The Mechanical Keyboards Club

[neurotix]

Well, as you stated Pook and as Supercrumpet has told me in Discord, the new keycaps don't shine through either.

 

However they are much higher quality, I thought they had a purple to black gradient but it's actually light purple on top to dark purple on the bottom.

 

 

 

I think they look better, they're better quality, it's a shame about the south facing LEDs though.

[neurotix]

Here's a comparison between the Kraken Keyboards keycaps and the YMDK ones:

 

 

[Section31]

These are my keyboards. Will be pausing as I reallocate funds to PC side rebuild based off future Intel CPU and 5090.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 27 by Section31

[neurotix]

2 minutes ago, Section31 said:

These are my keyboards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice! What type of switches in each? I love the red one.

[Section31]

Blue (Matrix Navi) - DMK In Former Days, Clackbit Linear

Silver (Neson Nico) - GMK Earthtone, JWK Hoshizora Linear

Blue (Geon 722) - GMK Stargaze, IV Works Darkmoon Linear Switches

Red (Owlabs Evolv) - KAM Outline, Gateron Summertime V1 LInear

 

I just ordered/following coming too: Matrix 8xv 3.3 (Olive), Geon F1-8X-V2 (Burgundy), Gok Lily (Taupe) and have Werkone (Space Cherry but may reano it).

 

I still have a ton of other switches to use.

Edited March 28 by Section31

[neurotix]

Linear eh? We don't like your kind around here.

[Section31]

46 minutes ago, neurotix said:

Linear eh? We don't like your kind around here.

 

I have tactile too just haven't rotated them in yet lol. KncKeys Black Jackets (JWK), Green Jackets (Tescee), UWE Chocolate (Tescee) and  Haimu Silent Linear (Red Color). Actually may add an future tactile from the likes of HMX.

Edited March 28 by Section31

[neurotix]

Most people here have a preference for clicky, me included, but tactiles redeem you Welcome to the club.

 

I'm not a big tactile fan from trying Gateron Browns, but I'm curious/interested in Kailh Box Royals.

Edited March 28 by neurotix

[Section31]

At the current rate, too many switches released on daily basis (with the current trend being magnetic hall effect switches). Same situation with keycaps and more vendors carrying less and less.  Also running more and more sales to offload inventory. You can find GMK sets now for bargain basement prices. There's almost no point to buying the amazon keycaps to be honest. That and too many people entered the hobby and now have too much excess and they are leaving completely and downsizing at minimum. So many bargain available now.

 

I literally gave away for free an Matrix 8xv 3.0 (Mcflurry), Promise Bespoke (Red) and Neo70 (Blue) just recently as part of my own downsizing effort to make room for new stuff.

 

The bottom has been reached for custom with Neo and it various competitors releasing aluminum chassis with nice colors/quality control and multiple mounting options (plateless/o-ring/gasket) and foam/no-foam. All layout being covered too - eventually Neo full size is coming in near future too. All around 100-150USD Range. Then there's the upcoming Geon F1-8X-FE which will be under 100usd but have the sound/feel of the alumiunum/brass internal weight F1-8X TKL

Edited March 28 by Section31

[neurotix]

On 28/03/2024 at 12:40, Section31 said:

At the current rate, too many switches released on daily basis (with the current trend being magnetic hall effect switches). Same situation with keycaps and more vendors carrying less and less.  Also running more and more sales to offload inventory. You can find GMK sets now for bargain basement prices. There's almost no point to buying the amazon keycaps to be honest. That and too many people entered the hobby and now have too much excess and they are leaving completely and downsizing at minimum. So many bargain available now.

 

I literally gave away for free an Matrix 8xv 3.0 (Mcflurry), Promise Bespoke (Red) and Neo70 (Blue) just recently as part of my own downsizing effort to make room for new stuff.

 

The bottom has been reached for custom with Neo and it various competitors releasing aluminum chassis with nice colors/quality control and multiple mounting options (plateless/o-ring/gasket) and foam/no-foam. All layout being covered too - eventually Neo full size is coming in near future too. All around 100-150USD Range. Then there's the upcoming Geon F1-8X-FE which will be under 100usd but have the sound/feel of the alumiunum/brass internal weight F1-8X TKL

 

*Raises hand to buying Amazon PBT keycaps, usually character themed*

 

*Also raises hand to only buying Kailh box clicky switches*

 

You seem very knowledgeable but I won't lie, your posts are like Chinese to me. A bunch of switches and stuff I've never heard of

Edited March 31 by neurotix

[Section31]

All that matters is the word hand me downs/freebies lol.

 

 

[neurotix]

6 hours ago, Section31 said:

All that matters is the word hand me downs/freebies lol.

 

 

If you have any boards you don't need, I'll take them, and some tactile switches to put in

[Section31]

1 hour ago, neurotix said:

If you have any boards you don't need, I'll take them, and some tactile switches to put in

 

Actually there may be one but it's pretty far out lol. It's currently on loan to my friend while he wait for the Geon F1-8X-V2 GB to arrive (its 10-12months) so probably anywhere from Q1 to Q2 2025 to be fulfilled. By then i may have found something else to replace it. It's an Grey Studio Aero75 in Coffee Brown Ano.

 

Though you are better off just buying something like :

TKD Cycle 8: 150USD Mark

[IC] TKD Cycle8 - A new chapter

GEEKHACK.ORG

---

[IC] TKD Cycle8 - A new chapter

and Geon F1-8X-FE instead (plastic version of Geon F1-8X): 100USD

F1-8X

GEON.WORKS

---

The first product to be officially sold to consumers.Plates and O-ring gasket mounts designed with frequency simulations are applied.Since June, 2020, it has been sold only in Korea, and a total of 2900 units...

