This post will show you how to build a custom keyboard. Rather than depending on a pre-built design, creating your own unique keyboard allows you to have an infinite number of options and customizations, as well as the potential to create a device with a genuinely premium typing experience.
I’m writing this article on a keyboard that no ordinary keyboard can match in terms of feel, sound, and overall typing experience, and the whole design is distinctive. You can tailor your own keyboard design to any key-tapping application, such as creating a DIY gaming keyboard, a custom typing keyboard, or even a completely non-standard layout and keymap to boost typing speed or reduce repetitive strain injury.
After building about two dozen custom keyboards this year, it’s reasonable to say I’m addicted. It’s a complicated hobby, but the ability to build a one-of-a-kind keyboard that you developed and tuned is fascinating. Just be aware that you will never build only one.
Which Cases, Weights, And Plates Should Use To Make Custom Keyboard
A custom keyboard consists of six major components: keycaps, keyswitches, stabilizers, a PCB, a switch plate, and a case. We’ll get to the first four in due order, but the latter two serve as the foundation for your unique keyboard design.
The switch plate is, as the name implies, the center plate on which the keyboard switches are attached. The plate will have either a single set key layout or some variation, allowing you to select the arrangement that best matches your needs. For example, on the keyboard I’m currently using, the plate allows a number of alternative layouts, including the standard US ANSI and UK ISO layouts.
The plate is frequently a separate physical piece from the case that attaches to it, although it is also incorporated with the keyboard’s upper casing as a single piece. Although an integrated plate may be easier to work with, a separate plate is usually more flexible. Most custom keyboards are sold as a kit that includes a casing, switch plate, and PCB.
In terms of the general design of the keyboard, there are some common sizes, such as 60, 65, 75, and 80 percent (commonly called TKL) and full-sized (also called 1800), all of which basically correspond to the size of the board in relation to a full-sized, 105-key unit.
However, there are no definite requirements, so make sure you have exactly what you need. Similarly, there are some major layout standards, such as US ANSI or UK ISO, but designers can and do differ from them, and there are other particular variations, such as ortho-linear layouts in which all of the switches are in line with one another.
Your keyboard layout choice is determined by how you plan to use it and how you want to optimize your workspace. I prefer smaller 60 and 65 percent boards since they provide more space for a trackpad or mouse, and I rarely use a numpad or the F-row.
However, after using a variety of 60 percent boards, which just include the fundamental alphanumeric keys and modifiers, my choice has switched to 65 percent boards. An arrow cluster is extremely useful, and the few extra keys (Del, PgUp, PgDn, Home, End) are useful both independently and for mapping other functions.
Along with the layout, the material from which the case and plate are constructed is a significant consideration. Plates made of strong metals, such as brass, will feel solid and sound different than aluminum. Plates are increasingly made of nonmetallic materials, particularly carbon fiber and some thermoplastics. Entire keyboard cases can be manufactured from semi-transparent or dyed polycarbonates.
High-end keyboards often include internal weights to give them some bulk and keep them from wandering about on your desk when you type, which influences how the board sounds. While you rarely check at the bottom of a keyboard, designers frequently utilize weights to provide covert external decorations.
The most popular layout for a custom keyboard, known as top mount, has the switch plate attached to the top case, and the bottom section of the case connects to that assembly, but there are several variations. Isolation mounts are currently the most difficult in the hobby.
They surround the plate with layers of isolating material, practically suspending it inside the case, so that when you type, the noise is reduced and the feel is softened.
Custom keyboard PCB To Use
The custom keyboard PCB is the next item on our shopping list. Its purpose is to convert the information that is entered from your switches into a format that can be understood by your computer. While it is possible to acquire switchplates and cases that are compatible with a wide range of printed circuit boards (PCBs), it is more common for PCBs to come packaged with the switchplate and case, so constituting a complete kit. After that, you will need to get stabilizers, switches, and keycaps to finish the kit. When purchasing individual components, you ought to anticipate spending more than $25, with some of the most premium printed circuit boards (PCBs) costing twice as much as that.
The majority of printed circuit boards (PCBs), or at least the majority of those designed outside of Japan and China, are programmable and make use of a keyboard firmware known as QMK, which is open-source. A broad variety of embedded microcontrollers are supported by QMK. These microcontrollers read the signals from the switches as you press them, determine what you have pressed for how long, and then convert that information into a signal that can be recognized by a USB Human Interface Device (HID).
Some printed circuit boards (PCBs) are equipped with built-in illumination that can be programmed using QMK, activated and modified using key combinations on the board, and also programmable. On some printed circuit boards (PCBs), there are also areas where you can solder in LEDs on your own. These areas include in-switch LEDs, which cause the keycaps to light up. Here, you have a broad variety of options to choose from, ranging from a few LEDs of a single hue to full underglow illumination with RGB functionality for each switch.
