Hey guys, whizzard here!
Figured I would finally post a little thread about myself in the new members section. I have always liked tinkering and modification of electronics and almost everything. I found geekhack by chance after figuring out that there was such a difference between regular keyboards and mech keyboards.
I used to use a Dell keyboard from the 90s because it felt better. It looked like crap, but there was something about it that made it much better for PC gaming. Little did I know it was because I was using a mechanical, and compared to the cheapo keyboards that you can get for 2 dollars a piece just don't feel as good.
So after watching a Youtube review on Das Keyboards, I took the leap into the mechanical world and haven't looked back. I had fun replacing keys and remapping the board, and somewhere in there I found this site. Finding geekhack forums was like finding a diamond in the rough, and there is so much cool stuff here that you can't find anywhere else. I took another leap and got in on the Octagon group buy, and finally got it put together, even did a review/build log (that can be found on the bottom of this post). Now I am getting a little obsessed with the artisan keys, and can't wait to start a collection. The clacks seem a little too pricey, but the BroCaps are what I am going to really try for. I think they look great and the vendor seems very fair, focusing on trying to make it possible for everyone to have a chance at getting a cap. So no matter how long I need to wait I am sure I will get my hands on one sometime. I gave my Das Keyboard to my friend, I am hoping I can get him hooked on this hobby too.. and he loves the Das.
A little about my computer background... I have been a PC user since the early 90s, and have had a few jobs in the PC repair and diagnostic field.. such as building and repairing computers. I figured out eventually that my favorite area to work in the PC computer universe was in 3D. I am a 3D artist.. I use many tools but my most used are Maya and Zbrush. I love 3D work because you can make anything you imagine and there are so many fun fields that knowing how to do 3D graphics and art can open up. I am currently working on an advertisement that has taken me a few months but I am on the home stretch and it looks great so far. I am also a small business owner (non tech related) and that helps me fund all these little hobbies.
So if anyone here wants or needs any 3D modeling or graphics work let me know, I would love to trade my skills or just help people out here on geekhack. I can tell by how much I enjoy browsing these forums and learning that I will be part of this community for a while, and I want to get a reputation that reflects on me. I am not greedy, and enjoy helping others, and do what I can to help others because I know that I have many questions and a lot to learn. Even though I would do despicable things right now for a single Bro Cap, I understand that in the end the way I conduct myself and treat people will be what really matters here.
I have quite a lot of hobbies and interests like most people here do. I love model making (physical models like model airplanes), electronics work, flight simulation (one day I want to learn to fly for real), fixing and modding retro NES systems all the way to raspberry pi, audio video production, and plenty of non-geeky related hobbies. I am a fan of technology, but useful technology, I don't buy every new thing on the market or anything I don't think I will get a lot of use out of. That is one reason keyboards are so fun and a great value. I am using it all the time including RIGHT NOW!
So that's my intro, can't wait to meet all of you, and I hope I can be a great member of this community. I also have a really exciting project for this community in the future, so keep an eye out for that! So that's about it for now, at least anyone interested will know where I am coming from. Feel free to message me anytime for anything at all, and I will see you around!
-whizzard
Link to my Octagon custom keyboard GB build / review / guide made for geekhack:
Octagon Build and Review Click HERE