Compact TKL board (Feedback please!)

[KaminKevCrew]

Hi there,
I've been wanting a custom keyboard for a while now, but I want something with a smaller foot print, yet all the keys of a TKL board. I have been working on a layout that I like, here

Anyway, That's the layout so far, and I'd really like to make a case for it, etc. Anyway, this is the start, and I thought that some feedback would be nice, so that I can see if I have made any large errors or anything. I can't decide if I like the look of a single blocker or not, as I think that it would be cool, but I really don't know if it would be any good in person.

Oh, also, the reason for the compact-ness is because I would like to build the case out of titanium, or at the very least, the top plate and switch plate, so the smaller size helps to keep costs down somewhat. I could just as well do it out of aluminum as well.

I'm pretty new to the whole CAD thing, so I'll see about designing a case myself. That could take a while, but I'm looking forward to any feedback that I can get!
Thanks,
Kevin

Also, is there any way to make that darn link smaller?

[suicidal_orange]

Neither clicking the link or copy and pasting the text as a url is working, could be my security settings as it was complaining about cross site scripting but could you paste the raw data into code tags so I can have a look?

If you write it as [ url=http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com]this[/url] it looks like this  if you remove the space after the first [

[KaminKevCrew]

Neither clicking the link or copy and pasting the text as a url is working, could be my security settings as it was complaining about cross site scripting but could you paste the raw data into code tags so I can have a look?

If you write it as [ url=http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com]this[/url] it looks like this  if you remove the space after the first [

Does that work now? I think I fixed it...

[suicidal_orange]

No, but it sure looks tidier!  It's my security settings, I've managed to open it starting with a fresh profile so will have a look now.

Looks like a very usable layout but you might have problems getting keycaps that look good - if I were making this for the Hack'd by Geeks set I'm currently using it would look like this so that as many of the keys on each row are the same profile (Delete is wrong, as is Insert, but it's the same "wrong" as the up arrow so would look fine.

If you're using DSA  caps or an all row 3 SA set or blanks your layout looks great, with no exotic cap sizes to worry about.  If you don't like the single blocker a 1u Windows key is always included in the Tsangan set which you'll need to get anyway for the 7u spacebar.

[KaminKevCrew]

No, but it sure looks tidier!  It's my security settings, I've managed to open it starting with a fresh profile so will have a look now.

Looks like a very usable layout but you might have problems getting keycaps that look good - if I were making this for the Hack'd by Geeks set I'm currently using it would look like this so that as many of the keys on each row are the same profile (Delete is wrong, as is Insert, but it's the same "wrong" as the up arrow so would look fine.

If you're using DSA  caps or an all row 3 SA set or blanks your layout looks great, with no exotic cap sizes to worry about.  If you don't like the single blocker a 1u Windows key is always included in the Tsangan set which you'll need to get anyway for the 7u spacebar.

Thanks for the input! I wasn't even thinking about the conventional rows, since I like the look of blank caps, but it's definitely a good point, especially since I might want to do an interest check for it once I have everything figured out.

Any sage advice on what a good controller would be for a pcb?

[suicidal_orange]

PCB design is slightly over my head unless you're willing to solder a Teensy (or similar) to the board with the switch matrix on, but I do know that the ATMega32u4 is the most widely used chip so has the most firmware options available.

The great thing about a custom board is that it's re-programmable so it would be up to whoever potentially buys one to worry about the caps.  If you're happy with blanks go for it

[tofgerl]

Usually indie designs target personal usability, so I'm not going to assume, but are you really sure you need Scroll Lock to be the third most easily accessible key on your board...?

My point is: You might consider removing some keys on the right side of the board and add an FN-key instead.

[KaminKevCrew]

Usually indie designs target personal usability, so I'm not going to assume, but are you really sure you need Scroll Lock to be the third most easily accessible key on your board...?

My point is: You might consider removing some keys on the right side of the board and add an FN-key instead.

That, sir, is a very good idea! I will do that. (I'm terribly used to having a full size board, with next to no functionality; a DasKeyboard 4. So I often forget that FN is a thing that I could do. I'll do that for sure!

[tofgerl]