The ALL-METAL Keyboard

[ColinLTT]

It's heavy, it's GOLD(en), and it types! We build a custom ALL-METAL keyboard from SCRATCH! From the aluminum base all the way to the brass keycaps, this build is a keyboard nerd’s dream!

 

Buy Mechanical Keyboards:

On Amazon (PAID LINK): https://lmg.gg/mZiEI

 

Buy Gateron Switches

 On Amazon (PAID LINK): https://lmg.gg/paatD

 

Buy Keyswitch testers:

On Amazon (PAID LINK): https://lmg.gg/Un4AF

 

Dixie Mech hardware

https://dixiemech.com/

 

Salvun Keycaps

http://salvun.com/

 

Apex Keyboards Lubricants

https://www.apexkeyboards.ca/

 

 

 

[Nowak]

Good job on finally discovering and even recommending non-Cherry switches! Hope this trend continues.

[Kibelok]

Great video!

I wish you guys did a proper typing test at the end though, spend like 1-2 minutes with Linus and the other guys checking out how it sounds without background noise.

Also, I think you applied WAY too much lube, especially for linears, and the Stabs weren't lubed.
 

[JoostinOnline]

I don't understand how Linus can bear doing sponsor spots for Ring.

[rcmaehl]

I can finally replace my Model M as my go to Home Defense Keyboard.

[sub68]

that moment  that your staff doesn't trust you

[MP-]

@ColinLTT Nice work but this keyboard nerd feels that you missed true overkill status. Amusingly it turns I also own an engineering & manufacturing company that specializes military / aerospace / medical stuff - I'd happily put my team and tools to work after hours on it just for the lulz at no cost.

 

Suggested Overkill Improvements

 

1) The PCB - you claimed "ALL METAL" - what about the the PCB? We should use an aluminum backed PCB for enhanced rigidity (also just because we can) and thermal performance. Why thermal performance ? Because we should also design a custom PCB with an insane amount of RGBW lighting (aluminum backed PCBs are used in high power LED lighting applications to help sink the heat from the LED chips). You should be able to key light an LTT video with just the keyboard backlight. 

 

2) The case - 6063 Al for the case is ok - but cmonnn 6063 is a cheaper, weaker, grade of aluminum - not quite worthy of overkill status. Instead - we should do it in titanium (6AL-4V), carbon fiber, and tungsten carbide. Titanium would also enable really cool anodizing (again I feel folks took less overkill road and used Cerakote here) - to this end we should add Carbon fiber inlays and bottom plate. Conversely we could mill the entire deck out of carbon fiber and do machined and anodized titanium inlays .  Inconel is also an option   

 

Tungsten Carbide - we could make (wire & sinker EDM) some accent pieces out of TC (it is probably a bit too heavy for a keyboard. Tungsten Carbide LTT logo inlay with capslock/status indicator cutouts ?  

 

3) Keycaps - Why did you use brass? Brass is heavy, it tarnishes, it often has lead in it and it has shitty mechanical properties. You were struggling with the key switches just because you needed to deal with the weight. Again titanium or carbon fiber are your friends. I suggest milled/EDM-ed key switches out of titanium with micro drilled key labels that would allow the lighting to shine through when on (but be imperceptible otherwise). We could use a high precision sinker micro-EDM to cut very slightly raised bumps on keys to locate the home row.

 

4) Connector - USB C is convenient and nice but a point of failure. A robust metal industrial USB connector would seem to be more fun

 

In short - you compromised in keyboard performance to get it all metal etc. The correct thing to do would be to use cutting edge manufacturing methods and materials to make an absolutely no compromises keyboard. 

 

Gauntlet thrown down (maybe find a peripheral maker who is nuts enough to sponsor the video) 

 

[geo3]

No where near as heavy as I thought it would be. My most recent 60% is also 1.6KG and it's 1 column shorter and uses plastic caps.

[TheProfosist]

"as far as we're aware no one has made an all metal keyboard before" 

 

A user on your own forums has had an all metal keyboard for ~5+ years...

 

Keycaps are only Zinc with Titanium space and Esc but I'd say it qualifies

 

 

 

 

[ColinLTT]

4 hours ago, Kibelok said:

Great video!

I wish you guys did a proper typing test at the end though, spend like 1-2 minutes with Linus and the other guys checking out how it sounds without background noise.

Also, I think you applied WAY too much lube, especially for linears, and the Stabs weren't lubed.
 

That lubing was just for the camera, in actuality I took my time doing it right for the build. Theres a cutoff sentence in the video where I mention "3 hours" - thats how long I spent getting all the switches and stabs prepped. It was quite the learning curve. The stabs were lubed as well, admittedly I'm not a pro, but it WAS done. Thanks! 

