WIP 50% with a 10 key

[Criterus]

I've been tinkering on this for a couple months in my free time. It is basically a 40% layout with a 10 key.

90% of the time I use the 10 key on the side of my keyboard when I model or use my calculator etc. I wanted to try a smaller keyboard on for size, but I didn't want to give up a 10 key. I also wanted to get a better feel for switch spacing and layout.

I modeled my plate in Fusion 360.



I printed the plate in my flash forge 3d printer. I only have a 6"x9" bed so  I had to break the switch plate up into 2 pieces.



I used 1/8" square trim to attach the plate pieces to. The plate is 5mm thick and feels rigid. I'm hoping I wont have to brace it in the middle.



Next I dry fit my switches (Browns) with some caps to make sure my spacing was good and my caps would going to clear.





My intention is to epoxy the switches in place. They are snug when I push them in, but I'm afraid they will pull loose if I need to pull a keycap.

I ordered wire to wire the switches. I have a teensy2.0 on a breadboard to test it on. Once I'm satisfied I have the software working I'll hardwire it to it's own teensy. I haven't settled on 3d printing  the case or it or just making it out of wood. I'm currently waiting for my mass drop order for Granite keycaps to show up. Once I get a good look at them and get a feel for how they look I'll decide.

I'm also trying to figure out where to source the stabilizers for my space bar. (Looking for a good place to order from). In hindsight I might have considered just putting extra cherry switches on either side.

Comments and suggestions welcome. This is my first ground up build. So far I'm happy with where I'm at.

[Bithor]

Cool idea
Not really a 40% anymore tho

[Criterus]

Yea I wasn't sure what to call it exactly. Open to suggestions on what the % is.

[chuckdee]

So it's a 60% - top row + numpad?  Seems like in the 50% range. 54 keys, right?  But then again, what does it matter? LOL

It's a cool idea and does what you want it to do.  Maybe 40%+TK? LOL

[Joey Quinn]

Pretty much an even 50%

[jdcarpe]

Cool!

Sorta reminds me of TheFlyingRaccoon's Longcat project.

[Criterus]

That's basically what I was going for, but I can't imagine having the 10 key on that side. of the board. It would take some getting used to. I like how he mounted his teensy I might have to something similar. I've been mulling over where to mount the teensy so that it wont get wet when I eventually spill coffee onto it.

[Charger]

That's basically what I was going for, but I can't imagine having the 10 key on that side. of the board. It would take some getting used to. I like how he mounted his teensy I might have to something similar. I've been mulling over where to mount the teensy so that it wont get wet when I eventually spill coffee onto it.

Ya it does take some getting used to, I'm left handed so it just seems better to have it on the left when I have my numpad on my desk that is.

[Criterus]

That's basically what I was going for, but I can't imagine having the 10 key on that side. of the board. It would take some getting used to. I like how he mounted his teensy I might have to something similar. I've been mulling over where to mount the teensy so that it wont get wet when I eventually spill coffee onto it.

Ya it does take some getting used to, I'm left handed so it just seems better to have it on the left when I have my numpad on my desk that is.

I'm also a lefty, but I mouse left and key #'s w/ my right hand. It's probably not efficient, but it works for me. Losing my ambidextrous keypad (Zboard) was what got me into MKs. I built an ergodox to fill that void and it just kinda stuck.

[Charger]

That's basically what I was going for, but I can't imagine having the 10 key on that side. of the board. It would take some getting used to. I like how he mounted his teensy I might have to something similar. I've been mulling over where to mount the teensy so that it wont get wet when I eventually spill coffee onto it.

Ya it does take some getting used to, I'm left handed so it just seems better to have it on the left when I have my numpad on my desk that is.

I'm also a lefty, but I mouse left and key #'s w/ my right hand. It's probably not efficient, but it works for me. Losing my ambidextrous keypad (Zboard) was what got me into MKs. I built an ergodox to fill that void and it just kinda stuck.

I can use the mouse with both hands but being from a family that is right handed I just learned to use the mouse mainly with my right hand.

[DvorakDachshund]

I'm a righty but I use my mouse with my left so I can use the TK with my right. It just makes more sense that way, rather than using both my mouse and TK with my right hand while holding a sandwich in my right.

[trenzafeeds]

This is a really super awesome idea! Looking forward to seeing everything develop. Not sure epoxying switches is the best call though...

[Criterus]

This is a really super awesome idea! Looking forward to seeing everything develop. Not sure epoxying switches is the best call though...

Yea it wasn't my first choice, but with a printed plate I had to go a little thicker to get it rigid, and I don't quite have enough layer control to stagger in the clip slot that the plate would usually sit in. If I don't adhere them down they will pull out in the event I need to pull a keycap.  I don't plan on this being my final iteration. This is just a first run at hardwiring and getting firmware to work. Have some other ideas once I get my head wrapped around this thing.

The next move for me will probably be to purchase a finer printer nozzle and try to get my plate notches a little closer.

[Charger]

This is a really super awesome idea! Looking forward to seeing everything develop. Not sure epoxying switches is the best call though...

