Well I fell down the custom keyboard world.

On a super budget theme- I saw this on a certain online retailer for £29 and with 1 star reviews. But it's 29! It has a knob! It's pink! The poor reviews appear to be because the picture shows an ANSI board, and the description states ISO. Couldn't resist trying.

Arrived today, suuuuper lightweight. Totally ISO. No idea what it actually is- the website said TM680, but the label says "KF068 Fashion Mechanical Keyboard" :D

It's got a steel plate and plate foam. Knob feels pretty cheap, but it works and has independent RGB. I taped coins in the bottom to give it some heft and damp the thin plastic shell a little. Lubed the totally dry stabilisers. Was suprised to see under and side body RGB, also controllable independently. Threw in some Ajazz Sky Blues (heavy tactiles) and another set of super cheap keycaps in and...... well it's not Thocky. And not Clacky. More...... Thwacky? Needs some work, especially the spacebar, and would suit linears far better I think. But it's super cute for the cash. I might use the guts and build a wooden case. Or I might keep it like this!

EDIT: Stuck a Matcha v2 in the spacebar, and the whole thing sounds much better. Definitely a deeper sounding more thocky board, it was just the spacebar was just so smashy. Just wish I had enough Matchas to do the whole board.

tm680-1.jpg

TM680-2.jpg
 
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CGrieves said:
On a super budget theme- I saw this on a certain online retailer for £29 and with 1 star reviews. But it's 29! It has a knob! It's pink! The poor reviews appear to be because the picture shows an ANSI board, and the description states ISO. Couldn't resist trying.

Arrived today, suuuuper lightweight. Totally ISO. No idea what it actually is- the website said TM680, but the label says "KF068 Fashion Mechanical Keyboard" :D

It's got a steel plate and plate foam. Knob feels pretty cheap, but it works and has independent RGB. I taped coins in the bottom to give it some heft and damp the thin plastic shell a little. Lubed the totally dry stabilisers. Was suprised to see under and side body RGB, also controllable independently. Threw in some Ajazz Sky Blues (heavy tactiles) and another set of super cheap keycaps in and...... well it's not Thocky. And not Clacky. More...... Thwacky? Needs some work, especially the spacebar, and would suit linears far better I think. But it's super cute for the cash. I might use the guts and build a wooden case. Or I might keep it like this!

EDIT: Stuck a Matcha v2 in the spacebar, and the whole thing sounds much better. Definitely a deeper sounding more thocky board, it was just the spacebar was just so smashy. Just wish I had enough Matchas to do the whole board.

tm680-1.jpg

TM680-2.jpg
Click to expand...

TM680 is a great board tbh for an entry level especially if you like to mod and fiddle with keyboards. It has a lot of potential to be great with the correct mods which you have already carried out anyway. I know people call entry level around the $100 mark these days but seriously entry level when i first started was boards like these for sub $50 which i had to mod myself with foam, tapes etc to make it sound good. It was part of what made boards interesting for me, where as now all boards seem to have the same foamy sound and are basically copy and paste of the next board. It's more about aesthetics now rather than how the board sounds imo.
 
Just took delivery of an ultrasonic cleaner, going to see how well it does on switches and getting factory lube off..
 
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It's one with reasonable reviews from the Rainforest in the £45 range 600ml capacity. Wanted one that could also fit other things if needed (Glasses etc..). Trying it on stems now with water and a cleaning solution (degreaser).

There might be a world where I need to do it with iso alcohol but, that could get expensive.
 
Nedb37 said:
It's one with reasonable reviews from the Rainforest in the £45 range 600ml capacity. Wanted one that could also fit other things if needed (Glasses etc..). Trying it on stems now with water and a cleaning solution (degreaser).

There might be a world where I need to do it with iso alcohol but, that could get expensive.
Click to expand...

Would love to see you try it something dirtier like glasses and watch the bits come off it like i've seen in videos! It's so satisfying to watch haha!
 
So..

I tried 300 seconds with cold water (instructions say to avoid hot) and a couple of blobs of degreaser. Stems came out 'OK' but still felt a little greasy.

Realised I had some 70% iso-alcohol I could try (99% would obviously be better..). So used that with degreaser for another 300 seconds. Boom. Fine. Way easier than hand cleaning, probably get the same result.

I've got the springs in now with the 70% for 600 seconds. Time might be overkill, there's probably a bit of trial and error needed.

I do have some concerns about the housing and if the copper could potentially get damaged.
 
Nedb37 said:
So..

I tried 300 seconds with cold water (instructions say to avoid hot) and a couple of blobs of degreaser. Stems came out 'OK' but still felt a little greasy.

Realised I had some 70% iso-alcohol I could try (99% would obviously be better..). So used that with degreaser for another 300 seconds. Boom. Fine. Way easier than hand cleaning, probably get the same result.

