Looking for a very specific setup

[debo]

Hi everyone,

I do apologies if I'm asking something that was already covered in the forum but I didn't exactly know how to effectively word search keywords based on my requirements. So, to the point in subject. I'm currently an input club k-type owner but I feel the need to go more compact and I'm looking to move to a 60%/65% ANSI layout. In the off the shelf market my eyes went to the ducky mecha mini or their SF but I'm weighed more towards the mecha because of the aluminium construction which is a nice to have requirement for me. But what am I really looking for? Here a bullet points list:

• I use OSX as operating system so the keyboard needs to be compatible more on this in the next point.
• I mainly use the keyboard for coding and typing which means the ` and ~ character are equally important to me as the ESC button (with the exception of vim where I can use other escape combinations to get out of insert mode); keep in mind that, being an OSX user, the combination CMD+` has an important place in my productivity workflow and I don't want to lose that one.
• Arrow keys, and thus a 65% layout maybe my preference, but I suppose I can learn to have them on a dedicated layer.
• An aluminium metallic case build would be very welcome and preferably I'd like to stay in the white/silver/space grey colour tones for my theme.
• Hot swappable switches would be a nice to have too.
• I'd like some backlighting it doesn't need to be RGB, ice/white will do (not a deal breaker also because in that case the keycaps choice is highly reduced).
• it would be nice to have mac os themed key caps but especially standard caps so to broaden my pool of choices.
• If there is nothing out there of the shelf I can consider go the DIY kit route.
• Last but not least, "easy" to get in the UK.

I think that covers pretty much all the things I have in mind at the moment of typing and I will kindly and genuinely welcome any info you could share with me.

Thanks a lot in advance for your time and help.

[adamcobabe]

DIY, man. Hotswap, aluminium, 65% with Mac theme caps = custom. I'd look at Rama's M65-B with Oblique caps. Would be super expensive, but his boards are engineered very well. That said, this forum is mostly focused on vintage keyboards. You could try a vintage Mac keyboard like the Apple M0116.

https://rama.works/#/m65-b/

[debo]

Hey adamcobabe, thanks a lot for your reply and whoopsie... I didn't realise it was specific for vintage keyboard, I thought it was a covering all spectrums... do you know of any forum who might be more focused to modern keyboard by any chance? If the rules allow sharing of course. Thanks a lot.

[adamcobabe]

Hey adamcobabe, thanks a lot for your reply and whoopsie... I didn't realise it was specific for vintage keyboard, I thought it was a covering all spectrums... do you know of any forum who might be more focused to modern keyboard by any chance? If the rules allow sharing of course. Thanks a lot.

Don't worry. It's not a problem to ask, of course. People here are friendly. But, yeah, you'll probably have more responses over at geekhack or keebtalk.

[debo]

Thanks a lot for all the info, also, now I hate a little bit... Rama's products are insane, love them, but expensive and also super sold out

[adamcobabe]

Thanks a lot for all the info, also, now I hate a little bit... Rama's products are insane, love them, but expensive and also super sold out

They'll be back again soon enough. I'd also check out the ASK55 if you're an Apple user.

[Elrick]

DIY, man. Hotswap, aluminium, 65% with Mac theme caps = custom. I'd look at Rama's M65-B with Oblique caps. Would be super expensive, but his boards are engineered very well. That said, this forum is mostly focused on vintage keyboards. You could try a vintage Mac keyboard like the Apple M0116.

https://rama.works/#/m65-b/

Only problem with RAMA Works, is that once they take your money you will never get any more notifications whatsoever.

So be very careful when buying from these clowns, unless you like throwing away huge sums for nothing at all.

They're totally untouchable, able to never be held accountable for what they have done.

Purchased that very same keyboard model early last year, with no info ever being supplied. Hence have had experience with dealing with these so-called keyboarding clowns.

Despite having receipts of all payments made and received by them, NEVER had any response from them, so be warned....

[hellothere]

Refer to my username, first.

I'm a bit more than acquainted with both macOS and both modern and vintage keyboards. I'm not an expert on either, but I've owned a lot.

1. It doesn't really matter if the keyboard is "for a Mac" or "for a PC." I've got a Mac, but use a "PC" keyboard. You can just stick a keycap labeled "Command" on the "CTRL" key and call it done or map the key to something else. The Keyboard Control Panel on the Mac is really easy to use.

2. If you're wanting all metal, you are probably going to have to get custom, as adamcobabe mentioned. The Corsair K70 Vengeance I owned had a gigantic metal plate for the top of the keyboard, but I didn't like the small print on the keycaps and that the keycaps "flaked," like they were painted or something. Corsair has newer versions (K95, Strafe) and they're probably easy to get in the UK. Corsair also has a factory outlet, so you could get re-manufactured keyboard for cheap and spend the rest on some nice-looking keycaps.

3. Hot-swappable? When I looked into it, the Glorious MMK had the best balance of features, including RGB, and price. FWIW, it took me about a day to learn how to solder and desolder, so I no longer have any need for hot-swappable.

4. FWIW, you will HATE numeric or arrow keys on a layer. You want physical keys, even if you get a $10 numeric keypad.

5. ` and ~ are things that you can put into a DIY keypad and you could use, say, a shift-sized key. However, one alternative I've been mentioning for a while is that IF you have an iPad or iPhone, you can get an app called Custom Keypad where you can create gigantic button for a series of commands, text, mouse moves, etc. It's all of $5. Heck, you could buy an old iPhone and use this.

The biggest thing is to come up with a budget. The second biggest thing is that you need to figure out what switches you like. For me, my current favorite is buckling spring, which is what's in my IBM Model Ms. I'm also growing to like the Matias switches. If you're really needing backlight and a small form factor, the IBM Model M is not for you. You should get a keyswitch sampler. This 130-switch one and this 60 keyswitch one are probably overkill, but there are smaller ones on Amazon and other places.

[Elrick]

DIY, man. Hotswap, aluminium, 65% with Mac theme caps = custom. I'd look at Rama's M65-B with Oblique caps. Would be super expensive, but his boards are engineered very well. That said, this forum is mostly focused on vintage keyboards. You could try a vintage Mac keyboard like the Apple M0116.

https://rama.works/#/m65-b/

Only problem with RAMA Works, is that once they take your money you will never get any more notifications whatsoever.

Despite having receipts of all payments made and received by them, NEVER had any response from them, so be warned....

Finally got an email from them and they have registered my receipts and now am waiting for their sorting and delivery.

Henrick had sorted everything for me like a real professional, with no further problems being present.

YES, RAMA Works is an ideal company to buy from in 2020. Well worth the money and products they are making and selling.

[matt3o]

YES, RAMA Works is an ideal company to buy from in 2020. Well worth the money and products they are making and selling.

well... that went from "keyboarding clowns" to "ideal company" very quickly...

[kbdfr]

YES, RAMA Works is an ideal company to buy from in 2020. Well worth the money and products they are making and selling.

well... that went from "keyboarding clowns" to "ideal company" very quickly...

… perhaps even a bit too quickly:

[…] now am waiting for their sorting and delivery. […]

[Elrick]

… perhaps even a bit too quickly:

Now my order has been registered (on their website after contacting them) where as before I made the purchase as an 'anonymous customer', which they had provided.

My fault in the end, rather than theirs.

They kept all the order numbers on their books but where puzzled why I didn't yet make an account with them to claim my orders.

Again, old foolish me again not paying attention to handing out the moolah for various products across this planet. Could be due to the screaming kids in another room, on that particular night.