The last thing to consider with regard to printed circuit boards is whether or not the switches need to be soldered. The majority of printed circuit boards (PCBs) require soldering; however, there are also hot-swappable PCBs that have sockets into which you simply insert the switch. These PCBs are available for those who are not comfortable soldering. The assembly process is far less complicated, but they are typically more expensive and do not offer a great deal of flexibility in terms of layout.
keyboard Switch To Use
Cherry MX-compatible switches are virtually universally supported in the custom keyboard , with the majority of boards and keycaps available today. Many PC peripheral companies, like Logitech, Razer, and SteelSeries, have built their own mechanical switches, although these are not used in the custom market.
On the other hand, there is also some support for high-end rubber dome switches manufactured by Topre, a Japanese business. These switches are utilized in pre-built keyboards manufactured by different companies such as PFU, Leopold, and Realforce. There is also a very limited market for boards that use Alps switches, but given that these switches are no longer manufactured and must be harvested from older boards, it is not a good place to start.
The number of Cherry MX-compatible switches has also grown, particularly in the last year or two. There are an increasing number of firms other than Cherry that make MX switches out of various polymers and with various springs and stems, making Cherry’s own lineup appear positively uninteresting. It’s safe to say that the DIY keyboard community has almost fully moved on from Cherry switches, while their widespread availability makes them an excellent place to start for newcomers.
In terms of type, keyswitches are classified into three categories: linear, tactile, and clicky. Linear switches have no tactile events other than when they are bottomed out. Tactiles provide a tactile bump as you push past a point in the switch’s travel before bottoming out. It’s normally around the point when the switch has triggered, allowing you to get feedback that you’ve pressed enough to activate the key without bottoming out. Clicky switches are also tactile, but the tactile event is accompanied by an audio click.
For springs as their primary three things must be considered: the force required to operate the switch, the force required to bottom out, and the development of the spring rate as you press it. Each of these characteristics influences how the switch feels, which is why you can purchase switch testers and try anywhere from a handful to about 100 different switch types to find which you like.
Switches range in price from $0.20 to $1.50 per, depending on their attractiveness. Some switches have become memes, usually after being used by a popular build broadcaster to create a board for a well-known gamer.
The more hardcore end of the community also enjoys making Frankenswitches (two examples are shown above), which combine pieces from two or more switches to make a new one.
It’s tough to determine whether certain hybrid switches are genuinely superior than standard switches, but certain hybrids break through and get enough traction that you can know there’s something to them. Holy Pandas are the quintessential example, combining the tactile stem of one switch with the housing, spring, and leaf of another. When tuned, they provide excellent tactile feedback.
Custom Keyboard Keycaps To Use
Keycaps are the starting point for most mechanical keyboard lovers. All it takes to modify your standard MX-switched keyboard is to remove the caps and purchase some appropriate replacements. There is a wide variety of colors, shapes, legends (lettering/fonts), and build materials available, making it enjoyable to experiment with this area of custom keyboard design.
Aside from style, the type of plastic and manufacturing process are essential considerations, as different types of plastic wear differently over time, and production can influence how long the legends on the keycaps look good.
The most notable trend is the use of double-shot PBT caps, which use the tougher, more chemically resistant PBT plastic (compared to ABS) and are molded twice (double-shot) so that the legend on the cap is formed from a second colored plastic that runs the full depth of the cap, preventing it from wearing off. Plastics remain the ideal choice for keycaps due to their light weight and simplicity of molding, but some designers have experimented with low-volume manufacturing in other materials, including metal.
The final consideration for keycaps is their profile or shape. Cherry profile caps are the most widespread, appearing on the great majority of pre-built boards, and most keycap group purchases are also in this profile. Cherry profile caps, on the other hand, are relatively short in height (when compared to other mechanical keycap profiles) and made with the minimal minimum of plastic, making them light and thin, which impacts how they sound.
Instead, many keyboard manufacturers choose larger keycap profiles. Keycaps in the MT3 and KAT profiles are my favorites since they have a higher profile than Cherry caps and are significantly thicker than Cherry-profile sets, resulting in a distinct sound.
Custom Keyboard Stabilizer
Most keycaps are held to the switch below by a holding stem located in the center of the cap, which is sufficient for standard single-width (1U) keys. A stabilizing system is required for bigger keys, such as a normal-width Backspace (2U), ISO Enter, and, in particular, spacebars (6U+). Without a stabilizer, the switch will be quite unsteady, and if you press anywhere other than the center, it may not activate.
Stabilizers support the cap’s extremities on retaining stems connected by wires, allowing the entire assembly to move up and down with the switch when you press the cap. This makes the lengthier caps feel more sturdy and allows you to press them off-center with no problems.
There are two types of stabilizers: plate mounts and PCB mounts.
Plate mount stabilizers are more frequent on pre-built boards than customs, though they can be found on some customs as well. They are less stable than PCB-mounted ones because to the fragile clips that are commonly used to mount them. PCB mount stabilizers are often screwed to the PCB from the underside, allowing for a more secure fit.
