Commodore 64 Mechanical handwired replacement

[bmmcwhirt]

I am working on a C64 hand wired replacement. It's going to be a chore to hand wire it I know but until I have a working prototype it doesn't make sense to prototype a circuit board at first.

I'm trying to use Plate & Case Builder(http://builder.swillkb.com/) to layout the plate. It seems to only want to make holes for pcb mounted stabilizers unless I am missing something. For reference I am playing with the Vic20 default on http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/ setting it to Cherry MX Plate mounted and copying the raw data to the plate builder.

If someone with a bit more experience could have a look at it and tell me what changes if any I need to make to make sure that the plate will take the stabilizers.

I will update this post with photos and build logs as I progress.

For anyone interested this is how the C64 keyboard matrix is laid out (http://nerdcore.eu/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/p4-07l.gif). I imagine they did this to reduce the pins as much as possible or maybe they just wanted MxM instead of MxN.

[bmmcwhirt]

RESERVED for FAQ answers.

[Findecanor]

A replacement keyboard for Commodore 64 has already been done.  It is called the MeC64 and there was a small group buy back in 2013.  If you ask tlt nicely, maybe he'll share the design ... or do it again.
The MeC64's plate was bent in ways that made it recessed, to account for the height of 3D-printed adapters for use of Commodore's keycaps on Cherry MX switches.

Since then there has also been a run of C64-styled keycaps in SA profile: SA Retro, complete with front-printed PETSCII symbols. Personally, I think real Cherry MX keycaps would be preferrable for feel as lower keycaps have less wobble.
Edit: Check also out the GMK Retro: same colour scheme and legends but in regular "cylindrical" profile and high-quality double-shot keys.

BTW I read that the matrix is that small in the C64 to save on I/O chips. The matrix is also shared with the joystick ports somehow.

[bmmcwhirt]

A replacement keyboard for Commodore 64 has already been done.  It is called the MeC64 and there was a small group buy back in 2013.  If you ask tlt nicely, maybe he'll share the design ... or do it again.
The MeC64's plate was bent in ways that made it recessed, to account for the height of 3D-printed adapters for use of Commodore's keycaps on Cherry MX switches.

...

BTW I read that the matrix is that small in the C64 to save on I/O chips. The matrix is also shared with the joystick ports somehow.

His project actually converted the keyboard for USB and I'm doing a direct replacement on a real C64. I will ask him about his plate though as that would be incredibly useful as well as his keycap adapters. I'm still going to have to hand wire it so that it will plug into the C64 motherboard.