I'd like to start off by saying that I'll try to document my progress in this thread as extensively as possible, so expect lots to read. I will also be updating this pdf file https://www.dropbox.com/s/mrwpp18voc9yy ... x.pdf?dl=0 in which I write all my notes to self. This will be a bit messy and will include Dutch at times, but there you will be able to check on my total progress if you like.
Introduction
I got into mechanical keyboards a year or so ago and bought the most standard of keyboards, the CMStorm QFR with MX blues. I still really enjoy it a lot, but I want something a bit more portable and get rid of all the keys I don't use. Lurking http://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards a lot lately has got me excited to create my own.
What I want from my keyboard is to look very clean and minimalist. I'll spend this first post mostly on designing the keycap layout and some plans for buying things.
General design
I would really like a dark wooden top plate on my keyboard. Also, for the keycaps I will want them to be blank, this is also convenient because of the nonstandard layout. Probably something like dark green or blue would be nice. Maybe I'll even go more exotic with yellow or orange. The case will probably be under the keys rather than around the keys if you know what I mean. This is still open for discussion but it doesn't really make sense to make the keycaps as small as possible and then make the whole thing a lot bigger again. But maybe I'll change my opinion on this.
So let's design a keycap layout
First off the keys I will want to get rid of.
- Pgup pgdwn - these will probably still be coded as pgup pgdwn but used as volume control keys.
- Ins - who the hell needs insert?
- F1 - asking for help is for plebs. /s
- F3, F4 - literally never use these.
- F12 - this one is sometimes used but not really necessary.
- Prtscr - same as F12.
- Fn - I only use this for volume control, so it's more logical and convenient to just make separate keys for the volume control.
- Right Alt and Ctrl - Sometimes used for ctrl-alt-del, but not really necessary.
- Right Windows - Nope
- Scrlk - I don't even know what this does.
First draft version, ugly photoshop! This has a 5.25u spacebar, which I fix in the next designs.
Now with 4u length spacebar.
Editor link: http://tinyurl.com/kywf8xe
Third version in chalk, this design has a 6.25 spacebar as well as a better arrow layout, drawback is that the volume control keys are not nicely grouped.
Editor link: http://tinyurl.com/6-25space
Fourth version, this has a smaller left side, but a grouped volume control and two extra keys. I don't like it very much yet.
Editor link: http://tinyurl.com/altctrllayout
I think I like the third version best as of right now.
Where to buy stuff?
I've done a bunch of research on where to buy stuff.
Soldering
I already bought some cheap soldering stuff and 500(!) diodes from http://banggood.com.
Keycaps
I'll either get them from eBay http://www.ebay.com/itm/Green-Cherry-MX ... 1c2f85d035 or from pimpmykeyboard http://keyshop.pimpmykeyboard.com/produ ... ank-sets-1 if I decide on DSA caps.
Switches
Getting these from the 7bit groupbuy: http://deskthority.net/group-buys-f50/c ... t2760.html. Most likely tactile grey.
Laser cutting
Not sure on where to do this yet. Will be pretty expensive though. Might be nice to groupbuy some stuff.
Teensy
Possibly from pjrc: https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy.html.
Haven't really done any searching for this one yet.
Alright that's it for now I think, let me know what you think!