is it possible to have a custom keyboard for around $200

[lilotus]

Hello,
I was just wondering if it is possible to build a custom keyboard for around $200.

My main usage for the keyboard will be gaming and streaming.

What I need in a keyboard:
- silence
- linear switches
- reliability
- ISO-DE layout

You may wonder why I don't just buy a keyboard, but I just love making custom stuff (for example my PC, Desk or room lighting).

[lilotus]

Why do you think it is not possible?

Some people on other Forums told me it is almost impossible to get a custom keyboard with my budget

[ddrfraser1]

I think you can actually get some decent kits on Ali express.

[jkutianski]

Why do you think it is not possible?

Some people on other Forums told me it is almost impossible to get a custom keyboard with my budget

That is false for sure!
You can use old kecaps for a donor keyboard to lower the cost. And most of the time the switches (but maybe not the silent ones).
Wired reduce the cost.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6050
https://matt3o.com/hand-wiring-a-custom-keyboard/

[//gainsborough]

This pre-built tofu comes close: https://kbdfans.com/products/fully-asse ... 0-keyboard

If you add switches it is around $200. You can get some cheap taihao caps to throw on there.

[ddrfraser1]

My first builds were actually buying decent quality second hand boards and swapping switches and caps. Good way to save money and get into the hobby

[kokokoy]

KBDFans selling B-Stock Tofu case for $66.

https://kbdfans.com/collections/new-arr ... minum-case

[Gnho]

The question should be: what do you want to customize? What do you want that factory-made keyboards do not have? If you can tell us this, I'm sure $200 is 100% enough.

[lilotus]

Since you want to know why I want a custom keyboard and not a factory-made one. It is because I want to do as much custom as I can do for my setup.

And my layout would be ISO. I would love to have my function keys for shortcuts but its not necessary.

[kmnov2017]

If you want to assemble your own custom for cheap, you will need donor parts.

Switches - Look for cherry MX black boards. Germany has a lot of these for cheap (3 to 5 euros). Or if you have to buy new ones, gateron has cheap and good linears.

Keycaps - look for G81 models that came with double shot keycaps (you can find these for cheap as well). Also this is your best bet for ISO-DE keycaps.

Case, PCB and plates: boards like G80 have a nice sturdy plastic case and a PCB that can be used as is. You can solder out swtiches and replace your own. Keycaps can be reused as is or replaced with G81 keycaps.
If you want to somehting more custom, AliExpress has lot of options for cases for 30 euros or so.

For example:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_B1NdNK

If you handwire, then a PCB is not even needed. You can save another 30-40 euros that way.
Pro micro may be used as a good cheap controller.

You can skip a case altogether and use either a bent steel plate or a wood base. Options are endless and up to your creative imagination.

For reference, look what this dude did viewtopic.php?t=7374

[Gnho]

Since you want to know why I want a custom keyboard and not a factory-made one. It is because I want to do as much custom as I can do for my setup.

And my layout would be ISO. I would love to have my function keys for shortcuts but its not necessary.

I am asking because you may be able to achieve your immediate goals with little money. For example, AutoHotkey allows you to remap and create all sorts of shortcuts and macros. The software is free and very easy to learn.

The thing about custom boards at this price range is that many factor-made boards are in fact of better quality and lower price.

[zrrion]

If you want a tenkeyless you can often find those used on goodwill's website for pretty cheap, and then you can swap caps and/or switches.

Another thing to consider is smaller keyboards, I think there are cheap 40% boards that can be made for under 200. I spent less than that on mine and that was with expensive switches, I harvested my caps from 2 different boards and I could have used those switches as well to cut down on the cost considerably.

[vvp]

The things you cannot avoid is:
1) a controller (e.g. ProMicro will do most of the time)
2) switches and keycaps (possibly from a donor board)
3) either a plate or a PCB (if you have plate then you can hand wire and leave out PCB, if you have PCB and PCB mounted switches then you can leave out the plate)

If it is a flat keyboard then you can make your own sandwich case. That saves a lot if no offf-the-shelf case is acceptable. Edit: But a case is not strictly needed.

At the end it will be a lot about details:

• Do you want some fancy case? If yes then you are screwed since 3D-printing or CNC-ing is going to eat whole your budget or even more. If there is some maker space around you where you can get cheap access to a 3D-printer or a CNC then that would help a lot.
• Do you want artisans? Your budget is over after few of them if you are not going to make them yourself.
• Do you want fancy RGB lightning (possibly each key addressable separately)? Add LED drivers, more wiring (a PCB looks more appealing but big PCB are not cheap), possibly also a controller with more pins (cheap ProMicro is not enough).
• Do you want custom thumb clusters? A donor plate is not an option any more and custom laser cut ones will go from 30 EUR up (probably in the range of hundred or more especially when you realize you screwed up the design and the fancy laser cut steel plate which just arrived by post is not usable ).
• Do you mind arduino bootloader showing up briefly when the keyboard is connected? If yes then you need a programmer to remove the default bootloader from ProMicro. That is few bucks more.
• Do you even have soldering iron and many other tools you will need? If not then add the price of the solderind iron (40-150 EUR depending on quality, well you can get some for about 5 EUR without temperature control but they will not be very usable - you will lift pads on ProMicro and curse). Drill, drill bits, paints, a saw ...
• ...

The point is that you can make a custom keyboard for less than 100 EUR. But it will not be anything special And as soon as you start to customize it more and more your budget will get over 200 EUR very quickly. That is the reason you are getting answers that 200 is plenty enough as well as answers that 200 is not enough.

[lilotus]

I don‘t want a super fancy case, artisans or RGB lighting. I don‘t to want wire it by hand, but my dad has a soldering iron. An off-the-shelf case is enough for me, I don‘t like flashing designs. And what do you mean with controller?

[vvp]

Controller (MCU) is the heart of the keyboard - the electronic chip running firmware scanning keyboard matrix, debouncing and reporting changes to PC over USB.
wiki/Keyboard_controller
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcontroller

Most keyboard projects use ATmega32U4. But you can see others, e.g. STM32F072C, etc.
Most keyboard builders here(*) are new to electronics and soldering so they buy controller already soldered on a breakout board, e.g. Teensy or it's cheaper alternative ProMicro. It is easier for newbies to solder wires to through hole pins on a breakout board than solder controller TQFP or LQFP64 package to a PCB.

(*) Actually Deskthority is more about restoration of antique keyboards than building new ones. You may want to check some other sites which are more concerned with building custom keyboards.

You need also to select what features your keyboard should have (e.g. the level of support for tap keys, dual role keys, layers, macros, LEDs, LCD, ....) and select some open source firmware supporting the features you require. You need to select the breakout board / controller supported by the firmware. Or you need to port the firmware to the controller of your choice. Most firmwares will have support for ATmega32U4.

If what I have written sounds too challenging then maybe just get some off-the-shelf keyboard and replace keycaps, maybe some paint job or stickers or some other kind of 3D decoration glued to it and you will have somewhat customized keyboard a s well. E.g. I have seen long threads on GeekHack discussing such a detail like how a properly coiled cable should look like. Well, it is a customization as well. Still better than hundreds of posts about artisans.