My first real mechanical keyboard was a vintage one, a Dell AT101. Here’s a grainy photo I dredged up - this would have been in 2014 or so I think.
That keyboard has ALPS switches, and it was those ALPS switches that convinced me to use the modern Mathias switches (which are a remake of ALPS) on this Keeb.io Iris I made:
The Iris
was also one of my first solid 3D printing projects. I printed the case
parts and used filler primer to obscure the layer lines, before covering
with the deep blue paint you can see above.
Sadly, when switches on that first Iris failed, I ended up throwing it away - I would have replaced just the one switch that failed but due to the way I had assembled it, it would have required completely desoldering all the switches (the switches were mounted between the PCB and the switch plate, and I couldn’t see a way of easily separating them.)
At the time the Keeb.io Iris died, I had another keyboard project that was half-finished. So, spurred by necessity, I finished it!
I think I’m probably most proud of this keyboard build. It’s a Dactyl
Manuform: 
This keyboard really has a warm spot in my heart. I 3D printed the case and spray painted it matte black (I didn’t worry about filling the lines, and I think it’s neat you can see exactly how it was made.) I also handwired this keyboard - I think now people are making flex PCBs for these types of keyboards, but at the time it wasn’t common.
I used this board for a solid couple of years, if I recall correctly.
Then I went to the Recurse Center, and didn’t bring it with me. I thought I could get by on just my laptop keyboard, but I got going on the retreat and rapidly felt the lack of my nice keyboard.
Rather than build a whole new keyboard and spend precious retreat time on that side project, I just ordered one - another Keeb.io Iris, pre-assembled. It was costly, but oh so worth it. This is it “live”, at RC:
Since I got back from RC, I’ve actually been able to work on my laptop keyboard for work (it’s larger than the keyboard on that Dell XPS 13).
But the keyboard bug didn’t leave me alone. I decided I needed an even smaller travel keyboard, one that I could throw in a bag and take to coffee shops and use on my tablet or phone.
Enter: the wireless Corne:
I assembled this board as a kit from typeractive - they produce the microcontroller boards that run the firmware (the Nice!Nano) and also have a really nice online interface for configuring your kit.
That’s a much much different beast. Drastically fewer keys. Low profile switches. Quite nice for using with my phone though, and it packs up nice and small, which was the whole point! I think I’m probably going to sew a carrying case for it down the line.
Anyways, that’s the current state of the keyboard addiction. Thanks for reading!