I think cases are the biggest issue with DIY keyboards.
The plastic laminate of my ergodoxen was stiff, sturdy, and heavy. The exposed bolts were a little industrial. Very much had a DIY look.
My Lily58 started out with the PCB "case" which is horrible. Way too flexible, and switches falling out as soon as you attempted to transport it. (Easy transport was my main motivation for the smaller keyboard.)
Eventually, I was able to convince someone on Etsy to print me a 3d case for it. It is ok. Much better than the PCBs. However, switches still have a tendency to pop out when moving the keyboard.
The case on the Bayleaf makes me wonder if other keyboards could do a better job with case offerings.
I've always gone with wired keyboards because dealing with batteries seems annoying.
Looking at this keyboard makes me realize that I've optimized for functionality but this beauty is optimized for form.
for hobby businesses like most of these weird little keyboards, adding $200 to the parts cost is a real stretch, considering their already niche appeal and limited capital for investment
3D printed cases do vary in quality quite a bit, something made with a cheap consumer FDM printer won't be nearly as nice as a resin SLA or nylon MJF/SLS case printed on an industrial-grade machine and professionally finished. The latter processes are pretty accessible these days from companies like JLCPCB or PCBWay.
You can even get them to 3D print metal parts with an SLM process, although that's on the pricier side.
The plastic laminate of my ergodoxen was stiff, sturdy, and heavy. The exposed bolts were a little industrial. Very much had a DIY look.
My Lily58 started out with the PCB "case" which is horrible. Way too flexible, and switches falling out as soon as you attempted to transport it. (Easy transport was my main motivation for the smaller keyboard.)
Eventually, I was able to convince someone on Etsy to print me a 3d case for it. It is ok. Much better than the PCBs. However, switches still have a tendency to pop out when moving the keyboard.
The case on the Bayleaf makes me wonder if other keyboards could do a better job with case offerings.
I've always gone with wired keyboards because dealing with batteries seems annoying.
Looking at this keyboard makes me realize that I've optimized for functionality but this beauty is optimized for form.