DIY mechanical keyboard

I'm thinking about building a mechanical keyboard; seeing as the nice ones are fairly expensive to buy I figure I might as well go the whole hog and make a project out of it. Has anyone any experience with a project like this and advice on where I should start?

I always wanted an ergodox, that's what I'd build if I could get the parts. However what I like is the diy, free firmware and ergonomy. Are mech keys better for programming (read: a lot of typing) than, say, chiclet keys or a cheap plastic kb?

Yes. Start with /r/mechanicalkeyboards wiki.

>>733 I have wide shoulder so for me spacing is more important than key type. I have a Microsoft Natural 4000 [http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/p/natural-ergonomic-keyboard-4000] and it's worked out well for me, except they aux. numpad means I have to reach really far to use my mouse, which causes wrist pain.

>>733 I'd like to have an Ergodox too some day, but the way they're distributing it (the whole massdrop thing) seems to have ignored the new vote for ergodexes: the necessary amount of votes has been reached months ago, but nothing's happening. I don't have to cash to let someone else print the case for me, sadly.

I have built a couple Phantoms and will soon be building a duck Orion V2. A Phantom is a good place to start. You need switches, caps, diodes, stabilizers, pcb, plate, teensy, and case. I think the plate and the case are the hardest to come by, as you have to fab your own or buy an existing one. Check out Deskthority's phantom guide.