DanielT - My Collection

[livingspeedbump]

I really like how you have one nice artisan per board. Very classy. Great collection as well.

Usually not a huge fan of most artisans (outside of some blanks people have made for me), but when I do use them I always have one just on the ESC key like you tend to!

[DanielT]

Thanks I only have few artisan caps that I like and have a meaning to me, I'm more interested in keyboards

[livingspeedbump]

Thanks I only have few artisan caps that I like and have a meaning to me, I'm more interested in keyboards

I'm right there with ya. I basically have only kept the caps my friends have made me, and purged all the rest that I somehow always seem to acquire

[Redmaus]

What you don't do this livingspeedbump?

[emdude]

That's someone's life savings right there.

[livingspeedbump]

What you don't do this livingspeedbump?

Spoiler:

I'll pass, I'd rather just use this guy



Looks a lot cleaner, and clean looks are important to me

[DanielT]

I think such a keyboard full of trinckets lacks a theme and is just a useles display... and also lacks taste. This whole artisan thing changed the focus from making a better keyboard to collecting shinny objects like a magpie.

[Khers]

I like the (no more than) one artisan per board approach. Any more and it looks ugly. DanielT has executed this approach to perfection.

[DanielT]

Small update

[zslane]

I still haven't found an artisan I would want on any of my keyboards.

[shreebles]

Dammit DanielT! You with your Vintage Blacks hype made me do it!
Rebuilt my FaceW with "old" Blacks and light Cherry springs (taken from Browns) today.

The Blacks are not vintage but they are quite smooth, from a very old and well-worn G80. Compared to Nixies I'd say they are about 80% there in terms of smoothness.

When you say 55g, do you mean korean 55g springs or "light" springs as found in Blue, Red, Brown Cherry boards?

Anyway it is a weird (because of the lightness) but smooth and overall pleasant experience.
Reds have always been my preferred switches for gaming but seemed lacking for everything else. But I didn't ever have anything better than a QFR before.
I now have smooth light linear switches in an incredibly solid enclosure, in the shape of the FaceW and its 5mm thick acrylic plate.
Also today came two stock Pok3r aluminum cases, which make the keyboard feel a lot more substantial despite the light switches.

I do not share your appreciation of stock Reds as the stems I tried today were incredibly scratchy compared to "old" Blacks.
But I will probably give PCB-mount another go with the next build. Maybe once the QMX silencing clips finally come to the market, that would be a great reason to do a PCB-mount built.

[seebart]

What you don't do this livingspeedbump?

That's from GH right? I've never seen that kind of "madness" here. Not that there's anything wrong with it.

[SL89]

Could be from Reddit too, they love them some novelties...

[DanielT]

@shreebles: I think the stock Poker 3 cases are the best, not heavy and massive, just right. I too have one and it's the only alu case I really like. Where can you find such cases?
I use 55g korean springs, those are almost as MX Red maybe more closer to MX Brown. MX Red are shit brand new it took 6 months to make them nice, but I could feel how the board was getting better and better
MX Blacks (old or vintage) with lighter springs are a dream

[DanielT]

What you don't do this livingspeedbump?

That's from GH right? I've never seen that kind of "madness" here. Not that there's anything wrong with it.

I think too that is from Reddit, GH has evolved more towards artistic photography, mood and ambiance and gourmet stuff like that

[shreebles]

@shreebles: I think the stock Poker 3 cases are the best, not heavy and massive, just right. I too have one and it's the only alu case I really like. Where can you find such cases?

Glad to hear. I do not have any other cases for comparison, but I do like them a lot.
I bought two from a seller on mechmarket for 100€ shipped. Anodized alu cases were 67€ from Aliexpress but I wanted a low-profile case which I knew the Pok3r cases would be. I was going to sell the other one but after actually receiving them and hearing your opinion I think I'll keep them both

I use 55g korean springs, those are almost as MX Red maybe more closer to MX Brown. MX Red are shit brand new it took 6 months to make them nice, but I could feel how the board was getting better and better
MX Blacks (old or vintage) with lighter springs are a dream

Nice, the lightest Korean springs I have are 60g from Sprit. They are very similar to Cherry springs but not the same. They feel just a slight bit different though I cannot say why. I prefer the Cherry springs in the end, and will probably soon get rid of my heavier springs. Tactility adds weight and for my Zealios I also used Cherry springs (from MX Reds).