I've got the springs in now with the 70% for 600 seconds. Time might be overkill, there's probably a bit of trial and error needed.

I do have some concerns about the housing and if the copper could potentially get damaged.
Click to expand...

I think you can pull the copper leaf out from the housing iirc, never actually tried it but i assume its just wedged in there and not glued down or anything.

Interesting results though for a short run, think i might give this a go and clean my honeycombs up.
 
You can take the leaf out yes but, it splits into two pieces (at least, on Oil Kings) and is fiddly to get back in, risk of damaging it with bending etc..

x90
 
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Well has been a while since I posted, but have been lurking have loved seeing some of the updates that have been occurring.

Well I have had a number of things arrive over the last couple of weeks including artisans, plates, switches and key sets.

But here is some eye candy for you of some custom plates via LaserBoost for the Phoenix and CW's (the SS plates need to be cleaned, I have to get some solvent to remove the protective film residue off them but the copper plate for the Phoenix is just simply gorgeous.

(Plates - Phoenix SS, 2x CW 88's SS, Phoenix Copper, 2x CW 88's Alu)
J7UEcyw.jpg


Phoenix dry build for plate fitting with nixies (stock for now)
uFKwXU6.jpg


Phoenix dry build with ePBT DuO again test build just for looks.
HZMR330.jpg



Now some colour matching (as will be getting some alu plates coated to finish the themes off)
CW 88 - Pink
7Zgiae8.jpg


Matrix 8XV3.0 Tiffany
zVqTaMK.jpg


CW 88- Lilac (didn't have a lilac swab so used grey to help for colour balance)
jIJggw3.jpg


Then bonus image of one of the many artisans
UhmV6ks.jpg
 
I suddenly don't seem to be able to access any of the usual Reddit groups (r/mk) and am being told they're been set to private, with only authorised users being given access..

Anyone else having this problem? I'm on mobile but can't see any way to authorise myself or request access.
 
Nedb37 said:
I suddenly don't seem to be able to access any of the usual Reddit groups (r/mk) and am being told they're been set to private, with only authorised users being given access..

Anyone else having this problem? I'm on mobile but can't see any way to authorise myself or request access.
Click to expand...
I noticed this since yesterday on Reddit, not just keyboard content though, seems to be widespread.
 
Nedb37 said:
I suddenly don't seem to be able to access any of the usual Reddit groups (r/mk) and am being told they're been set to private, with only authorised users being given access..

Anyone else having this problem? I'm on mobile but can't see any way to authorise myself or request access.
Click to expand...

CGrieves said:
I noticed this since yesterday on Reddit, not just keyboard content though, seems to be widespread.
Click to expand...

Subreddits have gone dark for minimum 48 hours possibly forever until Reddit either backs down or takes action by taking them over.

On July 1st, 2023, Reddit intends to alter how its API is accessed. This move will require developers of third-party applications to pay enormous sums of money if they wish to stay functional, meaning that said applications will be effectively destroyed. In the short term, this may have the appearance of increasing Reddit's traffic and revenue... but in the long term, it will undermine the site as a whole.

Reddit relies on volunteer moderators to keep its platform welcoming and free of objectionable material. It also relies on uncompensated contributors to populate its numerous communities with content. The above decision promises to adversely impact both groups: Without effective tools (which Reddit has frequently promised and then failed to deliver), moderators cannot combat spammers, bad actors, or the entities who enable either, and without the freedom to choose how and where they access Reddit, many contributors will simply leave. Rather than hosting creativity and in-depth discourse, the platform will soon feature only recycled content, bot-driven activity, and an ever-dwindling number of well-informed visitors. The very elements which differentiate Reddit – the foundations that draw its audience – will be eliminated, reducing the site to another dead cog in the Ennui Engine.

We implore Reddit to listen to its moderators, its contributors, and its everyday users; to the people whose activity has allowed the platform to exist at all: Do not sacrifice long-term viability for the sake of a short-lived illusion. Do not tacitly enable bad actors by working against your volunteers. Do not posture for your looming IPO while giving no thought to what may come afterward. Focus on addressing Reddit's real problems – the rampant bigotry, the ever-increasing amounts of spam, the advantage given to low-effort content, and the widespread misinformation – instead of on a strategy that will alienate the people keeping this platform alive.

If Steve Huffman's statement – "I want our users to be shareholders, and I want our shareholders to be users" – is to be taken seriously, then consider this our vote:

Allow the developers of third-party applications to retain their productive (and vital) API access.

Allow Reddit and Redditors to thrive.
Click to expand...
 
Nedb37 said:
I suddenly don't seem to be able to access any of the usual Reddit groups (r/mk) and am being told they're been set to private, with only authorised users being given access..

Anyone else having this problem? I'm on mobile but can't see any way to authorise myself or request access.
Click to expand...

API change.
 
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