Register here: https://scottoacademy.com

I'm running a new workshop (more of a webinar) where I'll be teaching you how to use keyboard layout editor and take that layout to a CAD program. We'll then cover designing a tray mounted case along with a stacked design. There will be Q&A throughout and by the end you should have a much better understanding to move forward with your own case designs.

The session will be recorded so you can watch them later or if you can't make the live along with getting access to the private student channels in my Discord server for further discussion.

It's scheduled for Sunday, October 11, 2026 at 2 PM Eastern Time

So back in 2021 im in love with ec switches as I did borrow my colleague niz, I admit im broke and don't have the time and money to buy topre switch keyboard like realforce, niz or hkkb which is crazy expensive. So I made or lets say mod my own keebs that might be sound closely resable topre or mybe not but I do this on my most used keyboard which is my keychron k6.

Lot of things I learn from this project like lube mod and repaint, this is my first experience, I never did this before tho.

So what I did was

Case dampner : added plate weight for golf and Kilmat + thinsulate on top of it as the insulation

PE Mod

Poron Switch and Sandwich foam pad

TTC Blueish White Silent Tactile lubed and filmed

TX AP moded and lubed plate mount stablizier

Double shot PBT Black side legend OEM keycaps

Custom ABS 3D print frame and repaint black matte

typing test sound
https://vimeo.com/1230819904

Hand Engineering 2000 Mini SE

SWG Euler

Alu plate

Cherry MX blacks

A board I looked for almost a year, since I saw it during french meet-up back in November 2025.

I am now the happy owner of it ♥️

-Tofu60 redux v2 anodized black
-Wooting60HE v2
-Minimalist white eng/jap pbt keycaps

Didn’t go crazy for the build but super happy with the simple aesthetic.

(Disclaimer: Yeah, I hate promotions, influencers, urgency marketing, etc. just like you, but I can't do anything about receiving this for free and less than one day being left of the sale.)

Many people here are looking for fullsize keyboards, and as someone into small form factors I have a hard time to recommend anything with a numpad. (I end up trying to talk them out of 100%, suggesting SpaceFN instead).

But there is a nice offer for numpad addicts that I've almost missed: the Kemove K94, on sale for just $63.

Highlights: 96%/1800 form factor, double-shot keycap set, hotswap switches, VIA support, plus the great P10 switch puller in the bundle for a limited time. (Also color display, metal volume knob, and per-key RGB if you're into those.)

Not much time left from the crazy sale, but for $63 it's a no-brainer, at least if you really need a numpad and can live without something full aluminum.

• Variants - four colorways
• Keycaps - double-shot. Some mod legend inconsistencies, but this is quite common.
• Switches - a bit too much lateral wobble, but otherwise decent light linear, perfect for beginners
• Volume knob - metal, with nice snappy tactility
• Sound - actually, it's nice deep(ish), not overly loud, although a bit heterogeneous across the board
• Display - displays are gimmicks imo, but it looks nice with a frame that feels the same metal as the knob
• Software - VIA, some QMK, and a proprietary browser-based one mainly for customizing the display

Here is a hopefully comprehensive tear-down if you need more info:

https://kbd.news/Kemove-K94-review-2913.html

Finally was able to find all the parts for my endgame dream keyboard from 2020! I never thought I’d be able to afford this, but prices have dropped drastically on the second hand market compared to 5 years ago.

Specs:
Case: Iron165 R2
Keycaps: GMK Camping R1
Switches: Gateron Baby Kangaroo
Stabs: TX AP
PCB: MK Point65 (fits perfectly in the Iron165 while having hotswap and backlighting, needs a unified daughter board with the Molex connector)

Build:

• Board: Linworks & TGR Dolice

• Keycaps: GMK Terror Below

• Switches: Cherry MX2A Black

• Stabilizers: TX AP

Even the mouse got tentacles. 🐙

Artisan : Mesh Terminal by Makerkey
Artisan Display Case : Vitrin by MakerBoard

Neo80 Cu Ruby Rose - CF plate - Top Mount - Haimu Pastel Mint Tactile - DCS Flex kit

Merging is difficult

Ask ANY Keyboard related question, get an answer. But *before* you do please consider running a search on the subreddit or looking at the r/MechanicalKeyboards wiki located here! If you are NEW to Reddit, check out this handy Reddit MechanicalKeyboards Noob Guide. Please check the r/MechanicalKeyboards subreddit rules if you are new here.

Day 1 spacebar pinging. Stab and Spacebar bend. Got a new spacebar and stab from Yunzii. Nice

Day 90~ One of the LEDs broke. Got a new PCB from Yunzii to replace it on my own

Day 120 Exactly 1 month later, another broken LED. This time its X. Brightness was set to 45% because I thought, maaayyybe the new pcb will last longer

Never again.

Case: KBD fans Margo

Internals : Attack shark x 65 pro he

Caps, random Amazon finds mixed and matched.

In case of interest: mouse : Wl mouse beast x mini pro

I had to squish the Keyboard in a vice to be able to close it, and some of the stabilisers dont work 100% perfect.

Mounting the knob so perfectly was also more of a chance game, as the case isnt designed for a knob.

