Mechanical Keyboard Club!

[TheProfosist]

10 minutes ago, KaminKevCrew said:

So, just built a new board. I'm reasonably happy with it, although I think that the resistors on this board have trouble with the UV leds (which, apparently, my phone isn't able to pick up purple light) so my lighting isn't completely consistent. I'll be working on that over the next few days. It looks WAAAYYY better in person than it does here. That being said, this was a 'budget' build, so I'm happy with it. (didn't even use a plate, so it's my first PCB mounted board!)

what board is it? i like 60% that looks like a nice layout. Im not one for UV LEDs especially if there is ABS plastic involved anywhere.

[Charger]

1 hour ago, KaminKevCrew said:

You do, but I think that would be worth it. Also, the USB to USB converter can do the same thing if you're wanting to have the same functionality, without the bluetooth, and you don't mind the less (externally) elegant solution.

who says it has to be less elegant? I made a usb extention that matched my keyboard and numpad design before so I see no reason you cant make a usb to usb converter look good and blend into your setup.

Spoiler

 

1 hour ago, KaminKevCrew said:

So, just built a new board. I'm reasonably happy with it, although I think that the resistors on this board have trouble with the UV leds (which, apparently, my phone isn't able to pick up purple light) so my lighting isn't completely consistent. I'll be working on that over the next few days. It looks WAAAYYY better in person than it does here. That being said, this was a 'budget' build, so I'm happy with it. (didn't even use a plate, so it's my first PCB mounted board!)

looks nice but I'm not really a fan of leds in general. How much of a budget was it made on?

[spwath]

Switches are hopefully shipping out monday, then 1 day shipping, arrive tuesday. And the plates are supposed to be done by tuesday.

Then Ill get to start building the keyboard.

[KaminKevCrew]

1 hour ago, Charger said:

who says it has to be less elegant? I made a usb extention that matched my keyboard and numpad design before so I see no reason you cant make a usb to usb converter look good and blend into your setup.

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looks nice but I'm not really a fan of leds in general. How much of a budget was it made on?

I just mean that your USB cable will have something on one end or the other. 

 

Thanks! Well, the case was $90, and from a project where the caps lock position on the PCB failed on me, so I couldn't keep using it. Because of that (and that I couldn't find any messed up traces on the PCB, so I bought a new one (also, at this point, I'm too lazy to desolder that whole board again, just to get the plate again). Discounting the case, since that was essentially free, this board has cost me a grand total of about $65, maybe $70. That doesn't count the caps either...

 

That's in contrast to the other boards I have in the mail/have recently built, on which, I've spent at least $200 on each of their cases alone... 

[Charger]

12 hours ago, KaminKevCrew said:

I just mean that your USB cable will have something on one end or the other. 

 

Thanks! Well, the case was $90, and from a project where the caps lock position on the PCB failed on me, so I couldn't keep using it. Because of that (and that I couldn't find any messed up traces on the PCB, so I bought a new one (also, at this point, I'm too lazy to desolder that whole board again, just to get the plate again). Discounting the case, since that was essentially free, this board has cost me a grand total of about $65, maybe $70. That doesn't count the caps either...

 

That's in contrast to the other boards I have in the mail/have recently built, on which, I've spent at least $200 on each of their cases alone... 

that is a good deal on a build that is for sure. With the old pcb I would probably just poke around a bit and maybe replace a diode if that is an option. It seems hard to believe that it would be the controller only killing a single switch so you maybe able to just solder in a jumper wire to see if you can get it to work.

[Guest]

On 4/2/2016 at 7:23 PM, TheProfosist said:

sounds good to me

yes LED indicators are good!

 

but i gotta rip the thing apart and take apart the ribbon if i recall.

 

nah you gotta rip the whole thing apart if I recall

 

too true!

 

I'm using a HHKB with HASU's controller right now, and lemme clear things up.

Yes, you have to take it apart.  No, you don't have to rip the whole thing apart.  It's 3 screws on the outside and one screw on the inside.

You don't have to take the ribbon apart either, all you have to do is pull it out from the stock controller and put it back into the HASU.

The only thing you have to rip the whole keyboard apart for the silencing mod, which I also did to mine because it just makes it sound awesome.  

The whole process of installing the HASU takes maybe 5 minutes tops.  

 

[KaminKevCrew]

On 4/3/2016 at 8:49 AM, Charger said:

that is a good deal on a build that is for sure. With the old pcb I would probably just poke around a bit and maybe replace a diode if that is an option. It seems hard to believe that it would be the controller only killing a single switch so you maybe able to just solder in a jumper wire to see if you can get it to work.

Yeah. I don't think it's the controller either, I'm just a little too lazy/short on time to get it back up and working again. I'm sure I'll take a more serious look at it at some point, just not right now.

[DrHazard]

currently using my first mechanical keyboard, it's a Tesoro Excalibur Spectrum with Kailh Red switches and RGB backlighting and I can happily say I am so happy I made the leap up to mechanical!

[TheProfosist]

23 hours ago, Snevok said:

I'm using a HHKB with HASU's controller right now, and lemme clear things up.

Yes, you have to take it apart.  No, you don't have to rip the whole thing apart.  It's 3 screws on the outside and one screw on the inside.

You don't have to take the ribbon apart either, all you have to do is pull it out from the stock controller and put it back into the HASU.

The only thing you have to rip the whole keyboard apart for the silencing mod, which I also did to mine because it just makes it sound awesome.  

The whole process of installing the HASU takes maybe 5 minutes tops.  

