Mechanical Keyboard Sound Isn't That Simple
Figure 1: I couldn't think of a more literal way to represent this article if I tried... Looking back just a few years ago, there’s no doubt that the huge influx of people that joined the hobby at the peak of the COVID pandemic were drawn to keyboards by way of YouTube, TikTok, and other audio-visual content platforms. Even as the output from these content creators has waned in recent months, their collective impact and legacy on the keyboard hobby is rather firmly etched in the history books. As a result of all of their sound tests, build logs, and opinion videos, the message is clear to any new person joining the hobby: mechanical keyboards are all about the sound. Thock this, clack that. Whether it’s keyboards, keycaps, or even singular switches, seemingly everyone new to the hobby meticulously pores over each component of their keyboard not in an attempt to figure out how it will feel in hand, but how it will sound as they’re furiously grinding their way out from...
Mar 27, 2024
If you really want Ergodox pre-assembled, then you really should have order an assembled set from falbatech. A lot of us ordered this exactly because this is a kit, and we can all add the customization we want onto the keyboard.
I also don’t get where the demand comes from, this version of the Ergodox is already easy enough to assemble, the only thing you need to solder are the switch and it really takes a special kind of skill to screw up soldering them. On top of that, you do realized asking them to have the key board pre-assembled as some sort of compensation will only add MORE quality control steps/issue and logistics which are the main cause of delay in the first place.
Honestly.... any gift is fine... just as long as they are practical with this project. And thanks to keep on top of the quality control.
I checked out youtube. EEVblog has some good intro videos on soldering. Then I got an iron and a couple of cheep learner kits off Amazon.
This site is probably one of the best over all tutorial video I can find regarding to DIY electronics.
After going through the tutorial, If you still feels uneasy, I would recommend you to purchase some universal printed circuit board, and purchase some of the cheapest resistors you can find, populate (feed both legs of the resistor through the board)
and start soldering each leg for practice.
After a wire is soldered in test the join by jiggling the wire a little see if the solder cracks or if the track on the board lifts.
Attempt to solder two wires close together and see if you can do so with out connecting the two wires. Use a multimeter to test if the wires are connected.
The biggest challenge I see with these boards will be not getting things so hot that you lift the tracks on the pcb.
It was my first bit of soldering and it really wasn't hard at all. I was able to solder them on and remove them again a few times for practice. It's also possible to mess around with the firmware to change the functionality of the buttons. They make quite a fun desk toy too!