We should make a full-size keyboard kit.

abrahamstechnology · 29 Aug 2018, 00:55

At a time when a full-size Chinese "gaming" mechanical keyboard can be shipped to your door, for under $40, I don't see why we can't have a barebones full-size keyboard kit for at most, the same price. No RGB, edgy gamer keycaps, etc, just a simple PCB, mounting plate, and plastic case. Kind of like a modern AT101.

I know I'm relatively new to mechanical keyboards, but I'd really love to see this happen. I for one would certainly buy them on a regular basis. It would be great if we contacted one of those Chinese manufacturers to make this happen. What do you think?

Shihatsu · 29 Aug 2018, 09:18

Give me a full size Alu case and I am in, albeit this would thwart the budget friendly approach you maybe have in mind...

Quartz64 · 29 Aug 2018, 12:13

I don't think that it's possible even with group buy discount. Gateron switches: $20, stabilizers (that don't suck): $10, blank PBT keycaps: $20, total $50, not counting PCB and case.

matt3o · 29 Aug 2018, 12:19

Chinese "gaming" mechanical keyboard kits? Can I see some of these?!

Wodan · 29 Aug 2018, 13:01

abrahamstechnology wrote: At a time when a full-size Chinese "gaming" mechanical keyboard can be shipped to your door, for under $40, I don't see why we can't have a barebones full-size keyboard kit for at most, the same price. No RGB, edgy gamer keycaps, etc, just a simple PCB, mounting plate, and plastic case. Kind of like a modern AT101.

I know I'm relatively new to mechanical keyboards, but I'd really love to see this happen. I for one would certainly buy them on a regular basis. It would be great if we contacted one of those Chinese manufacturers to make this happen. What do you think?

You mean a G80-3000 + plate?

There's been custom G80-3000 PCBs before and even an ongoing project.

Shihatsu wrote: Give me a full size Alu case and I am in, albeit this would thwart the budget friendly approach you maybe have in mind...

There will be a fullsize TX Keyboards kit soon.
Also there was the LZ-Stan

LessthanZero · 29 Aug 2018, 13:36

I know what you mean though it does seem there are very few full size keyboard PCBs. I have found tons of 60 percent or smaller and a few tenkey less but only the one full size which is this one,
http://www.gonskeyboardworks.com/pcbs-a ... ver15.html

I couldn't find anything else in stock and if you want alps switches good luck, I guess you gotta make your own. But getting a PCB etched isn't that expensive I was going to make a board based off the Sun type 3 layout it is going to be for Alps switches, but if your interested I can make one for MX style as well. I had already planned on making a Microswitch SD switch version as well.

gianni · 29 Aug 2018, 14:52

It would be very interesting.
Some should try do define a standard for mount points, starting for example from the g80-3000 pcb.

abrahamstechnology · 29 Aug 2018, 15:12

matt3o wrote: Chinese "gaming" mechanical keyboard kits? Can I see some of these?!

They don't exist, just pre-built ones.

abrahamstechnology · 29 Aug 2018, 15:17

Quartz64 wrote: I don't think that it's possible even with group buy discount. Gateron switches: $20, stabilizers (that don't suck): $10, blank PBT keycaps: $20, total $50, not counting PCB and case.

I'd gladly pay $30-40 for a normal, non- "gamerey" case and PCB alone. Just a simple plastic case, no-frills PCB and metal mounting plate.

Myoth · 29 Aug 2018, 15:19

a Google search guys ...

a Google search ...

https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/-/32829787493.html

EDIT : damn that's cheap :O

https://m.fr.aliexpress.com/item/329073 ... form=msite

abrahamstechnology · 29 Aug 2018, 15:19

Wodan wrote:
You mean a G80-3000 + plate?

Yes! Practically a clone of the G80-3000 with a plate is what I had in mind.

Wodan · 29 Aug 2018, 16:06

abrahamstechnology wrote:
Wodan wrote:
You mean a G80-3000 + plate?

Yes! Practically a clone of the G80-3000 with a plate is what I had in mind.

But your main keyboard is supposed to be a Wyse WY-60.
That's pretty much a G80 with a plate and a bit weird layout

Afaik there are Wyse models that have more standard layouts.

Wodan · 29 Aug 2018, 16:18

wiki/Wyse_PCE

abrahamstechnology · 29 Aug 2018, 20:02

Wodan wrote:
abrahamstechnology wrote:
Wodan wrote:
You mean a G80-3000 + plate?

Yes! Practically a clone of the G80-3000 with a plate is what I had in mind.
But your main keyboard is supposed to be a Wyse WY-60.
That's pretty much a G80 with a plate and a bit weird layout

Afaik there are Wyse models that have more standard layouts.

........

Yes, I love Wyse keyboards.

matt3o · 29 Aug 2018, 20:05

okay the question is. why buy such low quality mechanical keyboard? better buy a good rubberdome than a shitty mechanical

abrahamstechnology · 29 Aug 2018, 20:09

Myoth wrote: a Google search guys ...

a Google search ...

https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/-/32829787493.html

EDIT : damn that's cheap :O

https://m.fr.aliexpress.com/item/329073 ... form=msite

Unfortunately, the first one is no longer available.

As for the second one, nice deal, although I'm personally not a fan of the exposed switch design.

