If we could get the SMD diodes and resistors done pick and place so it comes ready to go I would be down. Otherwise... forget it. I had TONS of trouble trying to do the leeku 1800 I had and no interest in a repeat of that fiasco.
Also, I don't want to be forced to buy a plate I wouldn't ever use either. It's just wasting money.
diodes make sense because they are all the same. Resistors... maybe. Since there is a huge difference is Vf across different LED colours, you have two options: Guess high and have all LEDs work (and blue/white are a little dim) or guess low and keep from overcurrent on the red/orange LEDs by PWM controlling the LED matrix.
Now if we get PCBs from Leeku this is likely not possible. If we make our own pcb... the sky's the limit. P&P, ISO, NKRO, backlighting, etc. are all possible.
Honestly I'm in favor of making our own, but I really don't have the PCB-design skill (yet) to wing this. So if you can hook me up with a PCB designer, I can throw the gerber at various shops and see what their prices are for P&P. We'll also either to use a teensy or get someone to program the raw chips with bootloaders (and firmware, why not?).
Unfortunately for this many keys, we'll either need a teensy++2.0 (which isn't compatible with all the firmwares) or an atmega 32u4 (which works with just about everything) and some shift registers or whatever.
I never got why people got only some things P&P but didn't bother to get the diodes done. I realize that diodes, LEDs or jumpers should always be installed in a PCB-mount KB (to stabilize the switch) but including solder holes for jumpers and normal LED holes should pacify everyone. B'sides there are lots of KBs that people use PCB mount without them (eg poker X) and it's fine. Anyway throwing diodes in there isn't going to hurt anything. Installing your own diodes won't do anything different (afaik) and jumpering them will have the same effect. If a "good answer" to the LED resistor problem (I like the "guess high" version) is made, then there's no reason to leave SMD resistors out either.
Actually, the more I think of this, the more I want to make is a little "less custom" and "more manageable". True custom people can desolder the stuff there and make it how they want, and everyone else (which is at least 90% I think) will be just fine with the acceptable defaults.
I had TONS of trouble trying to do the leeku 1800 I had and no interest in a repeat of that fiasco.
Do you have experience doing SMD work on other KBS like the ergodox or a GON, or is the Leeku 1800 particularly difficult?
Also, I don't want to be forced to buy a plate I wouldn't ever use either. It's just wasting money.
This will not be a problem, though prices on plates might be a little higher.
Oh if there are plates they will be stainless steel unless there is significant outcry. Aluminium plates are worthless IMO.