Looking For Help With A Build

[vvp]

On another thought...Why is it that nearly every mech KB I see, the keys are bald faced? Why does no one use a "bezel" around the key area to give it a somewhat more finished look? Do they all like that raw look? Is it something with keeping dirt out?

It is much easier to clean dirt from under the keycaps when there is no bezel.
|Keyboard can be smaller when there is no bezel.
Some people like it that way.

[vvp]

I wonder if I could use chrome spray paint to give the reflective finish on the inside?

Likely not. You need "diffusing mirror", which is an awkward way of naming white color with lowest possible absorption. You want to reflect light as much as possible but in randomized directions. LCD monitors use such a funny glistering foil attached to the back side of a clean acrylic plate.

[Sandpaper600]

I've been working on the keypad design a little and I think I'm happy with this:



I used the Plate And Case Builder online tool to configure the plate and this is what it comes up with:



I obviously don't need all this plate material. I couldn't find a way to edit the parameters of the plate area. It seems that the guy that made the site has moved on and open-sourced this project, so no support.

Anyone familiar enough with this tool to clue me in?

[Lanrefni]

I think you need to put the layout in the upper left corner of the box if you're using http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/ ,putting it any where else results in large empty areas.

You can drag your mouse cursor to select the entire block and move it all at once to the desired position with the arrow keys.

[Sandpaper600]

Geeze....What a maroon! I tried everything but this ^! Thanks Lanrefni!

[Lanrefni]

No problem,I made a few errors when I was making my custom plates so I know the feeling.

[Sandpaper600]

OK. I got the plate sizing thing straightened out (Thanks @Lanrefni) and I'm looking at lighting this thing up. I'm leaning towards using pudding keycaps but I am not really understanding the installation of the lights.

Since the switch plate is steel, no light shines through it. I know if I want "underglow" I can put lights under the switchplate and let them shine out of a transparent/translucent "open layer". But, what are people doing to provide the lights for the keycaps? Like I said earlier, I really don't want to get into the wiring of lighted switches, besides I'm not looking for different colored keys or special lighting effects. I just want backlit keycaps.

Is this done just by strip lighting on top of the switch plate? It kinda' looks like this might interfere with the key functioning. Are there "special" leds to use? Will I ever get this thing off the ground? Does Sara really love Rick, or is there another dark stranger in her life? Tune in next time....

[Mal-2]

So, I like using key/mouse for gaming, however I ABHOR using the "WASD" keys. As a result, I move the keyboard to my left and use the arrow keys and the associated keys surrounding them.

Are you aware of the Razer Tartarus and the older Belkin Nostromo? They might be just the ticket.

Another weird but entirely workable solution would be to buy a Cherry programmable keyboard like a G86 series. That's how I've achieved my personal ortholinear Dvorak setup. I'd have more flexibility if I'd bought the version that is all keys and no trackpad (they're utter trash), but this was $100 less and I was prototyping. Unfortunately the ortholinear versions don't come with ANY standard typing keys and I had to salvage those off a non-ortholinear model (which was much cheaper, fortunately).

I've been forced to balance the load and move most of my mousing to the left hand. This includes games if they're not super-twitchy (which aren't really my thing anyhow) or Goat Simulator (which doesn't remap keys right). This means I also use the right side of the keyboard for what would usually be WASD controls. But since the number pad is forced up the keyboard, Right Ctrl and Right Shift are available to my thumb.

Or you could clamp the keyboard to the table with a woodworking clamp, if you have one lying around. It would at least keep you from yeeting it repeatedly.

[Sandpaper600]

@Mal-2 Thanks for the info, but I'm way past outside alternatives at this point. I have my case & key layout designed and am in the spending...er part gathering portion of this build.

I can't believe how spendy this stuff gets. Doesn't help that I'll actually be spending twice as much and doing double the work, as my wife wants one too.

Maybe I'll give her the first one.

[gipetto]

IMG_20150615_010146.jpg (1.87 MiB) Viewed 2943 times

it's probably to late to change design but if you're interested i have a backlit 5x4 grid pcb that has done most of the work already. i put 3 of them in my 3d printed preonic clone. all you would have to do is space each pcb slightly to give the separation you want, and chop one column off the nav cluster, and modify the file for a 2u numpad enter if it is really important. it's really cheap to buy cos you get 5 pcbs usually so that will do the entire keyboard.
you would have to modify the GK47 on thingiverse 3d printed file to add the appropriate separation, and blockers. that's beyond my abilities though, i didn't design the 3d print.

[Sandpaper600]

Nice work. At this point I'm all in and going for broke. I'll either be very proud that I made my own design keypad from scratch or I'll rue the day I ever heard of mechanical keyboards, and I hope it's the former!

[Sandpaper600]

I finally finished this thing! I posted it in the Gallery for any interested parties.

Thanks to everyone who gave me valuable input along the way.

I've had a blast.

SP