Keycap modding help

[jman0]

Hi.

I recently purchased my first mechanical keyboard, a cheap MechanicalEagle z-77, bought from Amazon. The keyboard is nice and working perfectly, but now I'd like to mod it, so I can get a US International layout.

This is the keayboard: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DBVH16U

I'm from Spain, but I don't want to use the Spanish layout, since it contains a dedicated key, for the "<" and ">" symbols, that doesn't exist on English keyboards. I'm a web developer and use them extensively, so I prefer using the US International layout, which allows me to type any of the Spanish characters (accents and others) and still have "<" and ">" at hand.

I'm already using the US International layout on Windows, but the keyboard is just plain US English, so I wanted it to also show the extended international character set that you get with the right alt key. This is what I've researched so far:

1) 4keyboard. This is a website I have already used before, but they don't have what I need. They have transparent stickers for the US International layout, with only the extended characters, but it looks like they are intented for keyboards which have the symbol-only keys printed on the left side, but my keyboard has them printed on the top part. Unless I can find transparent stickers with the extended symbols on the bottom, this is no option. I haven't found any yet. I've tried 4keyboard, Amazon, Aliexpress and Bangood. I'd rather use transparent stickers to keep the backlight, since the stock keycaps are double shot ABS, so they have translucent letters.

2) Get double shot keycaps (as I said, I don't want to loose the ability to see the blacklight through the keys) printed with the US International layout. As far as I know, they don't exist, unless I order custom printed keys, which are very expensive.

3) Get blank keycaps, or at least side-printed ones, and apply stickers on top (the non-transparent ones from 4keyboard would do it this time) for the US international layout. This is the least desirable option, because, unless I get some sort of all translucent keycaps or something similar, I'd loose the blacklight. But I'm not sure whether an all-translucent keycap would look nice with an opaque sticker on top.

I wouldn't want to spend more money on the keycaps than on the keyboard. On Aliexpress, I've seen blank keycaps (ABS I guess) for as low as $10 or so, and printed keycaps for around $20. Is there anything I can get at that price range?

I can live with the keyboard as it is right now, since I've learnt most of the extended characters by heart, but I'd like to also be able to see them on top of the keys.

Thanks.

[Muirium]

I wouldn't want to spend more money on the keycaps than on the keyboard.

Ah, you really must be new to this. You’ll get past that! Caps always win.

[jman0]

Well, I may have finally found a combination that caught my eye. In this case, it's a translucent white key cap set from Aliexpress, and white stickers from 4keyboard. I'm still thinking about it, since I 'm not sure of such combination. Anyway, being translucent, the keys will let some light get through, although, due to the stickers, the top would stop being translucent.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/-/32887831074.html

They also have clear transparent keycaps, but these white ones look very nice


And these stickers, with white background:

https://www.4keyboard.com/english-us-in ... olor-white



What do you think? One advantage (I think) is that if the stickers get dirty or anything in the future, at least they will be easy and cheap to replace.

[green-squid]

Doesn't sound like a good idea Those stickers will just not last, probably last less than lasered ones.

Have you looked at TaiHao keycaps?

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... itleDesc=0

Or if you're looking for even cheaper ones, take a look at this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Gray-mix ... 0005.m1851

Honestly, it will be worth every cent if you get good caps.

[jman0]

Doesn't sound like a good idea Those stickers will just not last, probably last less than lasered ones.

Have you looked at TaiHao keycaps?

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... itleDesc=0

Or if you're looking for even cheaper ones, take a look at this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Gray-mix ... 0005.m1851

Honestly, it will be worth every cent if you get good caps.

Hi.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll take a look at them. The retro style of those TaiHao caps looks awesome.

My main concern, and the most difficult part of this, is getting caps printed with the US International layout out of the box. I guess that the only way to get them is to order custom caps, which is very expensive. That's why I was thinking about the stickers. If I had the budget for the custom caps, or a better mech keyboard, I would have definitely bought them in the first place, but I have quite a tight budget for this.

Anyway, I already got used to typing on the keyboard without the additional international symbols printed on the key caps, so it's not so urgent. In that case, I may also start saving money and leave this project for Christmas, when I have a bigger budget.

[green-squid]

Saving up is the best bet

[Blaise170]

With his budget (~$20) there's just not any options. Sublegends on keycaps cost more (usually $50+ minimum) and AFAIK there's not any US international keysets anyways.