Okay, here’s my blog post about the “penguinz0 mechanical keyboard” build, written from a personal, hands-on perspective:
So, I finally jumped on the mechanical keyboard bandwagon. I’d been seeing all these cool custom builds online, and after watching, like, a million YouTube videos (mostly from that penguinz0 guy, he’s hilarious), I decided to give it a shot myself. I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty intimidated at first.
Getting Started
First things first, I needed to figure out what the heck I wanted. There are so many options! Switches, keycaps, cases… it’s a whole world. I spent a few days just browsing different websites, and honestly, I mostly chose stuff that looked cool.
- Switches: I went with some linear switches, because people said they are good to start, I picked whatever looked nice.
- Keycaps: I found a set with a cool color that I really liked. I’m not even sure what material they are, some kind of plastic, I think.
- Case: I got a simple 60% keyboard case, so no number pad or any of that extra stuff. I just wanted to do a simple basic keyboard.
- Other Stuff: I also needed a cable, stabilizers, and some lube (for the switches, not, like, anything weird).
The Build Process
When all the parts arrived, I was super excited. I cleared off my desk, got my tools ready (mostly just a screwdriver and some tweezers), and put on another one of penguinz0’s videos for “inspiration” (mostly just to have some background noise, to be honest).
The first step was putting the stabilizers onto the PCB (that’s the circuit board thing). That was a little fiddly, but I managed. Then came the switches. I just had to push them into the little holes on the PCB. It was kind of satisfying, like popping bubble wrap, but also a little nerve-wracking because I didn’t want to break anything.
After all the switches were in, I put the whole thing into the case. That was pretty straightforward, just a few screws. Then came the keycaps. That was the fun part! Just popping them onto the switches and seeing the whole thing come together.
The Result
And… that was it! I plugged it in, and it worked! I was so stoked. It felt way different than my old keyboard, and it sounded so much better, all “thocky” and satisfying. I’m not sure if I did everything perfectly, and I probably made some mistakes, but it works, and I built it myself, which is pretty cool.
It isn’t anything fancy, but you know, it works, so, I’m satisfied.
Now I just need to learn how to type on it properly. It’s definitely going to take some getting used to, but I’m excited to keep using it and maybe even build another one someday. Maybe a bigger one next time, or maybe I’ll try some of those fancy “artisan” keycaps I’ve seen. Who knows! The possibilities are endless (and my wallet is already crying).
