Hi Philip. Welcome to Geekhack.
I imagine that's a great place to live when interested in Keyboards. You've got Topre right there in your backyard (which I have yet to try, but it is being rectified).
I also build computers, and work on them for a living. That seems to be a common theme here. What's your first "higher end" keyboard?
I'm the same, making something your own is a great feeling.
I think that that is part of this forum's draw. It doesn't have any of that social media B.S. It is just a good old-fashioned efficient forum, instead of being some sort of visual/navigational projectile vomit.