Yeah it is pretty pricey considering the ikbc was $170. I’ll probably still get one though. I love the chance to breath new life into my first keeb. I’ve often looked at my WASD with a mild sense of regret realizing how bland a board it was compared to others that followed. This will fix it!
This also seems like a great opportunity for some custom builds if we could get a hold of some SMK or Alps pcbs and plates that would fit.
I bought an acrylic VE.A off of mechmarket back in 2018 with my first paycheck. It was my first soldered custom board, and it came with a cracked but repaired plate and unlubed Zealios that I hated typing on. After several solderings and desolderings, trying different switches and layouts of the bottom row, I basically destroyed the PCB.
I got it back into my collection today, and I built it up. I’m glad to have this thing back in my life. If you do get this board, keep in mind that you’ll likely have to use PCB mount stabs and not screw-ins unless you want to sand down the thin acrylic layers. Just use the PCB mount housings included with the kit and replace the inserts and wires and you’re good to go. I’ve actually felt happier with these stabs than screw-ins over the past two months.
62g Zilents with a 78g for the space bar, all lubed with 3203
Stabs were clipped, bandied modded, and lubed with 205
I also hand cut a pice of 4mm EVA foam, that is sandwiched between the PCB and the plate.