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geekhack Community => Ergonomics => Topic started by: akacase on Wed, 01 April 2020, 13:16:04

Title: ergodox-ez from kinesis advantage2
Post by: akacase on Wed, 01 April 2020, 13:16:04
Hey Folks,

Just got a Ergodox-EZ with the custom sculpted keycaps and MX Silent Reds and I'm in a little predicament.

First issue: I have the tent kit, but I can already tell coming from the Kinesis, it can't tent it enough. I can add some books, but I'm feeling like the tent on this board will need to be over 45 degrees and I don't have anything to do that with. You can feel the strain in the inner wrist to hit the modifiers on the thumb cluster. The strain is almost imperceptible on the Kinesis. I can also feel strain across the tops of my hands for some reason, it might be that I'm used to the concave nature of the Kinesis, but my Iris doesn't have the same strain at all either.
 
Second issue: The Silent Reds, I like the sound and the linear-ness, but it seems like the switch is heavier than my browns on my Kinesis? I even have an Iris with Zilent 62g's and these feel scratchy and STIFF especially on the thumb cluster, which I can feel my thumbs at the end of a day with the Dox. These are my first linear switch, so I could just have to get used to them, but I think it might have to deal with the hot-swap on these new boards?

I deal with and have dealt with RSI from poor posture in the past and ****ty setups at the house, mainly forearm pain due to posture, resting incorrectly, even while using a Kinesis Advantage. I am lucky these really haven't had to deal with wrist pain, just forearm/neck/shoulder. Since COVID-19, I've devoted a lot of time to try to knock it out trying out some new boards and setups here (keyboard tray with negative tilt, decent chair, good monitor height, stop using emacs  :))) and I feel like I've cracked a lot of codes, but I'd like to know others experiences in the Ergodox compartment. I've found out I love negative tilt, it feels great. I'm 6'4 (193cm) so I feel like a split board would allow my shoulders to distance themselves more, my arms angle in on the Kinesis, but my wrists are straight. I'm not positive if this is good or not. It might sound weird, but one of the most comfortable keyboards I've ever owned was a TypeMatrix 2030 and this was pre-RSI -- it was also in my 20's  :cool:
Title: Re: ergodox-ez from kinesis advantage2
Post by: nevin on Wed, 01 April 2020, 13:42:00
cherry switches will be scratchier than zilents. (period)
- you could lube the cherry silent reds for very little money (but a good chunk of time & effort). this also usually changes the sound along with the feel.

do all the switches feel stiffer or just the ones in the thumb cluster? (sometimes, on some boards, heavier springs are used for space bar and the like) so, double check to see if there is a difference between alpha and thumb sections.
- you could also spring swap to a lighter spring if you like as well
- or you could just get different switches....

as far as tenting.... you may be able to rig up alternative feet for it. either 3d printing longer legs or coming up with some other general hardware (screws, nuts, etc...) to replace the legs with something a little longer.
- i'd do a search for replacement tenting feet/legs for the ergodox-ez
Finished printing a tent kit for my Ergodox EZ (x-post r/3Dprinting) (https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/8igd5h/finished_printing_a_tent_kit_for_my_ergodox_ez/)
Ergodox EZ tent kit (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1433117)
https://github.com/rothgar/ergodox-ez-tent-kit/blob/master/README.md

for the RSI.... "i feel ya", have similar issues and trying to find a solution myself.
good luck playing with setups, etc... hope you find something that works for you.
Title: Re: ergodox-ez from kinesis advantage2
Post by: akacase on Wed, 01 April 2020, 19:35:28
Silents feel a bit stiffer, I think it's the bottoming out, they are nothing like Zilents. The silent Cherries have sort of a stiffer bottom out seems like they're encouraging you to not bottom out on the switch itself. The modifiers are stiffer than the rest of the board, I'll check out if the springs are different, I find lubing switches to be extremely tedious and boring -- I would rather desolder a board. I did see the 3D printed tent kit and am probably going to try it out. I appreciate your suggestions!
Title: Re: ergodox-ez from kinesis advantage2
Post by: tp4tissue on Fri, 03 April 2020, 10:33:21
You need to tent higher. I recommend 55* .  stack wood under the legs and feel it out.
Title: Re: ergodox-ez from kinesis advantage2
Post by: akacase on Fri, 03 April 2020, 19:52:39
about done printing the tent kit that was posted above, did a 100% infill. will update the post with pics once it's all together and extra parts that I ended up getting from amazon.