Inexpensive 60% (Poor students version)

[flopska]

Building my first keyboard

I recently became hooked on mechs and started my endeavour with a cherry g80-3000
and blue switches. I then wanted to buy one of those KBC Poker II everyone is
talking about. Found out that mechanicalkeyboards.com doesn't have them in stock
anymore... Bummer.

Because I really wanted to have a 60% keyboard I decided to try building my own.
The planned specs are as follows:

- Blue Switches
- 60% Size
- Plate mounted
- No PCB / handwired
- NKRO
- Custom firmware on a Teensie USB Board

When time / joy permits I'd like to add:

- rgb leds
- different keyboard layouts which can be easily switched


Getting started

I already ordered some of the parts I might need:
- 100 Cherry MX Blue
- 100 1N4148 Diodes
- 5 Stabs (not sure whether those are the right ones)
- Some flat cable
- 3 Euro sized Perfboards / Breadboards
- Teensy 2.0

Here are some pics of the parts:

Everything I have at the moment


Are those the right stabilizers?


The next step will be to get some 'legs' for the teensy board, hook this up to a
protoboard and do some software prototyping (hopefully I will see some chars on
my screen ).

I'll try to build the whole thing as inexpensive as possible, focusing on producing
a working keyboard. Looks and the likes come after that.


By the way: Got myself a Poker II anyways, I don't have it yet though.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Good luck with your build! I'm in the same boat kinda, but I'm buying one of sprit's PCBs and am using PCB-mount switches (so I don't have to buy a plate) and am using a Poker II case (cuz it's cheap).

Oh, and nice choice with the MX Blues!

[jdcarpe]

Very nice! Good luck with your build.

Those stabilizers you got are PCB mount. Since you aren't planning on using a PCB, you will want plate mount, either Cherry or Costar.

If you need help or advice, just ask.

[metalliqaz]

Good luck!  You are in good company here.

[Geke_Hackman]

Seems like a fun project. I'll be watching this. Interested to know how much it ends up costing in the end.

[metalliqaz]

The economy of scale unfortunately is very hard to beat.  At around $100, a commercial 60% board is usually cheaper than a single custom job.  I know, I tried.

[Hellmark]

If you're doing without a PCB like the OP plans, then that can shave off a lot of cost compared to doing a custom PCB. The only thing is you have to weigh the cost of the PCB against the worth of your time. Still, when you don't have money, you don't have it, so your time is always worth less than something you simply don't have.

[bearcat]

How are you making your plate?

[flopska]

Very nice! Good luck with your build.

Those stabilizers you got are PCB mount. Since you aren't planning on using a PCB, you will want plate mount, either Cherry or Costar.

If you need help or advice, just ask.

Can you please post a mouser link to the stabs I need? It sucks that I bought the wrong ones

How are you making your plate?

I am not 100% sure about that yet. My father's an engineer, he probably knows a company who can mill / laser / whatever it. I'd love create it myself but I have no idea how I can create 61 equal holes in an metal / alu plate. I'm open for ideas.

Thanks for all the encouragement!!!

[jdcarpe]

Very nice! Good luck with your build.

Those stabilizers you got are PCB mount. Since you aren't planning on using a PCB, you will want plate mount, either Cherry or Costar.

If you need help or advice, just ask.

Can you please post a mouser link to the stabs I need? It sucks that I bought the wrong ones

Sure! http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40501.0#post_MM



Edit: Looks like Mouser is out of stock, with an 11 week lead time.

[regack]

Very nice! Good luck with your build.

Those stabilizers you got are PCB mount. Since you aren't planning on using a PCB, you will want plate mount, either Cherry or Costar.

If you need help or advice, just ask.

Can you please post a mouser link to the stabs I need? It sucks that I bought the wrong ones

Sure! http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40501.0#post_MM



Edit: Looks like Mouser is out of stock, with an 11 week lead time.

WASD seems to have plate mount stabilizer parts in stock:  http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keyboard-parts-1.html

[bearcat]

Not sure where you are, but it's definitely worth giving a look to makerspaces/hackerspaces in your area.  They are a likely place to have laser cutters.

If you get a plate cut in 1/8" (3mm) acrylic, it's usually very rigid and much, much cheaper than getting it worked in aluminium; getting a plate cut was ~$15 including materials.

Good luck!

[dorkvader]

Those look like cherry PCB mount stabilizers: I recommend a costar plate mount stabilizer unless you plan to use a PCB.

Best of luck!

[JBert]

Can't you somehow salvage those stabilizers? They still go through the plate, it's just that you need to sandwich them between the plate and something else.

[metalliqaz]

Can't you somehow salvage those stabilizers? They still go through the plate, it's just that you need to sandwich them between the plate and something else.

Stabilizers have to be just right in order to feel good.  If he's not using a PCB, really don't know how he could get PCB-mount stabs to work properly.