I've built and customized a variety of mechanical keyboards
I built this macro pad from a Let's Split PCB with a frae that I built from Lego bricks. It runs common commands on my computer, such as volume adjustment, launching applications, etc.
It uses Gazzew Boba U4 switches, because that's what I had spares of, but if I were chosing from scratch, I probably would have went with a heavy clicky switch like a Cherry MX Green.
The firmware is based on the free QMK.
I installed it in the caps lock position, although beyond the novelty of it, functionally, I regret putting it there for three reasons. 1) The switch, which I bought vintage, does not consistently lock into position when used in a wide 2u key like caps lock. 2) Due to firmware limitations of the keyboard, I could only program the key to act like a shift lock, as opposed to a caps lock. This difference is surprisingly disruptive when you have years of muscle memory of standard caps lock behaviour. 3) I've since mapped caps lock to act as control when held, and escape when pressed momentarily using xcape on Linux and AutoHotKey on Windows on my other computers. The locking key is not conducive to this, however I get around it by using my palm to activate control, which is less possible on a laptop.
This is a custom keyboard concept I developed, derived from a design called the Atreus (Atreides means descendent of Atreus in Greek), but modified it to have room for an OLED screen, mmore thumb keys, and a ThinkPad's Trackpoint.
I had completed everything up to the wiring, including laser cutting custom case parts and installing the switches, but in the end wasn't happy with the ergonomics, so took it apart and salvaged the parts for future projects.
I've also collected a variety of vintage keyboards from yard-sales, e-waste piles, et cetera. I particularly like buckling spring mechanisms, such as on the IBM Model M and vintage Alps switches, often found on old Apple keyboards.
Last updated on 2024-01-12