u/MBSMD

Today's build:

Nuxros +84 keyboard

• Raw aluminum top case, machined stainless steel bottom case
• Hotswap PCB
• Carbon fiber plate – top mount
• No foams
• HMX Waverider V2 switches
• TypePlus stabs
• PBTFans Maguro keycaps

She's a clacky girl, but I've been enjoying a clackier build lately. The foamy ones are all starting to sound the same to me, so this time I'm letting the character shine through.

Sound test (phone microphone, sorry):https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xzwge986dlb2wmc291ew4/84.m4a?rlkey=pslz9o2c7hp0no6nxvdye1xqx&dl=0

Yep. I actually said it. Flame away.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you...

• AKB OGR2 65XT (Fool's Dolch colorway)
• Carbon fiber plate
• MTNU 800 2.0 keycaps
• HMX Retro J switches
• Durock v3 stabs

This keyboard is definitely a big boy and weighs a right ton. Just arrived yesterday after a 15 month wait. I built it early this morning and it's already my favorite by far. I really think this one might ruin all others for me, in looks, feel and sound. The keycaps were also bought way back when with the express purpose as to be mounted on this keyboard.

Actually had to make one modification – the carbon fiber plate had a bit of strange vibration to it when tapping the spacebar. I suspect it was because of the top mount (only) construction since there's no screw mount for the plate at the level of the spacebar, thus it kind of free floats around the spacebar, so it would have this bounce/vibration when hitting the spacebar that I could feel throughout the rest of the keyboard (but otherwise inaudible). I removed the mid-frame and added a strip of poron foam underneath the bottom edge of the PCB along the spacebar, then reassembled. It completely mitigates the vibration I was feeling without altering the sound in any perceptible way. I suspect this probably only happens with the CF plate given the material and the flex cuts along the edges, but I don't really know for sure. Either way, my solution works and doesn't otherwise seem to impact anything else.

For whatever reason, I'm generally not a 75% guy. I love a good TKL. I love a good 65%. But just never really got in to the 75% form factor.

However, since I absolutely love my two Athena1800s, I had to buy the Athena75 to accompany it.

Build:

• KBDFans Athena75 anodized silver
  • CF plate
  • Top mount
  • Plate and case foam
• Gateron Type-R switches
• Typeplus Stabs
• PBTFans Maguro keycaps

Keycaps may not be permanent, as I've got some others on order that are (eventually) coming that might look better. But they're doing the job for now.

The build sounds slightly different than one of my Athena1800s which also has Type-R switches and a CF plate, but is gasket mounted — I wanted to give the top mount a try on this, so I'll keep it this way for a little while and see how I like it.

The Lumon logo GIF definitely doesn't match the keycaps, but it does match my current desktop wallpaper, so that explains that (and I'm a huge Severance fan), and like my other two Athenas, I'll almost certainly rotate the GIF on a regular basis.

Shout-out to Divinikey for Athena75, switches and keycaps.

This morning's distraction from work...

• KBDFans Tofu65 v3 — raw alu top case, silver machine-marked bottom
• Carbon fiber plate, wired hotswap PCB
• HMX Black Cat switches
• TypePlus stabs
• Case foam & plate foam
• GMK Nuclear Data R2 keycaps

I'm a real fan of the Tofu v3 line — I also have a Tofu60 v3 (CF plate, HMX Retro J switches) and a TofuTKL v3 (FR4 plate, HMX Black Cat switches), and they all sound terrific. And I personally like the simple design despite the plain square box/wedge design (and sharp, pointy corners). And the design language still matches my Tofu60 2.0 HHKB.

While I've got some expensive keyboards, I don't feel completely comfortable keeping any of them at work. So, I like to create some good budget keebs for the office.

• Nuphy Node100HP
• Akko Cilantro switches (more tactile than the Nuphy stock Brown Max)
• Keychron Hacker Mint dual-shot PBT keycaps
• Lumon Industries artisan from Etsy (for us Severance fans)

Sounds good - deep and thocky, though to be fair, most Nuphy MX mechanical keyboards sound alike these days.

The work is mysterious and important.

Tofu and chocolate... who knew they would taste so good together?

• KBDFans TofuTKL - anodized mocha top, black aluminum bottom, aluminum weights
• GMK CYL Chocolatier R2
• HMX Black Cat switches
• FR4 plate, TypePlus stabs, case and plate foam

Clacky without being overly loud or harsh. Really love the way this one turned out, both in look and sound.

