Point of

[GloriousPain]

When searching around on massdrop I found a drop for 120 raw mechanical key switches made by gateron my question is what is the point of buying random switches especially in such a bulk amount... that's slightly more than is found in most keyboards total   and is it really so easy to build a keyboard that 54 people all think they could easily take these switches and build themselves a keyboard and I don't believe this is the first drop of raw switches like this  so is everyone just building keyboards from these or am I missing something is there another use to raw switches?

Edit: I'm sure some people build keyboards but this is a 120 pack not a 104 pack so there's likely to be leftovers and do people really build keyboards that often? Also and ideas of how difficult that would be as it sounds like a fun project/Something to add to a resume


https://www.massdrop.com/buy/gateron-switches

[TheSLSAMG]

People build their own keyboards, change the switches out on their current keyboards, etc. There are kits that exist for this sort of stuff.

[Sauron]

Honestly, why not? People do much more complicated stuff if they find it interesting and cool. I would have been surprised if there wasn't a keyboard building community.

[GloriousPain]

People build their own keyboards, change the switches out on their current keyboards, etc. There are kits that exist for this sort of stuff.

Yes I understand that but is it really that common of a thing? As I previously said it's 120 switches that's more than the majority of keyboards have keys and do that many people really build or mod their own keyboards? I think for a simple repair process one would just buy an invdividual or like 5 pack of switches... Also any idea of anyother uses for extra switches or difficulty of making a custom keyboard?

 

Honestly, why not? People do much more complicated stuff if they find it interesting and cool. I would have been surprised if there wasn't a keyboard building community.

Above applies here

[Charger]

There is a decent sized community of people modding and building their own keyboards. People will doing things like changes switches in keyboards, buy switches and keyboard kits to put together keyboards or make fully custom keyboards. My keyboard was made from parts of an old keyboard my numpad was made from scratch and im working on making another keyboard and numpad from more salvaged parts where I have cut and modded a plate from an old keyboard and I have put the springs from cherry mx clear switches into the cherry mx black switches I will be using in that keyboard.

Here is an image of my keyboard and numpad

[DWN]

That looks pro. No escape key.

[Charger]

That looks pro. No escape key.

my keyboard has an escape key it is in the top left but the key cap I made for it is the end of a stainless steel bolt lol

[GloriousPain]

 

Looks cool Charger had no idea you were so Crafty, how long did it take and how hard was it to make?

[Charger]

Looks cool Charger had no idea you were so Crafty, how long did it take and how hard was it to make?

I would say i probably made each over a few days really of actually working on them. I first made the keyboard because slick mentioned on a wan show that people on geekhack.org making their own keyboards and 2 weeks later I had mine working in its first stage of completion until I remade the case to what is is today the numpad I basically made over a a few days the longest part was waiting for parts really lol

Then again I basically have accumulated the tools of a small fabrication shop so it really not something most people have lol.

keyboard cost me $50 to make numpad cost me $100 lol

[GloriousPain]

I would say i probably made each over a few days really of actually working on them. I first made the keyboard because slick mentioned on a wan show that people on geekhack.org making their own keyboards and 2 weeks later I had mine working in its first stage of completion until I remade the case to what is is today the numpad I basically made over a a few days the longest part was waiting for parts really lol

Then again I basically have accumulated the tools of a small fabrication shop so it really not something most people have lol.

keyboard cost me $50 to make numpad cost me $100 lol

Why'd the numpad cost more? also got a rough breakdown of material costs? like Keycaps vs Casing vs Keyswitches vs  Cabling vs  Controller what costs most  what costs least...Got any tips on how to build your own

[Charger]

Why'd the numpad cost more? also got a rough breakdown of material costs? like Keycaps vs Casing vs Keyswitches vs  Cabling vs  Controller what costs most  what costs least...Got any tips on how to build your own

well the numpad cost more because I build it with all new parts the keyboard was build from a donor keyboard for the plate, keycaps and switches while I had to buy switches, and keycaps for the numpad

As for the case for them that was all free to me since it was just scrap aluminum I had mostly and I made it on my vertical mill for it was only me doing the work

I started a thread recently but it isn't finished about my keyboard there is still a lot to go into it

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/353865-custom-keyboard-builds/

if you want to see something done that is more practical for people with out tools I will point you to @the pokemon kid thread

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/339317-custom-built-phantom-keyboard/

or @TheProfosist thread

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/125845-the-hid-liberator/

[TheProfosist]

At some point I will get to work on my other boards around here. Also I will probably re-post my old build from back on GH on here as well as my website.