I have a project lined up, and I need a keyboard for it.
I have an old wireless keyboard that gave good service, but has now started double registering keystrokes and is basically worn out.
What I want to do is get a mechanical keyboard (with mechanical switches, not membrane), desolder the pcb, and wire up a new matrix with the wireless controller from my old keyboard.
And yes, I know that this will involve a LOT of wire stripping and soldering...
I have found an Apple Extended keyboard M3501 for cheap, and I know that it uses ALPS, which will be suitable for my project.
Obviously the old controller will be disposed of, so no compatibility problems.
What I'd like to know is, are there any reasons that this keyboard might prove unsuitable before I pull the trigger on it?
The layout appears to be ok, but are there any aspects of this keyboard that might make it unsuitable that may not be immediately obvious to a noob like me?
I will be using it with Linux, if that makes any difference.
Edit: For instance, do the switches have something other than the pcb to hold them in place, such as a metal plate?