Blaise170 · 29 Aug 2018, 20:16

If I'm going to buy any more modern keyboards, they will surely be exactly what I want. The cheap Chinese boards have gotten so cheap over the years that you'd never be able to compete. I got a TKL with full LED lighting shipped direct to my door for around $25 a few years ago. Things are even cheaper now. It was different back then because customs were mostly out of this world on pricing (easily $400+ in many cases) and there wasn't much in the lower end that people could get, but there's too many manufacturers in this space now. If you are wanting to aim for a particular market, you'd almost definitely want to aim for the middle end ($100-200 range) as this is where most boards are priced. Hell, even the Keycool TKL on Massdrop right now is only $60 and it comes with PBT caps if I recall. You'd really need to have a radical idea to really get off the ground on a project like this.

abrahamstechnology · 29 Aug 2018, 20:21

matt3o wrote: okay the question is. why buy such low quality mechanical keyboard? better buy a good rubberdome than a shitty mechanical

If it has a simple, non ugly plastic case and metal mounting plate, I'd say it's good quality.

abrahamstechnology · 29 Aug 2018, 20:25

Blaise170 wrote: If I'm going to buy any more modern keyboards, they will surely be exactly what I want. The cheap Chinese boards have gotten so cheap over the years that you'd never be able to compete. I got a TKL with full LED lighting shipped direct to my door for around $25 a few years ago. Things are even cheaper now. It was different back then because customs were mostly out of this world on pricing (easily $400+ in many cases) and there wasn't much in the lower end that people could get, but there's too many manufacturers in this space now. If you are wanting to aim for a particular market, you'd almost definitely want to aim for the middle end ($100-200 range) as this is where most boards are priced. Hell, even the Keycool TKL on Massdrop right now is only $60 and it comes with PBT caps if I recall. You'd really need to have a radical idea to really get off the ground on a project like this.

That's the thing, I'd want something the LEAST radical as possible. Just a simple, normal, full-size, AT101-like chassis.

matt3o · 29 Aug 2018, 20:25

I bought some mid tiers in the past (not even the super cheap ones) and the difference with the $100+ is pretty clear

vvp · 29 Aug 2018, 20:32

Well, I have 2 metal plates for ansi 105 key keyboards. They are intended for iron recycling. If somebody is in Slovakia then he can pick them up for free (PM me).

Though I do not understand why one would build a standard keyboard. It's just easier to buy it.

Blaise170 · 29 Aug 2018, 20:38

Simple, no-frills keyboard for ¥169 ($24.78).

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a ... 4500451001

abrahamstechnology · 29 Aug 2018, 20:42

vvp wrote: Well, I have 2 metal plates for ansi 105 key keyboards. They are intended for iron recycling. If somebody is in Slovakia then he can pick them up for free (PM me).

Though I do not understand why one would build a standard keyboard. It's just easier to buy it.

Not for me, I love making things. Besides, then I would just buy a Model M.

abrahamstechnology · 29 Aug 2018, 20:45

Blaise170 wrote: Simple, no-frills keyboard for ¥169 ($24.78).

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a ... 4500451001

LED backlighting and ugly gamer font, not really what I had in mind.

Blaise170 · 29 Aug 2018, 20:49

The ¥169 option has no backlighting and for the money you saved you can replace the keycaps.

Myoth · 29 Aug 2018, 21:15

Blaise170 wrote: Simple, no-frills keyboard for ¥169 ($24.78).

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a ... 4500451001

no frills ? "RGB", floating key design and chrome finish ?

I don't think that's frill-less

abrahamstechnology · 29 Aug 2018, 21:25

All I'd want is a simple chassis, simple PCB, and plate.

LeslieAnn · 30 Aug 2018, 01:51

These cheap keyboards are what is known as white label keyboards.
All the engineering has already been done, the parts are engineered down to the penny and are known to work together. They are kind of like those promotional pens companies have with their logo on them, you pick a style, a color and then they stamp your logo on it, it's the same thing here.

Changing anything, and I do mean anything, will significantly up the price because they need to make sure it all works with not just their product but also their assembly line which is geared towards large runs of generic boards. More than that, these keyboards are engineered to be purchased by the thousands, not 100 or 200. Any change at all for such a small run will incur significant fees as a result.

vvp · 30 Aug 2018, 01:55

abrahamstechnology wrote: Not for me, I love making things. Besides, then I would just buy a Model M.

I understand that. My point is that if you enjoy building keyboards than it makes more sense to build something interesting, something you cannot easily buy. E.g. a custom topre board: workshop-f7/designing-a-custom-topre-board-t11734.html

LeslieAnn has a good point about price too. I think that what you want does not make much sense.

Hak Foo · 30 Aug 2018, 08:52

I think that a lot of the novelty comes these days from switches and caps. There are already affordable kits for many of the TKL and smaller sizes. But for 100% and beyond, options are skimpy.

If you carefully collected 104 blue ALPS switches, your best choice now is to desolder an Omnikey, AEKII or AT101W and rebuild it. It's likely similar on the MX side. I know there are a few drop in kits like the Leeku 3000, but that still involves buying a unit to scrap for the case.

The white-label boards are already resolved designs, more or less bullet-proof, so all you'd be saying is "sell us the same board you sold to Rosewill or CoolerMaster, but don't drop switches or caps on it as it slides through the assembly process.