 

[neurotix]

On 01/04/2024 at 16:53, Section31 said:

 

Actually there may be one but it's pretty far out lol. It's currently on loan to my friend while he wait for the Geon F1-8X-V2 GB to arrive (its 10-12months) so probably anywhere from Q1 to Q2 2025 to be fulfilled. By then i may have found something else to replace it. It's an Grey Studio Aero75 in Coffee Brown Ano.

 

Though you are better off just buying something like :

TKD Cycle 8: 150USD Mark

[IC] TKD Cycle8 - A new chapter

GEEKHACK.ORG

---

[IC] TKD Cycle8 - A new chapter

and Geon F1-8X-FE instead (plastic version of Geon F1-8X): 100USD

F1-8X

GEON.WORKS

---

The first product to be officially sold to consumers.Plates and O-ring gasket mounts designed with frequency simulations are applied.Since June, 2020, it has been sold only in Korea, and a total of 2900 units...

 

 

I'm a peon and don't build boards by buying the case and pcb and putting those together before putting in switches and keycaps.

 

The first custom board I did was a GMMK full size with Box Jades. I added crafter's foam on the inside and a weight to make it more substantial and eliminate the metal clank sound it had stock with switches. Mine came with Gateron Brown switches and the stock keycaps, I feel it was easier and more convenient to just pull keycaps off and pull switches out, then put in the switches it's going to have and the keycaps.

 

I also don't like or understand the appeal of waiting for years for stuff from Drop or wherever else when I can buy numerous boards off Amazon that are now already multi layered and packed with foam and weights. See the Keynovo/Yunzii if98 I just built for the fiancee for Xmas.

 

Here's a link to it: Yunzii If98

 

 

We actually got the board for $90 on sale.

 

So I appreciate the way you approach the hobby and your patience, but there's some really really good hot swappable boards on Amazon now. I don't have the patience though I could probably build a board from a case and add the pcb and stabs and everything. Here's how my fiancees build turned out.

 

 

I also have no clue other than the links you posted where people get stuff or find out about the expensive boards, switches and keycaps. Building a custom one off Amazon or a Keychron already costs over $200.

Edited April 2 by neurotix

[The Pook]

anyone who willingly buys/uses a keyboard with a half-size right shift is not to be trusted 

[neurotix]

3 minutes ago, The Pook said:

anyone who willingly buys/uses a keyboard with a half-size right shift is not to be trusted 

Yeah, my fiancee uses right shift a lot and had to adjust XD she did eventually though and if I recall, her Mini Cat 64 has a half size right shift or possibly no right shift and she used that for a year straight no problem.

[neurotix]

Yeah, the right shift on the Mini Cat 64 is not half size, it's single key sized.

[Section31]

@neurotix You just need to keep it simple as i said. Just aim to pickup hand me downs/freebie keyboards.

 

There is lot less risk of damage due to customs checking stuff if international shipping involved. Not the first time somebody keyboard got destroyed because customs sent an drill bit through it during inspection. When you are getting the said freebie item you will still have to do what your diagram shows (most people will leave foam/pcb separate and daughterboard from the board) and you just have to follow the instructions on configuration you want and install the hotswap switches. I am always foamless and go plateless if its an option now. 

 

The actual way of sourcing the stuff is like PC parts sourcing nowadays.  It's kind of global sourcing with multiple options to save and lot of air freight/sea freight involved maybe. All in the name of getting things faster and cheaper. I wouldn't do for warranty reasons/heavy weight and watercooling parts are better off just paying shipping versus having your luggage space occupied by waterparts.

Edited April 3 by Section31

[tictoc]

2 hours ago, The Pook said:

anyone who willingly buys/uses a keyboard with a half-size right shift is not to be trusted 

 

Do a split right shift and an ISO left shift (1.25u) cancel each other out, or does that just ramp up the untrustworthiness?

 

 

Waiting on some caps for the Model F, and then it will be complete.  Loving the board and layout, so I'll either be dampening and floss modding another one, or I'll have to go full custom for a matching board/layout for the office.

[The Pook]

7 hours ago, tictoc said:

 

Do a split right shift and an ISO left shift (1.25u) cancel each other out, or does that just ramp up the untrustworthiness?

 

 

[Fluxmaven]

19 hours ago, The Pook said:

anyone who willingly buys/uses a keyboard with a half-size right shift is not to be trusted 

Anyone that can't adapt to non-standard layouts has soft hands. 

[Avacado]

20 minutes ago, Fluxmaven said:

Anyone that can't adapt to non-standard layouts has soft hands. 

[The Pook]

2 hours ago, Fluxmaven said:

Anyone that can't adapt to non-standard layouts has soft hands. 

 

alternatively: anyone who can hit a tiny baby sized right shift has midget digits 

 

[Supercrumpet]

On 26/03/2024 at 17:38, neurotix said:

Well, as you stated Pook and as Supercrumpet has told me in Discord, the new keycaps don't shine through either.

 

However they are much higher quality, I thought they had a purple to black gradient but it's actually light purple on top to dark purple on the bottom.

 

 

 

I think they look better, they're better quality, it's a shame about the south facing LEDs though.

 

Updated!

 

On 27/03/2024 at 19:55, Section31 said:

These are my keyboards. Will be pausing as I reallocate funds to PC side rebuild based off future Intel CPU and 5090.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Added! Super cool little collection you have there, really unique stuff. Likewise, I'm not familiar with any of those boards, switches, or cap sets. Always been curious about a layout like the Nico has, looks really cool but I feel like it'd take a lot of unlearning and relearning for me to get used to.

[tictoc]

F77 is now complete.  I decided to go with the compact case instead of the original style case.  Two big QOL changes from my last few daily drivers are USB instead of PS/2 and the fully programmable firmware.  Those two things make it super simple to swap the board over to different systems.