3 ms·

(I am slowly working on making a replica ... without arrows though)

rbanffy 2y ago
Is there any good literature on building keyboards? I’d love to try my hand at building vintage-like keyboards for things like DEC terminals, workstations (Xerox Star and Apollo Domain rely so much on their keyboards it’s hard to experience them on regular PC keyboards).
- floren 2y ago
  I've just completed a keyboard inspired by the Lisp machine keyboards but aimed toward use on a modern Unix system. Making your own one-off hand-wired keyboard is time consuming but pretty easy if you can solder. I probably spent $400 all told, including a fully custom keycap set from https://fkcaps.com/custom/ https://fkcaps.com/custom/ I've been meaning to write a blog post about it but I'm still finishing shakedown (currently chasing a wiring problem that messes up multi-key chords on the homerow)
- amszmidt 2y ago
  No idea, this is sorta the project that runs on fumes right now. Wanna do something together? The keycaps are always the issue, making, remaking the PCB for the keyboard is just a days work even making it work with something like QMK or some Arduino thing. But then you want the keycaps, and each special keyboard has its own set .. double injection moulds are expensive unless you do a large batch.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
  - nradov 2y ago
    Sandpaper off the markings on a regular keyboard and write the keycaps with a Sharpie.
    - rbanffy 2y ago
      That, or order blanks.
  - rbanffy 2y ago
    > Wanna do something together? I know very little about keyboards (not much beyond reading a matrix, which is something I did once, 30+ years ago), but I’m in. I would imagine by now there would be a KiCAD wizard that would generate a standard keyboard with extra rows and columns if needed and all customisation would be dragging the switch footprints to their positions for the non 1:1 keys. Keycaps can be blank, laser eroded and resin filled, dye sub, or any other technique.
  - Palomides 2y ago
    injection molding is intractable for small runs, but there are services for one-off UV printing and dye sub; you'll have to compromise on accuracy to the original, but could still make something nice
    - rbanffy 2y ago
      You can always use dye sublimation.
    - amszmidt 2y ago
      Do you have any links or pointers to read up on that? How small runs and how much of a compromise on accuracy are we talking about?
      - Palomides 2y ago
        sorry for the late response, I've used WASD, there's also Max Keyboard, and I've heard some good things about Goblin Techkeys. They'll all do one-offs. By compromise on accuracy I just mean they won't be the chunky doubleshot ABS keycaps like the originals. You can definitely still make something that looks nice and has the symbols you'd want.
- matheusmoreira 2y ago
  I joined a discord for keyboard makers. I'm trying to learn electronics and circuit design and thought it would be a nice way to get into it. The conclusion I drew after researching the subject and talking to people was it's not viable unless you're planning to turn it into an actual product and sell large numbers later on. Looks like the manufacturers are assuming you'll follow up with large orders.

Is there any good literature on building keyboards? I’d love to try my hand at building vintage-like keyboards for things like DEC terminals, workstations (Xerox Star and Apollo Domain rely so much on their keyboards it’s hard to experience them on regular PC keyboards).

floren 2y ago
I've just completed a keyboard inspired by the Lisp machine keyboards but aimed toward use on a modern Unix system. Making your own one-off hand-wired keyboard is time consuming but pretty easy if you can solder. I probably spent $400 all told, including a fully custom keycap set from https://fkcaps.com/custom/ https://fkcaps.com/custom/ I've been meaning to write a blog post about it but I'm still finishing shakedown (currently chasing a wiring problem that messes up multi-key chords on the homerow)
amszmidt 2y ago
No idea, this is sorta the project that runs on fumes right now. Wanna do something together? The keycaps are always the issue, making, remaking the PCB for the keyboard is just a days work even making it work with something like QMK or some Arduino thing. But then you want the keycaps, and each special keyboard has its own set .. double injection moulds are expensive unless you do a large batch.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- nradov 2y ago
  Sandpaper off the markings on a regular keyboard and write the keycaps with a Sharpie.
  - rbanffy 2y ago
    That, or order blanks.
- rbanffy 2y ago
  > Wanna do something together? I know very little about keyboards (not much beyond reading a matrix, which is something I did once, 30+ years ago), but I’m in. I would imagine by now there would be a KiCAD wizard that would generate a standard keyboard with extra rows and columns if needed and all customisation would be dragging the switch footprints to their positions for the non 1:1 keys. Keycaps can be blank, laser eroded and resin filled, dye sub, or any other technique.
- Palomides 2y ago
  injection molding is intractable for small runs, but there are services for one-off UV printing and dye sub; you'll have to compromise on accuracy to the original, but could still make something nice
  - rbanffy 2y ago
    You can always use dye sublimation.
  - amszmidt 2y ago
    Do you have any links or pointers to read up on that? How small runs and how much of a compromise on accuracy are we talking about?
    - Palomides 2y ago
      sorry for the late response, I've used WASD, there's also Max Keyboard, and I've heard some good things about Goblin Techkeys. They'll all do one-offs. By compromise on accuracy I just mean they won't be the chunky doubleshot ABS keycaps like the originals. You can definitely still make something that looks nice and has the symbols you'd want.
matheusmoreira 2y ago
I joined a discord for keyboard makers. I'm trying to learn electronics and circuit design and thought it would be a nice way to get into it. The conclusion I drew after researching the subject and talking to people was it's not viable unless you're planning to turn it into an actual product and sell large numbers later on. Looks like the manufacturers are assuming you'll follow up with large orders.