this post was submitted on 07 Jul 2023
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I build custom mechanical keyboards. Got into it because of the Pandemic and now I have built 6 of them. /r/mk and /r/emk used to be some of my most visited subs on the other site. I'm now known as the goto for keyboard questions in my circles of friends.
I started getting into fidgeting more lately and took a liking to magnetic sliders and now have a few that I pretty much always have with me.
And that extended into me learning about begleri beads somehow so now I am attempting to learn that. I can do slips and 2 finger wraps and occasiaonal one finger or thumb wraps but not much else yet. I accidentally learned a stall because I messed up. I need to really learn transfers since that is one of the main things you do a lot of.
I think I am also amongst the hyperfixator group in this thread. I was previously into speedsolving Rubik's cubes and roasting coffee so I feel a lot of these answers lol.
How do you build a custom keyboard? Do they sell every single part in different shapes? (I mean the "chassis", not the key caps). How custom can they be?
Beware brave traveler, you are asking questions that may result in a journey you did not wish to embark.
This is so true. I spent hundreds on this lol. I am currently typing this on a Ferris Sweep with custom dyed keycaps and I ordered my PCBs special just so I could have them in purple to match my micro-controllers.
lol
I don't think I have the patience nor the money and time, but it does sound fun.
To add to what @denton@lemm.ee said, you can also buy kits from sites like Keebio and Novelkeys. There is a Etsy store call BeeKeebs I will always suggest because Leo is a really cool dude and offers a lot of kits for stuff that you'd otherwise have to part yourself.
I print my own PCBs and aim for boards that don't require diodes. I have most of my boards with Choc Sunsets which are aftermarket custom low profile switches form loweprokb.ca. All my boards run on a fork of QMK called Vial and the hobby gets weird from there. If you are on discord there is a meckkeys server that has a ton of info.
For how custom they can be: Look up Ben Vallack's Piano2. It's an 18 key board that he uses for everyday use including writing code. QMK and it's forks are extremely powerful pieces of software that still blows my mind and I've been using it for 3 years.
Holy Molly.
That's a lot of possibilities.
I found some really good looking custom keyboards.
Another sites I forgot to mention since I was half asleep when wrote that was kbfans. I have seen people that get into the hobby to the point of building their own get kits from them or Novelkeys. Both offer hotswap PCBs which means you don't need to solder the switches and can change them if you want. They offer 60% and TenKeyless which is probably where most people aim for so I think it's a good place to start.
Also if you want keycaps, Amazon, Ali and Banggood sell knockoff copycaps(lol) of a lot of designs for a lot cheaper. Look for "double shot" or "dye-subbed". Those are gonna last and you won't get fading legends like on cheap boards.
And don't get too overwhelmed with switch choice paralysis. If you break it down to linear, tactile, and clicky for feel and then light, medium, and heavy spring weight, it gets a bit easier to navigate to what you might want. Tactile will have a light bump or a heavy bump(popular in the last few years) but other than that, they offer testers and samples.
They can be as custom as you want! I've made a few by coming up with a layout I want, making the 3D model for the case, 3D printing it out and handwiring it up myself, then doing the firmware for it.
You can make something that once only existed in your head into something you use every single day!
Ok, I just watched a video of Ben Vellack's Piano that @roux recommended. Damn!
Oh, right! I forgot about 3D printing.
Sorry if I sound stupid but still, what about the actual board (pcb?)? I mean, yeah, I guess you can get them in custom shapes as well, but sounds too advanced.
Another thing I'm failing to understand the possibilities of is about the firmware. What can different?
You can either design your own PCB or handwire. I handwire because it's cheaper, and I don't have to order min 5 pieces and have extra lying around after.
Look up QMK, you can do a million different things with the firmware.
Found any good lemmy communities similar to the old /r's? Used to love g what people came up with, especially with the trackball integrations and all that jazz
Obosob is one of the main mods from the ergo mech sub and they are running https://lemmy.ml/c/ergomechkeyboards@lemmy.world. (I don't know crosslike communities on here yet) but that sub is picking up. There is also https://lemmy.ml/c/mechanicalkeyboards. Both are gonna be slower than what reddit was like of course but I kind of like that. I haven't seen much trackball stuff yet but right now there is a Fingerpunch board on the first page with one. I saw a Cirque build the other day too. and a hand full of sub-40% boards including one of mine!
Hi there! Looks like you linked to a Lemmy community using an URL instead of its name, which doesn't work well for people on different instances. Try fixing it like this: !ergomechkeyboards@lemmy.ml, !mechanicalkeyboards@lemmy.ml
Good bot!
This is amazing
lol I love it!
Does anyone else always have the links from this bot as broken? Like there's an extra carriage return after the ! or something
Always though begleri beads looked fun but I never picked them up because I didn't think I'd be able to do it at my desk. It'd look to much like I wasn't working.
I have the luxury of working from home so fidgeting isn't an issue. I tend to not play with them when working as much since I end up spending most of my time picking them up off the floor. Also when you are on a phone call and hit your knuckles and blurt out an "ouch" it makes it a bit awkward lol.