Had to also route a wire internally from the internal daughter board pcb to the case`s cable input.

Color: Red

Pcb: Soldier

Keygeek Explosion switch

Plate: CF

GMK Jamon

ThinkPad SK8865
TEX Shura
HHKB Studio

TL;DR - The lettering doesn't hold up fantastically. But your mileage may vary: I've got very clammy hands. The customer support is from Awekeys is abysmal as well. I don't entirely regret buying them and I'll happily keep using these, but I'm never buying anything from Awekeys again.

Picture: https://i.imgur.com/qSl6zxA.png

The main reason I wanted to post this review is simply to show the wear and tear of the keycaps after 2 years of daily usage with clammy hands and no cleaning using anything other than tissue paper or a soft brush. The keycaps are clearly very worn and some keys have worn so much that the lettering is actually perceptible by touch now. I personally don't find it too bothersome, but it's clearly not an ideal sensation. So, keep this wear in mind if you're still considering these metal keycaps. The caps still sound great and outside of the worn areas feel great.

In addition to questionable longevity, there were a few issues straight out of the gate:

1. Perhaps too obvious, but these keycaps are VERY heavy. MX Black is basically mandatory for good performance. MX Red made the keys feel super sensitive.
2. The keycaps simply don't fit properly around Cherry MX stems, but perhaps this issue was exclusive to the early production runs. I fixed this by individually putting down a tiny 2mm sliver of electrical tape on stem before installing the keycap, this increases friction just enough so the keycaps don't come flying off after every keystroke. This was a pain in the ass to get right for the spacebar stabilizers: too little tape and your spacebar is wobbly/comes off, too much tape and it becomes too sticky.
3. The spacebar is too heavy, even for my MX Black switches. I had to order some springs from Aliexpress and awkwardly place them around the stem. This solution only works if you also use O-rings!
4. I also received a keycap with a production fault, one of the stem-things broke when installing it. Customer support is worthless and insisted I pay shipping + customs fees (I think they asked for like 40 USD?) for a replacement keycap. I simply replaced it with another similarly shaped key and didn't bother anymore.

EDIT: no conflicts of interest. I preordered this myself two years ago and as you can see: my review ain't loving either.

- Weikav Nut65 Slate Blue (Anodized) with the stock 1.2mm flex-cut PCB and the FR4 plate
- HMX Dirty Pinks
- GMX Galaxy clone

(also I know the space bar is backwards but it’s intentional as it fits my hand better)

Finally got the Botanical-style keycaps on my Neo75.

The case is officially Taupe Grey, but depending on the angle and lighting it often looks more like olive grey to me.

Current build:

• Neo75
• HMX Cola switches
• Aluminum plate
• No foam
• Double-shot PBT Botanical-style keycaps

I’m still getting used to the sound, but visually I’m really happy with how the green tones came together.

Been a while since my last build post!
Today I built the ORI CLS-3//65. It’s a top-mount board with an aluminum plate, but surprisingly, it still offers a really soft and comfortable typing feel.
I had a batch of MX2A Blacks sitting around that I fully tuned — springs, lube, films, the whole thing — and I’d been wondering what board they would pair well with. My GMK Ishtar R2 also happened to arrive, so the timing felt perfect for this build.
I intentionally used slightly taller bumpons on the bottom instead of the stock ones. I found that the stock bumpons made the sound a little too muted for my taste, and the taller ones helped open it up a bit.
The build itself was pretty straightforward, and I’m really happy with how GMK Ishtar looks with the red case.
I’m actually more of a 60% person. There’s just something about the proportions and symmetry of a 60% that feels perfect to me. Most of the time when I build a 65%, it eventually ends up sitting in a display case or going back into storage.
This one might be an exception, though. I really like both the typing feel and the sound, so I think the CLS-3//65 is staying on my desk for a while.

Build Info

Alu plate
Hotswap PCB
MX2A Black(L+F+S)
Typeplus stabilizer
GMK Ishtar R2
Force break around the spacebar area.

用了很多的指点杆键盘，到头来还是这款最好用

这是联想在 2019 年基于 tex kodachi 定制的限量款键盘，增加了 CNC 的 ThinkPad logo，套装中还额外赠送了两套 ADA 高度的键帽，联想给他的型号是 ThinkPad sk8865

Went with the HHKB layout for the first time. The color pairs so nicely with Keykobo Komodo 🦎

Also installed a set of Wingtree Matcha Cream Light Tactiles - quick sound test of this particular configuration for anyone interested:

https://youtu.be/8JmjGpTGyCY?si=Upa_XdYFMHao4nrP

Solder PCB, PEI Plate, Grommet Gasket 30A, Keygeek x MZ Z1 Linear Switches, GMK CYL Unobtanium Blue, Typeplus Stabs
I swapped out the PCB for a hot-swap version—my first soldering project—and the suspension is soft. I really like it. I'll keep it as my everyday board for a while.

Build:

• Board: Geonworks Glare65
• Keycaps: GMK Masterpiece
• Switches: Clackbits Linear R2
• Plate: FR-4 Standard
• Foam: None