The Reds I tried yesterday were from a QFR that must've been in use for at least 1-2 years. Still they felt really scratchy, but as long as there are really old MX Black boards popping up on eBay that no one wants I think we're going to be fine

Someone like Photekq or other might wrinkle their nose because old Blacks aren't "vintage".
"Nixdorf or death", "Gateron 4 lyfe" you may hear others say.
In my opinion, save your sanity and your wallet, really old used MX Black stems can be just as good and even cheaper than Gateron (and without the problems associated with the latter).

[DanielT]

I have to agree with you, I have all sorts or MX Blacks in my keyboards, Vintage, Old , I like them a lot. They are cheap to get, no problems like Gaterons. For me Gaterons are plain crap, they are smooth because the plastic is as cheap as it gets, the contact leaf if of low quality, nothing for me. I don't get the people that spend +400$ for a keyboard and put those cheap switches inside. With MX Switches I know for sure they last when I put them in a board with Gaterons I have no clue how they will feel in a year or two, because that plastic doesn't look like it will last ...

For the springs, I use Korean ones just because getting normal Cherry from MX Red or Brown means I have to spend more money on those switches. From the weight point of view MX Red springs are the best, just right, next are some 55g springs I got from GON, not gold plated very nice feeling.

[DanielT]

Small update
It's actually a good thing to have a dedicated thread where you can document your collection and what you work on

[Stabilized]

I have never seen your collection laid out like this. Didn't realise you had so many Gon 60% boards!

I wish that Sprit hadn't turned out to be a turd as I always wanted to try one of his 5mm acrylic plates. Out of all of the plates and case combinations what is your favourite?

[shreebles]

Nice update! For a moment I was shocked and thought you sold the Sprit
But you only changed the setup, whew
The hammer case also looked cool but if it doesn't feel right, you gotta do what you gotta do...
I also love the acrylic plate on my sprit, it's really something unique that you can get from neither plate- nor PCB-mount.
Even my girlfriend told me she loves the sound.

I must confess to you I have strayed from the path. I couldn't type on light linears, I make way too many mistakes on them nowadays. I really enjoyed plate-mounted blacks for a while, but they are too heavy and tiring in games, so it's back to tactile for me. MX Brown springs, and lubed Zealio stems, in Cherry housings, with thick PBT caps, yesss

I could probably get used to linears again but currently tactile is the way to go for me. Another reason is because I can have tactile and tactile-clicky, it's easier to change between those two than with linears.

[Stabilized]

I must confess to you I have strayed from the path. I couldn't type on light linears, I make way too many mistakes on them nowadays. I really enjoyed plate-mounted blacks for a while, but they are too heavy and tiring in games, so it's back to tactile for me. MX Brown springs, and lubed Zealio stems, in Cherry housings, with thick PBT caps, yesss

I could probably get used to linears again but currently tactile is the way to go for me. Another reason is because I can have tactile and tactile-clicky, it's easier to change between those two than with linears.

I was the same as you, but have also moved over to Gateron browns and Ergo-clears. Have some Gateron tactile clears coming, and also some Zealios waiting to be used.

I just can't type as fast on linears without mistakes, I can get around 82-84 on 10fastfingers, but 92-99 with tactile switches.

