20 votes

Built a 60% mechanical keyboard!

18 comments

  1. CDN
    Link
    Just a fun little project I did with my family for funsies. I think it turned out alright aside of some slightly angled switches, which (arguably) just add to the charm. It actually started out as...

    Just a fun little project I did with my family for funsies. I think it turned out alright aside of some slightly angled switches, which (arguably) just add to the charm. It actually started out as an impulse buy after /u/hungariantoast told me about some cheap, defective switches. Ended up shaving off the nubs so they didn't crack my keycaps and then soldered it all together. Overall, they feel absolutely amazing but there's no way I could game with these and not cripple myself.

    These are the parts used:

    • DZ60 (mini USB) PCB
    • Kailh BOX Navy switches
    • Old Ducky One keycaps
    • Kbdfans acrylic case
    4 votes
  2. [10]
    thisonemakesyouthink
    Link
    Cool! I've never been a fan of 60s personally, I'll take an 87 or a 100. I can see why people like 60s though. Now, 40s are just the absolute worst

    Cool! I've never been a fan of 60s personally, I'll take an 87 or a 100. I can see why people like 60s though.

    Now, 40s are just the absolute worst

    3 votes
    1. [9]
      Nitta
      Link Parent
      87 looks like a reasonable minimum when programming and using hotkeys. I guess many of other things to do on computer are no problem with 60.

      87 looks like a reasonable minimum when programming and using hotkeys. I guess many of other things to do on computer are no problem with 60.

      3 votes
      1. [8]
        thisonemakesyouthink
        Link Parent
        Yeah, now 40s are just abominations. And don't even get me started on 30s...

        Yeah, now 40s are just abominations. And don't even get me started on 30s...

        1 vote
        1. Akir
          Link Parent
          They say that it's just a matter of opinion. That's when I learned that there is such a thing as an objectively wrong opinion. :P

          They say that it's just a matter of opinion. That's when I learned that there is such a thing as an objectively wrong opinion. :P

          2 votes
        2. [2]
          Nitta
          Link Parent
          I looked up 30s and they look cute. If arrows can work as modifier keys this is even viable as a keyboard for a Tildes active commenter computer. Just not much more

          I looked up 30s and they look cute. If arrows can work as modifier keys this is even viable as a keyboard for a Tildes active commenter computer. Just not much more

          1 vote
          1. thisonemakesyouthink
            Link Parent
            Yeah so the arrows would be like... your mod keys. So you gotta hold one, hit a letter, and then you get a number or punctuation or whatever you want. It's awful.

            Yeah so the arrows would be like... your mod keys. So you gotta hold one, hit a letter, and then you get a number or punctuation or whatever you want. It's awful.

        3. [4]
          cfabbro
          Link Parent
          What about 48s? That's my latest keyboard purchase and I am absolutely loving it. :P

          What about 48s?

          That's my latest keyboard purchase and I am absolutely loving it. :P

          1 vote
          1. [3]
            thisonemakesyouthink
            Link Parent
            hard to tell what im looking at when the caps aren't labeled

            hard to tell what im looking at when the caps aren't labeled

            1. Whom
              Link Parent
              Hover over the other color options, they have labels.

              Hover over the other color options, they have labels.

              1 vote
            2. cfabbro
              (edited )
              Link Parent
              It's a completely programmable mechanical keyboard with macro support and 3 custom config modes (which are stored on the onboard microcontroller) that you can switch between on the fly... so the...

              It's a completely programmable mechanical keyboard with macro support and 3 custom config modes (which are stored on the onboard microcontroller) that you can switch between on the fly... so the keys are whatever you want them to be, hence no labels.

              This is my "gaming" layout. And then I have two layouts completely full of macros and keyboard shortcuts for using alongside my normal keyboard to help with pure keyboard navigation in my OSs (windows 10 & manjaro KDE/i3) as well as my web browser, Photoshop and VS code.

              1 vote
  3. [7]
    kavi
    Link
    It looks gorgeous! I'm rather curious about the back lights - do they move? And the keys don't seem to be visible in the picture - are there letters/etc on them? If so, what's the super key?

    It looks gorgeous! I'm rather curious about the back lights - do they move? And the keys don't seem to be visible in the picture - are there letters/etc on them? If so, what's the super key?

    1 vote
    1. [6]
      CDN
      Link Parent
      They do! Aside from the standard solid colours, there's a full list of effects too. It looks really good at max brightness with a slow, rainbow swirl: that's actually what I used for the picture....

      They do! Aside from the standard solid colours, there's a full list of effects too. It looks really good at max brightness with a slow, rainbow swirl: that's actually what I used for the picture. 😊

      Sorry about the lighting, a lot of the detail was lost for the dark shot. These are just Ducky One RGB keycaps from a full ANSI model, they were already laying around and I didn't want to buy new ones until everything was working. They do have transparent letters, and the super key is just a Windows Icon (which is annoying, because it's Mode(1) with the QMK software).

      1 vote
      1. [5]
        kavi
        Link Parent
        I would love to be able to see a gif of the swirl! How do you configure the lights? And no worries about the lighting - no need to be sorry. Pardon my ignorance, but what's Mode(1) with the QMK...

        I would love to be able to see a gif of the swirl! How do you configure the lights?

        And no worries about the lighting - no need to be sorry. Pardon my ignorance, but what's Mode(1) with the QMK software?

        1 vote
        1. [4]
          CDN
          Link Parent
          I'd be happy to share. It's configured using built-in shortcuts. The modes are used to select different shortcuts for configuring the keyboard, or compensating for the buttons you lose compared to...

          I'd be happy to share. It's configured using built-in shortcuts.

          The modes are used to select different shortcuts for configuring the keyboard, or compensating for the buttons you lose compared to a full size layout (like F1).

          1 vote
          1. [3]
            kavi
            Link Parent
            Thank you! What do the other modes do?

            Thank you! What do the other modes do?

            1 vote
            1. [2]
              CDN
              Link Parent
              I'm still a bit new to things, so the official documentation may explain better. MO = Mode. Trick Esc: SHIFT+ESC=` MO(1): Press and hold for layer 1 (similar to the function key in other 60%s)...

              I'm still a bit new to things, so the official documentation may explain better. MO = Mode.

              • Trick Esc: SHIFT+ESC=`
              • MO(1): Press and hold for layer 1 (similar to the function key in other 60%s)
              • MO(2): Press and hold for layer 2
              • NO: Ignore this key, typically used in layout with a split key – I will make sure that the key is not in use when keys are not split.
              • MO(1)+Q,W,E,R,T,Y,U,I: RGB underglow controls – Q: on/off, W: change pattern, ER: add/subtract color, TY: add/subtract saturation, UI: brightness controls
              • MO(1)+CVBN: Backlight controls – V: on/off, C: brightness down, B: brightness up, N: breathing control
              • MO(1)+Backspace: DEL
              • MO(1)+Comma(,), Period(.): Volume down/up
              • MO(1)+: RESET, enter bootloader mode
              • MO(1)+Numbers [1,2,3,…0], +, -: F1-F12
              • MO(2)+ Numbers [1,2,3,…0], +, -: Layers 1-12
              1 vote