I've been doing some messing around with my QFR, so the case looks flaky and scratched up due to a bad paint job, and the PCB looks like it won't survive another bad solder job as some of the traces are getting very thin. I've already got some Cherry MX Tactile Greys in the mail, so I'll have to do more soldering no matter what I choose since almost no board comes stock with greys.
This leaves me with a few options: should I take the chance with ruining my current board, which already looks quite ugly and won't be my last board; buy another QFR -- I've come to very much like the TKL layout and I already have a frosty flake; buy a higher quality premade board; or buy a DIY board since I'll be doing soldering anyway. For the last two options, I would need suggestions, as my research hasn't lead me too far on finding another board. I'm leaning more towards getting a DIY board, since I want to buy a nice case anyway to replace my badly painted one, and the controller of the QFR makes it hard to transplant without making a custom or modded case. However, ready-to-buy TKL kits are not easy to find outside of group buys, since 60% is a much more popular DIY layout. I would like to cap my budget at around $150, which I believe is generous enough to buy at the very least an end-game PCB and case -- extras can come later, or a new QFR and a keycap set.
I realize this is a very up-to-me situation, so I'm more asking about others' experiences with the QFR versus any other recommendations to help me decide on my own. Even though I do enjoy my QFR, it is still an inexpensive, entry-level board with a flimsy PCB and not too many options for customization.
