deskthority

I have been looking into building a new mechanical. My current G710 is just too large. I really like 60%ers and have been eyeballing the POK3R really hard. I can get one right now for about $130. The only thing thats really holding me back is the desire to make a DIY one. I do have an XCarve so I could cut the bottom out of oak. I was thinking of using the aluminum plate thats on massdrop currently and maybe a NeRD PCB. I just have a feeling its going to be no where near the same cost as a pok3r or even a pok3r and a keycap set.

I also have no idea what I would need. So I just get the plate, some switches, keycap set, a pcb, make my bottom, and thats it? Or do I need supports and linkages. This is why I am thinking a DIY should just wait until I am more familiar with the meta.

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You actually don't need a plate, and maybe you'll like it a bit more without.
I have both, a plate-less FaceU replica, and a stainless steel plated Nerd in an alu case.
The Nerd is awesome, but due to the plate and the case, bottoming out is a bit like rapping your fingers on marble or something.
If you get the Nerd (and I wholeheartedly recommend it), you'll need some 1n4148 diodes, switches, and stabilizers.
If you are not comfortable soldering you can have GON do it for you.
If you don't like PCB mount Cherry stabs, you'll need a plate to use Costar ones, in which case you can't use a universal plate.
I hope it's not too confusing!

Yeah, it's all quite simple really. But because of options, you'll always hear a lot of get "x + y unless you want z".

Fundamentally speaking, all you need is a PCB, stab(iliser)s, switches and a case. The PCB hopefully includes a controller* and diodes, but diodes are dead easy to source and install anyway. A plate is optional, like Chzel said. It helps the board feel solid as metal when installed, and is mandatory for Costar stabs. Besides all that, you've only really got caps and a cable to think about.

*The actual smarts of the keyboard, which we often run on a separate Teensy board. Especially those of us who make whole keyboards without a PCB. Not for the faint of heart! But Teensies are pretty awesome, especially for converting classic pre-USB boards to something modern.

Muirium wrote: ↑Yeah, it's all quite simple really. But because of options, you'll always hear a lot of get "x + y unless you want z".

Well i'd say it's quite simple after you've done it a couple of times and spent all your uncle's savings.

But seriously, Muirium is of course correct about the fundamentals. However there's a lot of options, so it might be a good idea to look around DT and GH for a while to figure out more specifically what would you want. It took me a while to learn the terminology, what works with what and what do I need to achieve X or Y.

So just a couple of things to consider when going for a DIY: want fully programmable? Am I happy with a gui tool? Do I want some not-so-common features, like mouse keys or password generator? What layout, standard (cheap keycaps possible) or non-standard (cheap keycaps impossible)? Do I want just a caps lock LED, or full backlighting? What plate (none/alu/steel/acrylic)? Am I happy with my own homemade case or do I want to be able to use aftermarket alu/acrylic cases? --- All of these tend to narrow down the choices quite a bit.

Also, you'll need a lot of patience. Some people (like GON) sometimes have looong waiting times and don't communicate the status very well (or at all). I mean (from what I read) he's a great guy and does high-quality stuff, and eventually delivers. Emphasis being on eventually.

Finally, for a very basic build, I'd say you're looking at about $50 (PCB) + $40 (plate) + $10 (stabs) + $40 (switches) + $0 (your wooden case) + $[random amount] (shipping from different people) + $[30 to 150] (keycaps). Yea, these numbers can vary (even a lot) both up and down depending on what exactly do you get and where.

EDIT: BTW both PCB and plate are kinda optional as well, you can go with PCB and no plate, or plate+no PCB+hand-wire.

Luckily I have worked with the teensyLC a couple of times. (http://www.zlittell.com/2015/07/fightstick/)

Seems easy enough once I kinda have the full list of things. It is always the X + Y but maybe Z thing that gets me. So the money seems to be somewhat similar. I just need to make a decision regarding what route to take I suppose. I feel there might not be much advantage to building a keyboard similar to a pok3r for more money and I don't quite know what I would change on it to make it better suited for me. I think the biggest thing I have seen that I really liked was splitting the space bar into a smaller space bar and 2 FN keys. Hmmmm decisions decisions.

MSF_Reaper wrote: ↑Luckily I have worked with the teensyLC a couple of times. (http://www.zlittell.com/2015/07/fightstick/)

Nice!

MSF_Reaper wrote: ↑ I think the biggest thing I have seen that I really liked was splitting the space bar into a smaller space bar and 2 FN keys. Hmmmm decisions decisions.

Well that will be difficult with the PCBs that are currently obtainable (via a group buy or otherwise). The closest I've seen to this is AUNK. The best route for that right now would be a custom cut plate and handwiring.

About the advantages of a custom kb over the off-the-shelf 60% (including pok3r): full programmability (e.g. I really don't like the placement of the Fn key on pok3r), changing the switches if you don't like the ones you get the first time (with custom you can just swap the springs and stems in the switches, no need to desolder and resolder everything), extra tuning of the switches if you're into that kind of thing (lubing...), usually changing the layout only requires replacing a couple of switches instead of getting a whole new keyboard (e.g. splitting the backspace into 2 switches, splitting the right shift, things like that).

Anyway, I myself started my foray into mechanical keyboards by getting a Poker II (which I've sold by now).

Yeah I just noticed the FN key on the pok3r. I would have to swap caps with WIN and reprogram that, if thats even possible for those two keys.

I am now curious what materials can be used for a plate with hand wiring. could I make the whole case out of wood on my CNC router? I guess I could cut an 18-16ga aluminum plate on it pretty easily as well... hmmmmm

Unfortunately when you don't use a PCB you have to have good tolerances or you'll be pulling switches out like crazy.
That means proper 1.5mm thick plate with somewhat tight cutouts (preferably full square - no switch opening cutouts).
14ga will probably be too thick and 15ga too thin for proper switch mounting.
Time to switch to metric!

Its just one thing after another isn't it?! haha

Just found out that you can get custom steel plates cut from Jack at ortholinearkeyboards, for $53 (and up with goodies). I'd say for just one custom plate it's a fair price, also given that it's done by a guy who's done a lot of keyboards plates before, so he know what he's doing.