Yea it wasn't my first choice, but with a printed plate I had to go a little thicker to get it rigid, and I don't quite have enough layer control to stagger in the clip slot that the plate would usually sit in. If I don't adhere them down they will pull out in the event I need to pull a keycap.  I don't plan on this being my final iteration. This is just a first run at hardwiring and getting firmware to work. Have some other ideas once I get my head wrapped around this thing.

The next move for me will probably be to purchase a finer printer nozzle and try to get my plate notches a little closer.

I have seen people hot glue switches into a hand wired plate but I don't even do that although my plates tend to be the correct size metal and I don't really remove the caps but when I do I try to get a finger on the switch to hold it down a bit although I don't really think i need to unless the caps are really tight.

[decker]

interresting form, what character layout do you use for the non alphabetic keys ?

[Criterus]

It will be essentially a standard modifier layout on the left (my dominate hand) just slightly smaller. I ordered a couple sets of the granite keycaps and extreme modifiers on a mass drop. along with the 10 key sets. I'm lower right side will be home/end etc. I haven't completely committed.

[Criterus]

With the help of the members here on the forums I managed to get a working keyboard put together!



 




Ultimately I'm not happy with the final key layout. They way I thought that I was typing, and how I was actually typing was different.

Specifically I use my right shift way more than my left shift. I also need a couple more punctuation keys which I might be able to stash in a second layer.

My case ended up being too thick/tall. I had to make it a little deeper to house the teensy board. I was pressed for time and had to finish the case before I left for work. I travel for two weeks at a time and had to leave the next day. Clear lexan on the bottom was the only thing I had readily available to close it in. I think it made it look super cheap.

I'm in a spot now where I have to decide if I'm going to re-work the whole layout and the case or just re-work the case and make this thing look finished/complete. I think I can plane down a second piece of wood and mill it out to sandwich together for a housing.

I'm super happy overall with the experience. I learned a lot and proved out using my 3d printer for making a switch plate. Hopefully I'll have something a little more pleasing to the eye to show off in a couple more weeks.

[suicidal_orange]

Your rush shows - inverted enter and [{ sideways V, small mod left of spacebar... )

Overall I think it looks great for a first try, and now you know your typing preferences a little more you can print a new plate to fit the case and try again

[xondat]

I quite like the idea of that layout; for me I'd have an extra vertical row on the right side of the alphas.

Bugs me a bit that the key sizes are wrong but I'm sure you can work that out. )

[Criterus]

You busted me on the pics I had just mashed the keys on and stuffed it in my bag. I had changed them once I realized but didn't actually take new pics. (pics are fixed now).

I agree there are  some weird spacing things that I need to correct. I think an extra vertical row would make it  slightly more functional.

90% of the time all I need is the 10 key for making process changes at work. Occasionally I need to type notes so I wanted to try to  get the smallest foot print I could and have it still be functional.

[Charger]

Ultimately I'm not happy with the final key layout. They way I thought that I was typing, and how I was actually typing was different.

Specifically I use my right shift way more than my left shift. I also need a couple more punctuation keys which I might be able to stash in a second layer.

My case ended up being too thick/tall. I had to make it a little deeper to house the teensy board. I was pressed for time and had to finish the case before I left for work. I travel for two weeks at a time and had to leave the next day. Clear lexan on the bottom was the only thing I had readily available to close it in. I think it made it look super cheap.

I'm in a spot now where I have to decide if I'm going to re-work the whole layout and the case or just re-work the case and make this thing look finished/complete. I think I can plane down a second piece of wood and mill it out to sandwich together for a housing.

I'm super happy overall with the experience. I learned a lot and proved out using my 3d printer for making a switch plate. Hopefully I'll have something a little more pleasing to the eye to show off in a couple more weeks.

with my %40 I kept the right shift because it gets used as well. I only have one punctuation key which is the period and most other things are on layers. I used caps lock as my main fn key and I really have 2 pointless fn keys that I probably should rebind to something to make it a little more fictional but at this point I dont have much of a problem using the punctuation on layers.

[Criterus]

with my %40 I kept the right shift because it gets used as well. I only have one punctuation key which is the period and most other things are on layers. I used caps lock as my main fn key and I really have 2 pointless fn keys that I probably should rebind to something to make it a little more fictional but at this point I dont have much of a problem using the punctuation on layers.

Gotcha. I don't have any layers put in at the moment. The caps key on the board is still just tab. I still have some playing to do. I'm getting better at typing on it its just a much bigger adjustment than I expected.

[Charger]

with my %40 I kept the right shift because it gets used as well. I only have one punctuation key which is the period and most other things are on layers. I used caps lock as my main fn key and I really have 2 pointless fn keys that I probably should rebind to something to make it a little more fictional but at this point I dont have much of a problem using the punctuation on layers.

Gotcha. I don't have any layers put in at the moment. The caps key on the board is still just tab. I still have some playing to do. I'm getting better at typing on it its just a much bigger adjustment than I expected.

ya it takes some time them it messes with you on other keyboards lol

This is what my keymap works out to at the moment. Fn2 is useless and fn0 is pointlessly in 2 places but I do use both but only when I'm to lazy to type a number or punctuation and have both hands on the keyboard lol
http://i.imgur.com/Qb1I02f.png