Mechanical Keyboards (aka Keyboard Primer draft)

# Mechanical Keyboards (aka Keyboard Primer draft) ### Table of Contents 1. What is a mechanical keyboard 2. What kinds of mechanical keyboards are there? 3. Switch Types 4. Stabilizers 5. Sizes and Formats 6. QMK/TMK/VIA 7. Keycap Profiles 8. Keycap Materials 9. Group Buys 10. Forums/Servers 11. Vendor List 12. Proxies/Distributors 13. Where to Begin ## 1. What is a mechanical keyboard A mechanical keyboard takes your key press on a mechanical switch and gives information to your device. A mechanical keyboard is a modified keyboard that is catered to your needs as a user. It takes a key press on a switch and gives information to your attached device. ## 2. Switch Types Your switches define the core concept of the mechanical keyboard. The small mechanisms inside switches create the clickiness or lack thereof in your mechanical keyboard. > Or, "the small mechanisms inside switches create the mechanical of the mechanical keyboard" Placement of switches and the build of the mechanical keyboard can be easily modified by users. The switches live between the keycaps and the keyboard PCB. All keycaps have a switch underneath them. Switches are unique in their sound, feel and colors. ### 2.1 Tactile, Linear, and Clicky + **Tactile** has a bump you will feel as you press the key before it touches the bottom housing floor + **Linear** has no bump + **Clicky** has two things: a bump *and* a click you'll hear ### 2.2 What's in there? (Switch Parts) #### Housing Housing is made of two parts: the base and the top. 2 pins in the base housing slot into the PCB. These will generally be soldered, but if the keyboard is "hotswap," you don't have to get out your soldering iron. Switches are connected either to the plate or the PCB. If it mounts directly to the PCB, it will have legs to attach. #### Stem The stem is the central piece of the switch that connects to the keycap you press. It looks like it has a `+` sign when looking down on the switch. The bump you feel when you press down on your switch is determined by the two legs as it touches the metal leaf. #### Spring This curly piece helps with aligning movement and rests on the pole coming from the base housing. Springs can be of many different weights. Be aware if you get a heavier spring you need to use more strength for your keypress. #### Metal Leaf The metal leaf sits in the base housing. It is when the stem presses into this piece that the PCB makes your marks happen on your computer screen. ### 2.3 Modifying Switches: Lube, Springs, and Switch Films You have the foundation to begin altering the reality of your keyboard! Here are some things you can do to further change your keyboard to meet your typing (or gaming!) needs. #### Lube This is something you might add to the moving parts of your keyboard switches to alter how your keyboard feels to you. This can change how your keyboard sounds as well as its tactile feel. You can make a whole world of difference with the same keyboard if you do this or leave this step out. Up to you! #### Switch Films Back to our learning of what's inside a switch: this is something that you would put inside your switch housing. It will live between your base and top pieces and provides further alignment support to the movement of your switch. #### Springs The part that allows your switch to return to its upright position can also vary in material and weight. #### What else can I choose about my switches? Lots of things! Some people like to hash new things together from parts from different series. This sort of piecemeal building end result is often referred to as a 'frankenswitch.' Your imagination is really the only thing you need to make the ultimate keyboard. A popular Frankenswitch is the Holy Panda, which is made by putting a Halo Clear or True stem with a YOK Panda housing.  Custom Colorways are another modification that is available for keyboards. This just means that your switches can be made with a different color scheme. Probably no one but you will be in-the-know on the coloration of your switch parts. But you will. And you'll be jamming. ## 3. Stabilizers Just like it reads on the tin, stabilizers *stabilize* keycaps to aid movement. Stabs, for short, help keep movement aligned for wide keycaps. Keeps things jumping in place, and not falling off your keyboard. It's supposed to stay under your command and fingertips. The keys that usually require stabilizers are the backspace, shift, enter/return and spacebar keys. Backspace, for example, is referred to as a *2u* size key. 2u size keys and up need stabilizers. Different keyboards will have different keys, so lets look at a few examples.  #### Two Stabilizer Mounts + PCB-mounted stabilizers are seated on your keyboard's PCB. + Plate-mounted stabilizers are sitting in the keyboard plate. #### Where do I buy these? The better question here is not where, but what. You need to know what sizes of keycaps are needed (or that you prefer) to have on your keyboard. So, in the event that you have a 6u spacebar, you can equip yourself by having the right size stabilizer on your keyboard. ## 4. Sizes and Formats The only limitation to the build of a keyboard is your imagination (and well, budget, if we're being real). But there are many sizes and styles for you to choose from, and many cater to specific needs. If you're looking for split-ergo stuff, there's a keyboard for you. If you're looking for a keyboard with forbidden food-looking keycaps, they're out there for you, too. While the diversity of keyboards is rather endless (endless fun!) we'll talk about the keyboards from a 3-groups perspective: common, compact, and mavericks. + Common Keyboard Sizes - Full Size / 100% - Tenkeyless (TKL) - Compact / 60% - 75% - 65% - 40% - 1800 Layout + Compact Keyboard Sizes If you have a keyboard that's 60% or less, you have what we call a *compact keyboard*. You only have what is needed. - Function Layer Importance If you're anything like me starting out, you're wondering how folks can make any use of 60% and smaller keyboards. This is where **function layers** become a prominent and necessary feature. + Maverick Keyboard Dimensions - If you're thinking that reading the above has expanded your world of keyboards, you ain't seen nothin' yet! There is yet more to add to our growing repertoire of unique and purpose-specific keyboards. ## 5. QMK/TMK/VIA ## 6. Keycaps 101 Wait, what's a keycap? The keycap are the part of the key that sits on top of all your mechanisms and looks pretty slick when your fingers aren't writing majestic essays. Keycaps can be made with a bunch of different colors, textures and materials. You can even have widely varied designs and lettering on your keycaps if you go to the right places! (Or make them.) #### Keysets A keyset has a bundle of keys that are meant to be grouped together and hold similar qualities. They have a little club, y'know? When it comes to keysets, there's two groups it could fall into: *base kit* and *extension kit*. Base Kit The base kit holds Alphas, Modifiers, and a Numpad. Most keyboard layouts can be accommodate this. Extension Kit These cover less common layouts and other keys that may be included in those layouts. #### Keycap Sizes Just like we have ounces and grams to measure, there are units to measure the sizes of keycaps. This way you know what will and won't fit on the keyboard you are trying to build and find what will accommodate all the keys that you want to have present (or absent) on your personal keyboard. The measuring unit we use for keycaps is **u**. Your usual keyboard spacebar for a full-size is usually 6u to 7u. That way your fingers have a big space to return to. For split keyboards this size comes down to somewhere between ## 7. Keycap Profiles & Materials Just as the plates of the exterior of a mechanical keyboard vary, so too do the keycap profile and materials. Keycap profiles are the height and shape of the keycaps. Some keycaps will be taller, so they're easier to reach in their spot on the keyboard. Others will be shorter. The feeling your fingertips will have when they touch a keyboard is also something you can alter by selecting different materials for your keycaps. ## 8. Group Buys ## 9. Forums/Servers Reddit and Discord are really big communities that share a lot of information as it pertains to build process, tools, nifty modifications, as well as overall help and guidance. Keebio has a forum... ## 10. Vendor List Reddit curates a detailed list of reliable vendors. Also, those here at Keebio, work hard to make sure you've got what you need out of our repertoire to make your dream keyboard. ## 11. Proxies/Distributors ## 13. Where to Begin There are many different benefits to making your own keyboard, but the main thing to keep in mind is your purpose for it. Knowing what you want to use your keyboard for will guide you to make choices that will make you happiest with your keyboard. If you're making the keyboard to have a great sound when you type, then investing time to get to know all the types of switches available (and your budget limits) will be a great guiding tool for you. Or, if you're worried about pain in your wrists and want something to prevent that, knowing that is great guidance too. You could even be getting into the keyboard community just because making stuff is super fun. That is also a great reason to start! Identify the top (or top 3) priorities you have with the keyboard you want to make. Do you like clacky? Do you like having to press your keys down harder? Do you even *know* if you like clacky sounds? There are ways of finding out. /// Discovery is going to be the great adventure if you're new to mechanical keyboards! A great starting point is figuring out what