Custom Keyboard with Desoldered Lighting

Summary

I plan on building a custom keyboard with my friend who does not currently own a keyboard. I’d like to 3D print as many components of this keyboard as possible, including the case, the plate, and the keycaps. I currently own a mechanical keyboard and I want to transfer some of its components over to the custom keyboard. I plan to model these in 3D using the Ultimaker Cura platform and print the components with a Ender 3 Neo 3D-Printer. I’ll hope to use this 3D Printer to lead other Hack Club projects at my school.

Plan

I currently own a HyperX Alloy Elite Keyboard that supports RGB lighting. I want to desolder the LED lighting on my current keyboard and transfer it to the custom keyboard we are building. We will 3D print the case by following this guide: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4004330 and then also 3D print the keycaps. We will then open and lube the keyboard switches and film. Using a soldering kit, we will then solder the switches onto the keyboard PCB which will have custom QMK firmware. We’ll then modify the firmware to create custom lighting sequences on the custom keyboard. We want to implement a visual sound equalizer pattern using the keyboard LED lighting. We are interested in this guide https://www.instructables.com/Creating-you-own-USB-cables/ to create a DIY custom USB cable for the keyboard.

Budget

| Product | Cost | Supplier/Link

| HyperX Alloy Elite | $0 | Already Owned | | 3D Printer PLA Filament | $48.72 | https://www.amazon.com/Printer-Filament-SUNLU-Dimensional-Accuracy/dp/B07ZNHTZ2T/ref=sr_1_4?crid=109NRD19DPC17&keywords=3d%2Bprinter%2Bmaterial&qid=1673670885&sprefix=3d%2Bprinter%2Bmaterial%2Caps%2C52&sr=8-4&th=1 | | Gateron Oil King Switches | $56.16 | https://divinikey.com/collections/switches/products/gateron-oil-king-linear-switches | | Keyboard Switch Opener | $13.76 | https://www.amazon.com/Switch-Openers-Mechanical-Keyboard-Switches/dp/B07XQGLP8H | | 205G0 Switch Lubricant | $14.98 | https://divinikey.com/products/205-grade-0-switch-lubricant | | Deskeys V2 Switch Film | $6.95 | https://divinikey.com/products/deskeys-switch-film | | Soldering Kit| $26.48 | https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Kit-Temperature-Desoldering-Electronics/dp/B07GTGGLXN/ref=sr_1_5?crid=31MU0R8P93UJF&keywords=soldering+kit&qid=1673671960&sprefix=soldering+ki%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-5 | | Switch Stabilizer| $6.63| https://divinikey.com/collections/keyboard-stabilizers/products/durock-plate-mount-stabilizers?variant=32316615557185 | | PCB | $65 | https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=9055 | | Ender 3 Neo 3D Printer | $259.69 | https://www.amazon.com/Ender-Neo-Full-metal-Carborundum-220x220x250mm/dp/B083ZPVX77/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=ender+3+neo&qid=1673672914&s=industrial&sr=1-4 | | Per-key LEDs | $8.47 | https://www.amazon.com/Rectangle-Transparent-Lighting-Electronics-Components/dp/B01C5HL0PO/ref=d_pd_sbs_vft_none_sccl_4_1/137-7475306-6784927?pd_rd_w=HNy4I&content-id=amzn1.sym.38bbd1de-73a5-4ef9-9954-df27c3112829&pf_rd_p=38bbd1de-73a5-4ef9-9954-df27c3112829&pf_rd_r=ACW3G4RS3YTJCXNP6H9C&pd_rd_wg=mQv50&pd_rd_r=5e2a7604-73a4-4190-8ecc-63d7a8fa1c8f&pd_rd_i=B01C5HL0PO&th=1 | Total | $506.84 |