New Project - Building a Keyboard & Need Advice

[SleepingInMyCode]

First, sorry if I'm re-hashing stuff that's already posted elsewhere, I'm doing my best to work through the forum but it's a TON of information and I'm pretty new here. I'll update this thread with questions as I have them, and I'll start another one once I start on my project. Thanks everyone for all the information and help!

First - Pros/Cons of Mounting Pins for mounting through PCB vs No Mounting Pins and a Metal Retention Plate. I'm not really sure which is which. I've ordered a couple mechanical keyboards to try out for a week or two and rip apart, but I'm not sure which type they are. Any ideas on this would be helpful.

Second - Switches - Any particular reason to go with one manufacturer or another? I'm assuming once you're in the level of quality most people are talking about on this board it's largely just preference.

Third - Micro controllers - what to use, what to avoid, etc. Also I'm assuming this is where the #KRO stuff comes in.  Bit more complicated, but still a matter of preference I imagine.

I guess that's just kind of the basic stuff to get me started, plastics and keycaps and all that jazz I'm sure I'll get way too many options on.

[WhiteFireDragon]

So you're building a keyboard from the ground up? Do you already know how to design the PCB and source a case? The fact that you're asking these questions, I would suggest just getting a whole keyboard you can just buy. Building one from scratch is pretty involved.

Anyways, to answer some of your questions, there are plate mounted boards and PCB mounted. Plate mounted is just like it sounds: has a metal plate, above the PCB to help hold the switches and makes the PCB feel more solid. PCB mounted switch has the switches soldered right onto the PCB and nothing else. It won't feel as solid if the keyboard is going to be larger than 60% size, unless you have a lot of supporting standoffs. Cherry makes all types of different switches, most popular by far are MX switches. You might also be able to do ALPS switches, but those are a lot harder to source. And I don't know anything about controllers to programing them.

[SleepingInMyCode]

And I don't know anything about controllers to programing them.

Yeah I think that's going to be the hardest part :-)

There's a couple of different reasons I wan to do it from the ground up myself, we'll see if they end up working out or not. Mostly just for the fun of the project. Not sure if it's going to be an actual ground up or a mod of one I like yet... but it's evolving.

I'm thinking like 6 months and a pile of money though, so I have appropriate expectations I think.

[Icarium]

Actually you can probably use some of the software that others have already written. I don't think that's the hardest part.

[WhiteFireDragon]

things that are NOT easy will be designing the PCB, metal plate, and case, and turning it into a fully functional prototype. You can just use a Teensy controller, that one is pretty common on here and you can just upload a precompiled fireware. Good luck on your project.

[SleepingInMyCode]

things that are NOT easy will be designing the PCB, metal plate, and case, and turning it into a fully functional prototype. You can just use a Teensy controller, that one is pretty common on here and you can just upload a precompiled fireware. Good luck on your project.

Yeah I've been reading up on that controller more.

So do you have to have a metal plate? I thought that was the advantage of the switches with the through mounting standoffs for the PCB.

[alaricljs]

Many people prefer plated boards.  It's not a requirement if you source PCB switches and design the PCB to accept them.

[sth]

http://aikb.taobao.com/search.htm?spm=a1z10.1.w6.27.8a333&scid=269483498&scname=uMTXsMXkvP4gRElZJmFtcDtNT0Q%3D&checkedRange=true&queryType=cat

[Cindori]

Honestly, if you lack the knowledge, you will probably give up before you get a change to begin.
Because 90% of your project will probably not be to build or design a keyboard, but to learn electronics and micro-controllers.

The truth is, you will probably not get anywhere with this. You may be filled with enthusiasm now, but that probably won't last for several months. You'll direct your interests to other things in your life.

Not sure what you define "a pile of money", but you should be aware of that the prices of stuff here in the group buys are much much lower then single purchases, just because of... well, the size of our orders. A alu case in a group buy here might be $150, but if you buy ONE custom designed case, you can expect to pay $300-400... for plastic...

Just the switches alone will set you back $90.

All of us here are keyboard enthusiasts. There is a reason we don't just build our own keyboards.