[DanielT]

I love linear switches, I don't have any problems typing on them, this is why all my boards are like that
Acrylic plate is something else, it can't be compared to anything else, I can't say if it's my favorite or not, the board is on duty right now at work where I do most of the typing and so far I like it.
It I were to make a top, my top favorite board is the PCB Mount MX-Red [CTRL]ALT board with stock plastic case. Unfortunately now this board is not functional, I'm doing the TMK conversion on that one
On the second place is the NerD60 with vintage MX Black plate mounted with 55g springs, 3mm alu plate and Vortex alu case, that board feels amazing I love it.
I also love the GH60 with old MX Black 55g springs and PCB mount.
Each board feels different and that is the most interesting part of having so many boards

[Stabilized]

Each board feels different and that is the most interesting part of having so many boards

I know that feeling, that's why I have five 60% keyboards and counting

[DanielT]

Each board feels different and that is the most interesting part of having so many boards

I know that feeling, that's why I have five 60% keyboards and counting

So you are touched my the 60% bug too That's one thing I like most about 60% boards, they don't take a lot of space and are easy to carry with me at work, and anyway I love this format more than anything else :d

[Stabilized]

Totally, and it was your recommendation to get a NerD 60 that was my first DIY project and first 60%, I have been hooked every since

I also find that there are loads of DIY parts to choose from and that makes it all the more appealing as I want to try all the possible combinations

[DanielT]

Yep, my feeling exactly The NerD boards are an amazing piece of hardware and soon almost impossible to get one considering the GON situation. If I manage to put TMK on the NerD that will be amazing, excellent hardware with the best firmware.

[shreebles]

What is the "GON situation"?
But I feel the SpriT FaceW are now also impossible to get as well, and they are cool boards also. They even support PS2!

100% agree with you guys on the 60% "bug". It has bitten me and does not seem to let go. There are so many parts available. I spent so much on Pok3r cases, acrylic cases, a sleeve, it's not even funny (and that's only one month).

And after getting a GH60 and figuring out how easy it is to program I have a second one on the way.
I even bought a wrist rest. I used to never use wrist rests but damn, it's made of wood and dirt cheap!

And I got so used to FN layers I now use them on all my keyboards, even IBMs (mapped them via software).

My SSK has started screaming "I'm huge!!" whenever I put it on my desk.
The navigation cluster seems like a vestige of times long gone. The F-keys are so far away my fingers don't even bother to reach them, they prefer to FN it.

I think I can safely say my endgame will consist of only 60% boards. 2-3 Cherries, and perhaps an F62. Maybe an HHKB, but probably not even needed.

[Stabilized]

What is the "GON situation"?

Did realise there was a Gon situation currently, would like to know about that too. There are complaints about him being really slow at building keyboards, but I thought he was still shipping PCBs and non-built components?
I do think he needs to close his store and catch up on some of his older orders though.

And after getting a GH60 and figuring out how easy it is to program I have a second one on the way.
I even bought a wrist rest. I used to never use wrist rests but damn, it's made of wood and dirt cheap!

I was thinking of getting a Satan GH60 (the one from China) is that the one you have?
Cool wristrest, I use a foam one, and always thought wood ones would be too hard and uncomfortable. How do you find your one?

[DanielT]

GON is delivering orders with HUUUUUUGEEEEEE delays, if you are lucky, some people placed an order 1 year ago and have no clue what the status is. It's a shame, because he makes one of the best PCB's and the alu plates are the best ever.

With faceW is not such a big issue, you can get newer versions of the PCB from winkeyless.kr , the cost a little bit higher other than that no problems.

60% is all I need, my hands don't have to move a lot, I always have space on my desk, the mouse is close. I get the same feeling when I type on my SSK, it gets barely used, as you say I don't need all those keys, I have everything on a much better position on the Fn layer.
From time to time I take out the Dolch, that is the only bigger board I really enjoy using

[DanielT]

I have a problem with the clone PCB's , a couple years ago we had a GB for faceU clone PCB's, that turned out in a huge fiasco, many boards had bugs, manufacture defects. But that wouldn't be the main issue for me, what I really hate about GH60 Satan boards is the fact they use a custom firmware, TMK (as far as I know) doesn't work, for me that is a no go.