Custom mx HHKB w/ Gateron Greens

[Hypersphere]

This is a mini-review of my new custom mx-HHKB. These are built to order by "ymdkeyboard", a Chinese vendor on eBay. You can order the keyboard completely assembled or as a DIY kit. Prices range from $75 to $135 shipped. There are a couple of special options for an additional $15 each. Mine came to $112 shipped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CNC-Case-Plate- ... PmkteQHXug

Design: Simple sandwich consisting of an aluminum top plate and aluminum bottom with sandblasted acrylic in the middle. Choice of colors for the aluminum plates. I went with black.

mx-hhkb-top1.png (654.07 KiB) Viewed 4586 times

PCB: KC60 SE, preprogrammed to the standard HHKB layout.

Layout: HHKB with 1.00--1.50 --7.00--1.50--1.00 bottom row.

mx-hhkb-lt1.png (634.83 KiB) Viewed 4586 times

Switches: Choice of Gateron or Cherry mx with a complete selection of subtypes in each category. My choice was Gateron green.

mx-hhkb-gat-green1.png (630.58 KiB) Viewed 4586 times

LEDs: Rich assortment of colors in either 3 mm or 2x3x4 mm. My choice was no LEDs so that I would have the option of opening the switches to swap springs and/or sliders.

Keycaps: PBT lasered or blank, Cherry or OEM profile, various colors. The vendor also sells keysets separately on a separate eBay link. My choice was lasered white alphas with lasered red modifiers.

Feet: Screw-in conical aluminum feet. These are nice, but I like more elevation, so I installed some taller self-adhesive conical rubber feet.

mx-hhkb-foot1s.png (50.24 KiB) Viewed 4586 times

Connector: Mini_USB in left-rear of the case.

mx-hhkb-connect1.png (183.65 KiB) Viewed 4586 times

Positive Impressions: I like this keyboard. This came somewhat as a surprise, because usually I don't like Cherry mx switches or clones thereof. However, I took a gamble on Gateron greens, which turned out to live up to their reputation of being smoother and somewhat lighter than Cherry greens.

Other contributors to my positive impression are the 60% form factor, pleasing aesthetics of the simple symmetrical design, and the HHKB layout. The board is also light but very solid. I find that I can type rapidly and accurately on this board, and the switches feel just about right. The keycaps have an agreeable slight texture, like pumice stone. Lasered legends are certainly not as nice as dye-sublimated ones, but they are serviceable and they provide the correct labels for the HHKB layout.

The keyboard also sounds good. The simple sandwich construction of acrylic and metal seems to provide an ideal matrix for the Gateron green switches. I prefer the sound to other 60% keyboards that I own with metal cases, which tend to have a harsher timbre.

I ordered the board with no LEDs because I don't particularly care for them and so that I would be able to remove the switch tops to replace components. I had thought that I might install lighter springs, but the Gateron greens seem fine as they are. I might alter that impression after using the board for longer typing sessions.

Negative impressions: There were some negative aspects. Upon arrival, the box was crushed along one long edge and the bubble wrap inside was fairly flat, but the keyboard was intact. The mini-USB connector was a bit loose, and the Cherry-type stabilizers were a bit rattly on the Left Shift and Return. The spacebar was extremely rattly. However, I was able to remedy the rattles in the Left Shift and Return keys by squeezing in some Super Lube 21010 grease without disassembling the board. For the spacebar, I installed a blue O-ring on each of the three stems, applied self-adhesive foam rubber strips inside the spacebar to deaden sound, and squeezed in Super Lube 21010 grease, again without disassembling the keyboard. The rattles have disappeared.

Overall conclusion: Overall, I consider this board good value for money and a great option for those who would like a 60% form factor, HHKB layout, optional LEDs, and Cherry mx or Gateron switches. The rattly stabilized keys were an initial concern, but this was easily fixed in a few minutes by applying some lube and sound-deadening materials.

mx-hhkb-rt1.png (620.58 KiB) Viewed 4586 times

For comparison, here is the link to my review of an earlier version of this keyboard with Gateron yellow switches and white LEDs:

review-f45/santa-gh60-hhkb-layout-gater ... ml#p321359

[seebart]

Very solid information as usual thank you. I keep reading positive things about Gaterons and they are very much on my to-try list.

[sth]

Very solid information as usual thank you. I keep reading positive things about Gaterons and they are very much on my to-try list.

i swore off cherry last year but then i went and fucked that up by building a 60% with gateron yellows. they gave me some slight faith in mx-based keyboards again! if you like linears, the yellows are a perfect middle ground between cherry red and black, and incredibly smooth.

[seebart]

Very solid information as usual thank you. I keep reading positive things about Gaterons and they are very much on my to-try list.

...if you like linears, the yellows are a perfect middle ground between cherry red and black, and incredibly smooth.

Sounds like I need to try them.

[Hypersphere]

Very solid information as usual thank you. I keep reading positive things about Gaterons and they are very much on my to-try list.

i swore off cherry last year but then i went and fucked that up by building a 60% with gateron yellows. they gave me some slight faith in mx-based keyboards again! if you like linears, the yellows are a perfect middle ground between cherry red and black, and incredibly smooth.

Similar story here. Cherry mx has always been at the bottom of my preference list for keyboard switches, but I decided to try a custom keyboard with Gateron yellows. I liked it, and I agree with your assessment -- the weight is just about ideal, between mx red and black, and the switches are very smooth. However, I like tactile/clicky switches, so I decided to give Gateron greens a try and found that I liked them as well. They might be just a tad heavy, but this board allows the switches to be opened without desoldering, so I might install some lighter springs.

[sth]

Very solid information as usual thank you. I keep reading positive things about Gaterons and they are very much on my to-try list.

i swore off cherry last year but then i went and fucked that up by building a 60% with gateron yellows. they gave me some slight faith in mx-based keyboards again! if you like linears, the yellows are a perfect middle ground between cherry red and black, and incredibly smooth.

Similar story here. Cherry mx has always been at the bottom of my preference list for keyboard switches, but I decided to try a custom keyboard with Gateron yellows. I liked it, and I agree with your assessment -- the weight is just about ideal, between mx red and black, and the switches are very smooth. However, I like tactile/clicky switches, so I decided to give Gateron greens a try and found that I liked them as well. They might be just a tad heavy, but this board allows the switches to be opened without desoldering, so I might install some lighter springs.

i absolutely cannot stand any sort of mx clicky switch. for the most part, unless the click is just a byproduct of the switch actuating (like buckling springs), i don't care for the added unnecessary noise. i have heard good things about greens but i dont think it's enough to make me enjoy them

[ideus]

Greens are even clicky-er than blues.

[Hypersphere]

@sth: Yeah, I tend to agree about the add-on click. The thing mx does best is pure linear, and Gateron seems to have improved on this by making their switches smoother. Nevertheless, my favorite switches are still Topre, IBM Model F, and some varieties of Alps.