First 40% keyboard. Needed to make sure I got one with training wheels, so hurray for the special PBTFans keycap set!

Even typed this out on it... only took me twice as long as it should have! I'm sure I'll learn, though. Practice makes perfect.

Agar Mini - Black ano

• Wired hotswap PCB (but also bought the wirelesss PCB in case I choose to go wireless)
• Included 2x 3u stabs
• All foams (I'm a foam guy)
• PC plate, gasket mount
• HMX Retro J switches
• PBTFans Agar Mini keycaps - need the newbie helpers for now

Sounds nice and poppy. Those Retro Js are amazing switches.

Sorry for the horribly over-exposed picture. My office lighting isn't good for pictures and my phone's camera isn't the best.

Built myself an old school beige party for my fingers...!

• Smurve80 keyboard (7u barebones)
• GMK CYL Classic Beige with CYL Vintage Bottom, Retro Extension, Icon Mods and BAE
• Gateron Weightlessness tactile switches
• Kailh Box Navy under the relocated Caps Lock - of course it doesn't lock down like the keyboards of yesteryear, but it's close enough.

The curved PCB and plate on the Smurve really does recreate the effect of the old classic IBM keyboards. The solenoid in the Smurve is fun to play with for a few minutes, but not something I'll leave on full-time.

And you can see the 3.5" floppy disk that I use as a coaster, though to be fair, the time-appropriate disk-as-coaster would really be a 5 1/4" floppy instead (but I don't have any).

Don't mind my Mutagen deskmat.

Quick post after finishing the build.

• Smurve80 keyboard
• HMX Saru v2 switches
• KeyMachine GMK Chladni keycaps (#61/250)

I've been on a retro computing kick the last couple of months. This is like my 5th beige retro-style keyboard. Really enjoying this one so far. I'm not 100% sold on the Saru v2 switches yet, so might end up swapping them out for my usual HMX Retro Js, but thought I should try something new. Will keep them in for a while and see if they grow on me. They sound great, especially against the Smurve's aluminum plate, but feel somehow "gummy" on the downstroke. I've heard they do break-in a bit, so we'll give it some time. I might have to get a beige family picture together at some point.

Here's my weekend fun budget Apple-esque + old IBM retro build —

Keychron R6 keyboard:

• PBTFans 1984 keycaps (and all their Apple Extended Keyboard II goodness)
• Gateron Harmonic switches (gloriously clicky!)
• Stock stabs, plate & foam (nothing modified inside the keyboard; all were surprisingly good)

The keyboard sounds deep and clicky with excellent tactility. I've really become a fan of the Harmonic switches (better than Melodics, IMHO). He's a big boy, that's for sure.

Umbra chapter VI: Earthshine by IV WORKS

• Mode Designs Lotus keycaps (for now... still deciding if I'm going to change them out for something else)
• Aluminum plate; no foams; tadpole gasket mount
• HMX Hydra switches
• TypePlus Stabs

Feels and sounds great. Tried to get a sound sample off my phone but didn't do it justice so it's not worth posting. Will try to get a better one at work where I've got a decent mic.

Umbra chapter VI: Earthshine by IV WORKS

• Mode Designs Lotus keycaps (for now... still deciding if I'm going to change them out for something else)
• Aluminum plate; no foams; tadpole gasket mount
• HMX Hydra switches
• TypePlus Stabs

Feels and sounds great. Tried to get a sound sample off my phone but didn't do it justice so it's not worth posting. Will try to get a better one at work where I've got a decent mic.

Umbra chapter VI: Earthshine by IV WORKS

• Mode Designs Lotus keycaps (for now... still deciding if I'm going to change them out for something else)
• Aluminum plate; no foams; tadpole gasket mount
• HMX Hydra switches
• TypePlus Stabs

GDK NV-70 keyboard (black & yellow)

• Serika MT3 keycaps
• TypePlus stabs
• HMX Retro J switches
• PC plate

GDK NV-70 keyboard (black & yellow)

• Serika MT3 keycaps
• TypePlus stabs
• HMX Retro J switches
• PC plate

Received my gen 5 today like lots of people. So, so much more comfortable than the gen 4.

Brushed silver, size 10 (same size as my gen 4).

Edit: since people for some reason don’t believe it’s an Oura Ring -

https://share.icloud.com/photos/029G\_dgYxb-VSi\_9v1yS1hBMQ