 

2 hours ago, MP- said:

@ColinLTT Nice work but this keyboard nerd feels that you missed true overkill status. Amusingly it turns I also own an engineering & manufacturing company that specializes military / aerospace / medical stuff - I'd happily put my team and tools to work after hours on it just for the lulz at no cost. 

 

Suggested Overkill Improvements

 

(there were a lot here, trimmed for brevity - see above for details) 

 

Gauntlet thrown down (maybe find a peripheral maker who is nuts enough to sponsor the video) 

 

 

A fellow manufacturing company owner, nice! I'm a manufacturing engineer by trade and have my own little machine shop as well. This wasn't an "overkill" build in the sense that we got parts that were available commercially, with the exception of the set of brass keys that @salvun made for us. Not saying that an Overkill build isn't possible in the future however!

 

 The brass is actually cerokoted clear, so it wont oxidize. If you want to go nuts with a sinker or glorified bandsaw (wire edm #machinistjokes) I would be super interested to see what you could come up with. 

 

In the future I would like to make a chassis in house, either on the router here at LTT or in my own shop - for a future video perhaps  

 

 

[TheProfosist]

1 hour ago, ColinLTT said:

That lubing was just for the camera, in actuality I took my time doing it right for the build. Theres a cutoff sentence in the video where I mention "3 hours" - thats how long I spent getting all the switches and stabs prepped. It was quite the learning curve. The stabs were lubed as well, admittedly I'm not a pro, but it WAS done. Thanks! 

 

 

A fellow manufacturing company owner, nice! I'm a manufacturing engineer by trade and have my own little machine shop as well. This wasn't an "overkill" build in the sense that we got parts that were available commercially, with the exception of the set of brass keys that @salvun made for us. Not saying that an Overkill build isn't possible in the future however!

 

 The brass is actually cerokoted clear, so it wont oxidize. If you want to go nuts with a sinker or glorified bandsaw (wire edm #machinistjokes) I would be super interested to see what you could come up with. 

 

In the future I would like to make a chassis in house, either on the router here at LTT or in my own shop - for a future video perhaps  

 

 

 

If you need help or insight on custom mech boards let me know I've been in the game a while

 

Most things like lubing and stickers and indeed tedious but in a way can be soothing/relaxing. Sit back and chill. 

 

[MunsterMc]

Titanium Keycaps

At first I thought they used these titanium keycaps which look so fricking amazing.

I signed up to the forums just to share my keyboard nerdishness.

[flashiling]

29 minutes ago, MunsterMc said:

Titanium Keycaps

At first I thought they used these titanium keycaps which look so fricking amazing.

I signed up to the forums just to share my keyboard nerdishness.

then welcome and enjoy your stay

[seon123]

This could be interesting

Spoiler

 

[PriitM]

to 1UP this: 

 

Titanium nitride coated keycaps (pretty much any metal would do) with through milled letters/symbols for illumination

Individually addressed LED keyswitches

Titanium body

Wireless connection with a massive battery bank for obvious reasons

  

[sydh]

I half expected Titanium keycaps before Linus mentioned what they were. :s

[xnamkcor]

Make a keyboard with all piezoelectric switches.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezo_switch

 

PS: The oven that sanitises things is called an autoclave.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoclave

[jiyeon]

Linus: We have a Bauer case from DixieMech.

Me: Oh nice, a premium case for a mechanical keyboard video.

Linus: We're going to use Gateron Blacks.

Me: Oh nice, something finally good.

Linus: We're going to lube those Gateron Blacks.

Me: WOKE

[geo3]

9 hours ago, PriitM said:

to 1UP this: 

 

Titanium nitride coated keycaps (pretty much any metal would do) with through milled letters/symbols for illumination

Individually addressed LED keyswitches

Titanium body

Wireless connection with a massive battery bank for obvious reasons

  

Wow, talk about a difference of priorities. Except for Titanium nitride coating I think all of those things are a downgrade.

[Granular]

Quote

All metal keyboard

Fake news! There's clearly insulation around the wires and in the switches.

[Nowak]

12 hours ago, seon123 said:

This could be interesting

  Hide contents

 

Yo, a Taeha Types x LTT collab would be cool

[Bramimond]

It boggles the mind. That much overkill and it isn't even ergonomic. Why do people punish themselves with non-ergonomic keyboards that will lead to suffering in their old age?

[thetazman]

Have they given mice the metal treatment?

[Required]

lol...
a) This rubbish URL get blocked by many Firewall for a good Rreason

b) I know since the early 90tis Metal Keyboard for the Industrial Application.

[PriitM]

On 1/17/2020 at 6:32 PM, geo3 said:

Wow, talk about a difference of priorities. Except for Titanium nitride coating I think all of those things are a downgrade.

Its RGB or nothing. Only thing 1UP to metal is composite polymers. And who would want titanium-kevlar composite body, like really...its the same stuff Koenigsegg Regera is made of