deskthority

Hi, guys I just want to make a budget board with a few specifications.

Important: Tkl and if not then 75%, USB-C, plate aluminium or brass. Budget around 200-400€
Fully programmable keys. Nice if there is any rgb or led lights.
Most important i want the novelkeys cream switches or others that sound similar, so the pcb must support them (no clue what switches support what pcbs).

Never built a keyboard so any tips would help.

No pressure just hoping some people with some experience are willing to help

Thanks

Almost all contemporary mechanical switches you see are Cherry MX-compatible, both when mounting to keycaps and mounting into PCB and plate. Many switches can also exchange internal parts.
The exceptions are the Omron (Romer-G), Matias' switches (clones of vintage Alps) and a couple low-profile switch types.
So compatibility shouldn't be a problem. The only issue is that some switches have plastic legs for extra stability and those won't fit into all PCBs: and the solution to that is easy: snap them off.

There are quite a few sites out there that cater to the DIY keyboard hobby, but few sell keyboards parts for TKL size or up. KbdFans in China is the biggest keyboard parts shop, and they have only up to 75%.
There are however many keyboards made only temporarily as Group Buys on various forums. They often first start with an "Interest Check", to gauge interest before starting proper. Some of these are posted here, but there are more of them on Geekhack.

The most popular firmware right now is QMK. With that you change the layout by flashing a new firmware to the keyboard.

Another approach: If you don't mind Drop (formerly "Massdrop"), you could instead get the Massdrop CTRL keyboard. It is a new version of the Input Club K-Type with another name, colour scheme and firmware (QMK instead of Input Club's Kibohd firmware).
It has hot-swapping sockets for swapping Cherry MX-compatible key-switches, proper aluminium construction (not just sheet metal), RGB backlight, sideglow and programmable firmware. But you won't actually build anything...
The original Kibohd firmware allowed also reprogramming over a serial interface to the keyboard.

makkanii wrote: ↑

23 Feb 2020, 20:01

Hi, guys I just want to make a budget board with a few specifications.

Important: Tkl and if not then 75%, USB-C, plate aluminium or brass. Budget around 200-400€
Fully programmable keys. Nice if there is any rgb or led lights.
Most important i want the novelkeys cream switches or others that sound similar, so the pcb must support them (no clue what switches support what pcbs).

Never built a keyboard so any tips would help.

No pressure just hoping some people with some experience are willing to help

Thanks

This is the wrong forum to ask. DT is primarily a vintage keyboard forum.

400 euros for a keyboard ! Ahem, that kind of money will get you several of some of the best keyboards (vintages) ever made...

kmnov2017 wrote: ↑

24 Feb 2020, 11:42

This is the wrong forum to ask. DT is primarily a vintage keyboard forum.

Primarily vintage only because most recent activity has been about that. It is not a rule or a law. The forum does not discriminate. Not every user's interests are one or the other. Discussions of homebrew designs and of group buys are also very much part of the forum.

Findecanor wrote: ↑

24 Feb 2020, 12:32

kmnov2017 wrote: ↑

24 Feb 2020, 11:42

This is the wrong forum to ask. DT is primarily a vintage keyboard forum.

... Discussions of homebrew designs and of group buys are also very much part of the forum.

Ofcourse they are. But the OP will get better responses on other forums for his/her query.

KBDfans used to have a TKL but now I see they have that 75% kit (both in DIY and assembled variants)
It has an aluminum plate and case and should fit within your budget depending on how fancy you want your switches and caps
It will support MX style switches so the Novelkeys Cream switches should be no problem

I am into so-called ergonomic keyboards and find that self building seems to be a major part of that field. As for the traditional style boards I am not so sure there is any need to sully your own hands with a soldering iron. I have never built one but would certainly consider one that just requires soldering the switches (some 'kits' require you to literally solder everything) plus screwing it together.

I have solderin equipement i just want help with diy kit that fits cream switches and is not that expensive

Have you considered the Logitech G Pro X? At 129 USD with hot swappable switches - it's actually quite a good deal...

Does that keyboard support novelkeys cream switches?

makkanii wrote: ↑

24 Feb 2020, 17:19

I have solderin equipement i just want help with diy kit that fits cream switches and is not that expensive

Simplest answer is the GMMK tkl which can be ordered without switches and fits the switches you want,it's also hot swap so no soldering needed,downside is that the software to program it is apparently not so great.

How reliable are hot swap keyboards?

gmmk tkl dont have the fixing pin holes and cream switches have the pins, is it stable if i clip them off?

makkanii wrote: ↑

24 Feb 2020, 18:02

Does that keyboard support novelkeys cream switches?

Some PCBs require you to clip the plastic "feet" on the switches in order for you to fit them on the PCB.

does the switches become unstable or something if u clip them off?

No because they are locked up by the plate… if there is a plate. But that’s pretty standard stuff.
Think about the people who handwire keyboard with plate but no PCB. That’s completly stable even without PCB. Don’t worry about that.

but the gmmk tkl dosent seem to have a plate?

The plate is the top part of the case,the switch clips to the edges of the opening.

so i can get the gmmk tkl keyboard with cream switches i just clip the 2 pinns off?

Get the impression you are fixated with these so-called cream switches (which I see from Novelkeys website are linear action Cherry MX clone marketed as especially smooth in operation), but have you considered the non-contact (i.e. capacitive or hall effect) models that have recently entered the market? They too are linear and within your stated budget, and due to the mechanism are likely to be even smoother than the MX clone for which you indicated your preference.

What are these switches called?

The flavour of the day seems to be the Steelseries Apex which is a hall effect. It you search Chyos' youtube channel he says they are some of the smoothest has has come across. I recommend the latter for overview of the alternative designs (optical/hall/capacitive) entering the market.

The benefit of these switches, other that their smoothness and non-wear mechanism, is that the actuation height can be adjusted. They are actually analogue so of interest if you are into gaming. There are also optical designs which have these benefits: Bloody etc.

Another one of interest might be the 'Keystone' from Input club . Unfortunately that is a so-called group buy. That means you hand over money for something unseen which arrives in its own sweet time, and if you don't like it, that's tough because there are no refunds. However I believe Input club have a good reputation in this field. Keystone is interesting because it will supposedly be launchd with a selection of different action switched which can be hot-swapped.