How to design a keyboard kit

Hey everyone. I’m a 13 yr old trying to make some money over the summer by selling keeb kits. I’m honestly a total noob at 3d modeling and rendering and was wondering if one of you who has done something like this before could point me in the right direction on how to use Blender to create a 3d model of it and how to render it once finished. Thanks in advance and have an above average day.

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I think you are greatly underestimating the logistic challenge of making such kits. People spend decades on this, and still make costly mistakes.

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Certainly not a simple task, but then again, things worth pursuing seldom are. :slight_smile: I would start by searching for YouTube videos on how to model and render a keyboard in Blender.

over summer. This year.

How does a 13 year old …

@10centNickle there is better ways to make money kid. Newspapers, mowing lawns, Babysitting.
I mean even the legality of making deals with someone your age are questionable.

You’re trying to hit too many targets: Blender and keyboard design. Number of board members with expertise in both areas are very tiny. Repost your question at largest Blender communities friendly to noobs. Meanwhile, search YouTube for Blender-related videos.

Don’t worry about the long road ahead. Just take one step at a time and learn to enjoy the journey. Even if you stop at any point and give up, you’ll find yourself ahead.

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Maybe 3d-printing is a good place to start with. :thinking:

I think that starting from zero knowledge to a sellable product this summer does not look very realistic :wink:

At the same time, if you are motivated enough, you could start to learn how to make your own custom.
As @skepp said 3d printing is a good starting point, and some custom keyboards that are sold are 3d printed like Keyboardbelle did.
Another way is to make acrylic stacked boards, one very known designer @qlavier is using this technique.

The CNC option is a bit more involved, need a minimum of CNC manufacturing knowledge and requires the use of professional CAD tools like Fusion360.
Also making a CNCd case is hella expensive, the other 2 options are more budget friendly.

I think pursuing keeb design and running your own board are great goals, and I think you should get on the path (3d design in general). But to make money this summer, it’s too lofty a goal. If you planned on selling the keyboard kits to friends and family (as I’m not sure of the legality of being a vendor at your age), may I suggest making some cash off of building/lubing services instead. You could see what each person wanted (in stock, from other vendors), purchase all the components, and assemble complete boards for a fee. You could certainly learn how to 3d model in the mean time.

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Now @10centNickle the question is:
do you want to do this for the money, or for the pleasure of making things ?

If it is for the money, they are plenty other ways to do that much more efficiently.
I don’t think selling custom keyboards is very sustainable as a business for most people in the community.

If it is to learn and take pleasure of making keyboards, go ahead !

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^^^ this

Everything takes longer then you think. Also you want to spend some time with prototypes, no one gets it perfect on the first shot. There will inevitably be at least one component out of stock, delayed or other that you will have to deal with.

I found this Wiki this weekend looking up something for KiCad. I found it very insightful regarding general keyboard/pcb design:

https://wiki.ai03.com/

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