Face U/MX-mini U replica, acrylic/alu plate, KEEP ORDERING
sooooo pumped
-
frankbartoli
- Location: Italy
- Main keyboard: KBT Race white led brown cherry
- Main mouse: Performance MX
- Favorite switch: cherry brown/blue and buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Hi Tinnie I'll take 1x faceU with 1x acrilic plate for faceU THANKS!
-
nightcracker
- DT Pro Member: -
Hey everyone, I got referred to here from my thread on reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeybo ... _60_board/
This would be my first mechanical keyboard, and I want to try out 60%. Being as picky as I am nothing short of a fully reprogrammable 60% would do - which led me to here.
However since this is my first mechanical keyboard I do not know the exact other things I'd need to get a fully functioning keyboard. I understand I still need switches, caps and a case, but anything else? Is the microcontroller included? Can anyone recommend me places to buy the things I still need?
Also there are a lot of options listed, would anyone be willing to explain to me what the advantages/disadvantages/differences are, so I can make a good choice?
P.S.: I'm not afraid of technical details, so I know what I'm getting myself into. I am slightly afraid of soldering, so if it'd be possible to avoid that it'd be nice (if not I can do it, but I'd rather not).
This would be my first mechanical keyboard, and I want to try out 60%. Being as picky as I am nothing short of a fully reprogrammable 60% would do - which led me to here.
However since this is my first mechanical keyboard I do not know the exact other things I'd need to get a fully functioning keyboard. I understand I still need switches, caps and a case, but anything else? Is the microcontroller included? Can anyone recommend me places to buy the things I still need?
Also there are a lot of options listed, would anyone be willing to explain to me what the advantages/disadvantages/differences are, so I can make a good choice?
P.S.: I'm not afraid of technical details, so I know what I'm getting myself into. I am slightly afraid of soldering, so if it'd be possible to avoid that it'd be nice (if not I can do it, but I'd rather not).
-
DanielT
- Un petit village gaulois d'Armorique…
- Location: Bucharest/Romania
- Main keyboard: Various custom 60%'s/HHKB
- Main mouse: MS Optical Mouse 200
- Favorite switch: Topre/Linear MX
- DT Pro Member: -
The PCB has controller and other small components already soldered, you only need to solder the switches, and that is easy, basic soldering skills.
After you have the switches soldered you need a case and caps, and that's it. You also need stabilizers for Space Bar and Return/Enter.
The only case where you need advanced skills and tools is if you want to have backlight, in that case you have to solder also SMD resistors.
Options:
You have 2 PCB types the faceU that is 60% (this is compact, no dedicated arrows, no function row, like HHKB or Poker) keyboard and MX-mini that is a 75% (like the KBT Race keyboard, you will have function row, can have arrow cluster).
You can get also a plate to go with the PCB (acrylic cheaper but not so solid and aluminum type which is sturdy but the price is higher). The plate adds more stability, the switches will be fixed in this plate first and then soldered to the PCB. In my opinion for a 60% you don't need that, it just complicates your life, but this is me, a lot of people prefer a plate.
For the MX-mini also an acrylic case is available, this is a good option, and it will be cheap.
If you have the funds I would say go and buy a faceU and MX-mini and get also a MX-mini case, this would be a good start, and you would be able to experiment with both types at a very good price.
After you have the switches soldered you need a case and caps, and that's it. You also need stabilizers for Space Bar and Return/Enter.
The only case where you need advanced skills and tools is if you want to have backlight, in that case you have to solder also SMD resistors.
Options:
You have 2 PCB types the faceU that is 60% (this is compact, no dedicated arrows, no function row, like HHKB or Poker) keyboard and MX-mini that is a 75% (like the KBT Race keyboard, you will have function row, can have arrow cluster).
You can get also a plate to go with the PCB (acrylic cheaper but not so solid and aluminum type which is sturdy but the price is higher). The plate adds more stability, the switches will be fixed in this plate first and then soldered to the PCB. In my opinion for a 60% you don't need that, it just complicates your life, but this is me, a lot of people prefer a plate.
For the MX-mini also an acrylic case is available, this is a good option, and it will be cheap.
If you have the funds I would say go and buy a faceU and MX-mini and get also a MX-mini case, this would be a good start, and you would be able to experiment with both types at a very good price.
Last edited by DanielT on 11 Jul 2014, 14:52, edited 1 time in total.
-
Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
The soldering on this board should be simple. Getting hold of caps, switches, stabs and a case will be more interesting. And then so long as you're running Windows, the Flash app to set up the controller should be fine. If a little Korean…
It was the software part that put me off. I'm better building my own.
It was the software part that put me off. I'm better building my own.
-
maxrunner
- Location: Portugal
- Main keyboard: custom 60% holypanda
- Main mouse: ergo m570/m575
- Favorite switch: current holy pandas
- DT Pro Member: -
So how much does the 60% loses compared to the 75% layout?completely blind here, but i want to buy a cherry mx compact keyboard with iso layout 
edit:nevermind DanielT explained it already.
edit:nevermind DanielT explained it already.
Last edited by maxrunner on 11 Jul 2014, 15:56, edited 1 time in total.
-
tinnie
- Location: Duisburg, DE
- Main keyboard: G84-4400
- Favorite switch: Cherry ML
- DT Pro Member: 0218
Nah. The software is in English.Muirium wrote: ↑The soldering on this board should be simple. Getting hold of caps, switches, stabs and a case will be more interesting. And then so long as you're running Windows, the Flash app to set up the controller should be fine. If a little Korean…
It was the software part that put me off. I'm better building my own.
-
nightcracker
- DT Pro Member: -
Thanks for the quick reply!DanielT wrote: ↑The PCB has controller and other small components already soldered, you only need to solder the switches, and that is easy, basic soldering skills.
After you have the switches soldered you need a case and caps, and that's it. You also need stabilizers for Space Bar and Return/Enter.
The only case where you need advanced skills and tools is if you want to have backlight, in that case you have to solder also SMD resistors.
Options:
You have 2 PCB types the faceU that is 60% (this is compact, no dedicated arrows, no function row, like HHKB or Poker) keyboard and MX-mini that is a 75% (like the KBT Race keyboard, you will have function row, can have arrow cluster).
You can get also a plate to go with the PCB (acrylic cheaper but not so solid and aluminum type which is sturdy but the price is higher). The plate adds more stability, the switches will be fixed in this plate first and then soldered to the PCB. In my opinion for a 60% you don't need that, it just complicates your life, but this is me, a lot of people prefer a plate.
For the MX-mini also an acrylic case is available, this is a good option, and it will be cheap.
If you have the funds I would say go and buy a faceU and MX-mini and get also a MX-mini case, this would be a good start, and you would be able to experiment with both types at a very good price.
The 75% would be interesting, however I'd rather not have arrow keys - it's only the F-key row that interests me for games/more keys to program. If I'd take the 75% would it be possible to mount switches and keycaps like such (warning quick mockup in paint):
?Also I assume that above layout would require a custom plate and is thus not compatible with the one sold here?
