffae_k.jpg)
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5510/30130860123_6132a2b9e0_k.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5626/30134313264_203dfc0bbf_k.jpg)
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5546/30729490006_02ddba5602_k.jpg)
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5679/30134310614_242b25e03d_k.jpg)
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5465/30465915070_601fdd8cc1_k.jpg)
-
I wanna see the boxes
Sent from my LG-H961N using Tapatalk
-
Looks straight out of Resident Evil 4 :) Not sure I'm a fan of the super worn-down, corroded look but it's a novelty I suppose.
-
The Streamliner have a piano black surface (I believe they are plastic top) with silver accents. The attention to details are as good as the Machinist. This keyboard is built using Cherry MX Blue and spray painted over the stem and switch housing to maintain the uniformity of the keyboard. You can see some of the paint chipped off on the steam revealing the blue color stem beneath.
The Aviator keycaps are easier to type on that the Machinist keycaps because they have a larger surface area. Also the spacebar do not face the debounce problem like the Machinist because they keycaps are way lighter.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5681/30468029130_f1726526a8_k.jpg)
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5760/30768704895_7bd6bc36d6_k.jpg)
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5596/30680422331_0e5a4a37f3_k.jpg)
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5455/30468039610_1b9793c921_k.jpg)
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5468/30768713055_2296085637_k.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5631/30468034080_7e67d0bcb6_k.jpg)
(https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5813/30768708965_bc25dbb70a_k.jpg)
-
Nice keyboards my friend. Tried the Machinist before, the typing feel is way way way better than those overpriced customs. I hope I can afford one of these someday.
-
So people do have (or have access to) the Datamancer keyboards.
Thanks for the reviews - please post about some other Datamancer keyboards too, they are beautiful and meticulously built than most 'custom' keyboards out there.
-
Wow, that's gorgeous.
-
Thanks for the reviews buddy :thumb:
-
The Machinist is a damn keyboard set piece. Definitely a labor of love to make them so realistically worn-looking. Also partially why these keyboards cost $1000+ :P
-
The Machinist is a damn keyboard set piece. Definitely a labor of love to make them so realistically worn-looking. Also partially why these keyboards cost $1000+ :P
Can't put a price on art xD .
Although I do find it weird that it's a TKL, that clashes a bit with the old-style look xD .
-
JAYsus. That board is amazing. And the boxes are incredible.
Why does the spacebar not bounce back properly?
-
I've been a fan of the Sojourner ever since watching Warehouse 13.
-
The Machinist is a damn keyboard set piece. Definitely a labor of love to make them so realistically worn-looking. Also partially why these keyboards cost $1000+ :P
Can't put a price on art xD .
Although I do find it weird that it's a TKL, that clashes a bit with the old-style look xD .
I'm glad that these are only TKL, any bigger would make it so difficult for me to carry to Starbucks and be a hipster
JAYsus. That board is amazing. And the boxes are incredible.
Why does the spacebar not bounce back properly?
The spacebar is a full piece of metal, making it so heavy that the stock Cherry MX Brown spring are not enough to debounce to its original position.
-
Nice pics bruh.