Because stabilizers are only a few pieces of plastic and a metal wire, they are relatively inexpensive, costing roughly $4 for 2U and $5 for longer ones for spacebars. However, some sellers sell higher-quality stabilizer sets for a larger price.
1. Build The Custom Keyboard (Test the custom keyboard PCB)
Since soldering is difficult to reverse, always test your PCB first. Plug it into your computer via USB cable, then short each switch by touching the two switch pads with tweezers to test if it activates. Using a tool like Switch Hitter, you may also check to see if the keys that do not print anything, such as Shift, are working properly. It happens rarely, but it pays to be cautious. I chose the sua PCB by TX Keyboards for this construction. It supports both in-switch and underglow LEDs and is compatible with the HJ75 kit.
2. Adjust Stabilizers To Your Custom Keyboard
Next, attach the stabilizers to the PCB for each of the keys that require them. A UK ISO build without a numpad often includes two 2U stabilizers for backspace and enter, as well as one 6.25U stabilizer for the space bar, but double-check the configuration you intend to construct to be sure. Push your stabilizers into the appropriate mounting holes on the board and secure them to the PCB from the bottom with the provided screws.
3. Mount Key On The Plate and PCB
The next step is to install all of the switches in the switch plate and push them into the PCB. Some plates are tight due to strict manufacturing tolerances, so don’t be afraid to use a good amount of pressure to ensure your switch is securely planted. Before you push each switch, make sure the metal legs are straight to reduce the possibility of bending them.
Begin with the corner switches and a few in the center to confirm the plate and PCB are properly aligned and fastened. This should allow the remaining switches to fall into place smoothly, decreasing the possibility of pinch points. You can choose to solder those initial switches if you’re confident they’re appropriately positioned.
Mounting positions on plates or PCBs that allow different layouts may be unclear, therefore keep this in mind while installing switches. In such cases, the trick is to put the necessary keycaps onto the troublesome switch and its neighbors and use them as a reference for where to place the switch. This scenario is most typical in the bottom row, where individuals frequently experiment with the space bar size and key layout.
When you’re satisfied that all of your switches are securely in place, lift up the entire assembly and check that everything is exactly aligned, that all of the switch legs are through their holes, and that none of them are bent. The most critical aspect of assembling your board is ensuring that the switches are flush with the plate and against the PCB.
For this construction, I used the TX Keyboards HJ75 casing and switchplate kit, which has a 75% size layout and includes an aluminum top and many transparent acrylic plates. I also used C3 Tangerine linear switches greased with Krytox 205 Grade 0.
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4. Solder The Custom Keyboard
The next step is to solder all of the switches onto the PCB. There are only two pins per switch, so all you have to do is work your way around the board, soldering each switch one at a time. Double and triple-check that you’ve completed them all, as it’s very simple to miss one.
Once you believe you have them all, test your PCB again. With all of the switches mounted, this is a lot easier operation than before: simply plug it in and press each bare switch to ensure it registers.
5. Assemble Case And Fit The keycaps Of Custom Keyboard
Every board is unique because of the various mounting possibilities, but the general idea is to attach the switch plate to the top case first, before building the remainder of the case.
Some cases are simple, with a single piece and the PCB screwed into it; others are more complex, with top and bottom pieces, gaskets to lay in the right place for isolation and damping, and outboard USB ports that must be mounted separately and connect to the main PCB via a small connector.
Follow the instructions for the case and any parts that you have, but proceed with caution. Now is also the time to install your keycaps; for my build, I used GMK Olive keycaps and a metal RAMA Works enter key.
6. Program For Customization
Most homemade keyboards include a PCB that supports QMK firmware. QMK is a highly adaptable technology that allows for virtually limitless remapping and customization of your board. Once you’ve set it up, there’s an online QMK configurator that allows you to remap your board and generate the new firmware file needed to flash the PCB, and the QMK documentation site contains a wealth of information on how to begin flashing and programming.
If you’re lucky, your board may also include QMK-based firmware that supports the excellent configuration tool VIA, which requires no further flashing to remap your layout. Not all QMK-compatible boards support VIA, so visit the VIA website and check the board and PCB list to see if the one you’re looking for is supported. New boards are added to VIA on a regular basis, so if yours isn’t on the list right now, it might be soon.
7. Check The Custom Keyboard
There is so much variation in builds that it is hard to provide examples of every possible combination of ideas. However, practically every board you’ll get online will come with an accompanying guide or thread that details the build process, or you’ll find that one of the main keyboard streamers has constructed one on Twitch or YouTube and you can watch how they did it.
Wrap Up
Building your own keyboard isn’t just a technical accomplishment; it’s a journey of self-expression. The tactile satisfaction of each keystroke mirrors the satisfaction of creating something with your own hands. Whether you embarked on this endeavour to enhance your typing experience, optimize gaming performance, or simply to revel in the joy of customization, you now possess a one-of-a-kind tool that reflects your individuality.
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