 

I must have only seen it when he was first doing it then since I remember cutting the ribbon or maybe replacing ti and jankily soldering it only a teensy

[Charger]

On 4/5/2016 at 3:52 AM, TheProfosist said:

I must have only seen it when he was first doing it then since I remember cutting the ribbon or maybe replacing ti and jankily soldering it only a teensy

well it sounds like now its a custom pcb replacement I think someone even made a replacement controller for the model M as I recall.

 

 

the lz-gh with some leds in place

I still need to find the software for the redline trik v1.1 pcb for it but I may just end up making a thread on geekhack asking if anyone has it and posting some picks of the build.

[TheProfosist]

1 minute ago, Charger said:

well it sounds like now its a custom pcb replacement I think someone even made a replacement controller for the model M as I recall.

 

 

the lz-gh with some leds in place

I still need to find the software for the redline trik v1.1 pcb for it but I may just end up making a thread on geekhack asking if anyone has it and posting some picks of the build.

Yes there is a full replacement for the model M and F from what I have read. 

 

That this is looking so fine *drool*

 

All the people that I know would have it are no longer on GH. I assume the link for it in the thread is dead? If so just ask though you'll probably need to know the layout I want won't you? It'll be a variation of one that I already use but I might tweak it to get numpad functions on the main layer. 

 

[spwath]

How much extra work is it to implement leds?

I'm thinking i might...

[TheProfosist]

6 minutes ago, spwath said:

How much extra work is it to implement leds?

I'm thinking i might...

If the PCB supports it 2 more solder joints per LED. Clear tops do look better if you are willing to pony up for them. I try to match the stickers to the LEDs personally. @Charger you have done a great job! 

[Charger]

33 minutes ago, TheProfosist said:

Yes there is a full replacement for the model M and F from what I have read. 

 

That this is looking so fine *drool*

 

All the people that I know would have it are no longer on GH. I assume the link for it in the thread is dead? If so just ask though you'll probably need to know the layout I want won't you? It'll be a variation of one that I already use but I might tweak it to get numpad functions on the main layer. 

 

ya the website is gone I have seen some people that posted in the thread that I know are still active but I don't know if they have the software or not. I know the pcb was used in some other lz boards so their may still be hope of just randomly finding it at somepoint.

32 minutes ago, spwath said:

How much extra work is it to implement leds?

I'm thinking i might...

a lot of work lol

 

24 minutes ago, TheProfosist said:

If the PCB supports it 2 more solder joints per LED. Clear tops do look better if you are willing to pony up for them. I try to match the stickers to the LEDs personally. @Charger you have done a great job! 

he isnt using a pcb

[TheProfosist]

27 minutes ago, Charger said:

ya the website is gone I have seen some people that posted in the thread that I know are still active but I don't know if they have the software or not. I know the pcb was used in some other lz boards so their may still be hope of just randomly finding it at somepoint.

a lot of work lol

 

he isnt using a pcb

Let me know if you have luck. 

 

Well have to brainstorm layouts at some point. 

 

Oh umm have fun with that then... 

[Charger]

17 minutes ago, TheProfosist said:

Let me know if you have luck. 

 

Well have to brainstorm layouts at some point. 

well I don't really care about programming it, you can do that on your own really, but if you want any odd keycap layout that would be nice to know before I try to put on the caps that seem to hold on for their life lol

[HE-MAN]

Just a bought cherry mx blue locally made (INDIA) keyboard for 35$. Like the nice clicky sound. 

[dtaflorida]

1 hour ago, HE-MAN said:

Just a bought cherry mx blue locally made (INDIA) keyboard for 35$. Like the nice clicky sound. 

LOL you can't get the switches for a full keyboard for that price even with group buys. DIYers should be buying those up and harvesting the switches.

[Charger]

31 minutes ago, dtaflorida said:

LOL you can't get the switches for a full keyboard for that price even with group buys. DIYers should be buying those up and harvesting the switches.

my current keyboard is using cherry mx blue switches I pulled from a monoprice keyboard so I tend to agree with that idea lol

[TheProfosist]

15 hours ago, Charger said:

well I don't really care about programming it, you can do that on your own really, but if you want any odd keycap layout that would be nice to know before I try to put on the caps that seem to hold on for their life lol

yep for sure actually at least numpad over by the home cluster i think you have seen some of my boards like that yes?

[Charger]

On 3/28/2016 at 8:33 PM, TheProfosist said:

damn you corsair and your overly popular cheap design with failing LEDs! *shakes fist*

Free quote because forum software likes to randomly bring up old ass posts when trying to make a post.

3 minutes ago, TheProfosist said:

yep for sure actually at least numpad over by the home cluster i think you have seen some of my boards like that yes?

ya im just more interested in the cap layout. Like the bottom row and stuff that maybe changed from default not really things in qwerty lol

[joerags]

is the e-element RGB keyboard from massdrop(https://www.massdrop.com/buy/e-element-rgb-keyboard) a good mechanical keyboard? it has the blue outemu switches on it with RGB backlighting, an aluminum(?) chasis, and a removable wrist rest~

[joerags]

I'm new to mechanical keyboards, been able to use some but never really owned one.

 

what keyboard could you recommend for someone new like me?

 

my preferences are cherry mx blue or browns (love the tactile feel), 104 key standard layout (i don't mind having no macros or backlighting) and preferably black in color~

[spwath]

On 4/6/2016 at 9:33 AM, Charger said:

ya the website is gone I have seen some people that posted in the thread that I know are still active but I don't know if they have the software or not. I know the pcb was used in some other lz boards so their may still be hope of just randomly finding it at somepoint.

a lot of work lol

 

he isnt using a pcb

So I guess i wont be doing LED's...

Would it be relitivly easy to just do one led for something like caps lock?

[Charger]

21 minutes ago, spwath said:

So I guess i wont be doing LED's...

Would it be relitivly easy to just do one led for something like caps lock?

ya that is not that hard to do