Show your Atomic builds!

[Skandocious]

Hey folks-- I'm getting started on an OLKB Atomic build (very excited!) and I'd love to see some of yours. Details on my build here:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=85150.0;topicseen

[cribbit]

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=85176.0





That's close enough, right?

[Data]

 



Build log and glamor shots: http://imgur.com/a/rwyNn

The only thing I've added since those photos is some rubber feet.

[Skandocious]

Show Image

Build log and glamor shots: http://imgur.com/a/rwyNn

The only thing I've added since those photos is some rubber feet.

Very nice! Where'd you get that bottom case?

[Data]

Show Image

Build log and glamor shots: http://imgur.com/a/rwyNn

The only thing I've added since those photos is some rubber feet.

Very nice! Where'd you get that bottom case?

It's the original Atomic steel case from Jack/OLKB.  I polished it.

[Skandocious]

Show Image

Build log and glamor shots: http://imgur.com/a/rwyNn

The only thing I've added since those photos is some rubber feet.

Very nice! Where'd you get that bottom case?

It's the original Atomic steel case from Jack/OLKB.  I polished it.

Jealous 😬 Wish Jack was still making Atomic parts.

[menuhin]

Would love to see more Atomic keyboard built! 

I'm planning to build one but I'm really torn between Planck and Atomic.
Basically the Planck attracted me to consider also the Atomic.
Originally I thought that the Atomic is quite ugly compared to the Planck because of the Planck is totally symmetrical and tiny like an adorable object.

After learning the user experience of majority of Planck triers, I think it is relatively difficult to have the Planck as a practical daily driver of sort (especially as I need to do some programming). And I started to consider Atomic.
However, it is almost impossible to make the Atomic symmetrical because of some intrinsic keyboard factors -- the right-hand heavy modern keyboard layout designs (e.g. QWERTY) have trained us to type symbols mostly with our right hand. The Planck, with a 10x4 design limitation, forces us to break this habit although the result is a bit of inconvenience - adding layers.

I hope the coming new 2nd gen. Atomic keyboard design will allow us more freedom. Or should I go with the Planck?

Please show some of Atomic!

[Skandocious]

Would love to see more Atomic keyboard built! 

I'm planning to build one but I'm really torn between Planck and Atomic.
Basically the Planck attracted me to consider also the Atomic.
Originally I thought that the Atomic is quite ugly compared to the Planck because of the Planck is totally symmetrical and tiny like an adorable object.

After learning the user experience of majority of Planck triers, I think it is relatively difficult to have the Planck as a practical daily driver of sort (especially as I need to do some programming). And I started to consider Atomic.
However, it is almost impossible to make the Atomic symmetrical because of some intrinsic keyboard factors -- the right-hand heavy modern keyboard layout designs (e.g. QWERTY) have trained us to type symbols mostly with our right hand. The Planck, with a 10x4 design limitation, forces us to break this habit although the result is a bit of inconvenience - adding layers.

I hope the coming new 2nd gen. Atomic keyboard design will allow us more freedom. Or should I go with the Planck?

Please show some of Atomic!

Well a perfectly symmetrical layout is certainly possible on the Atomic, the question is whether not you think that you can lay out your keys in such a way that it will break your bad right-handed symbol typing habits. Certainly it can be done if it can be done on the Planck because the atomic is essentially the same but bigger.

That said, after I started ordering parts I finalized my layout and then  realized that I don't need this many keys, I actually had trouble filling about five 1u slots. Incidentally this seems to be the exact design that the upcoming Subatomic will use, same as the atomic minus one column, too bad I'm so impatient 😬

[Skandocious]

The biggest "bad right-hand habits" that I had before were backspace, delete, return, -/_, and =/+ (I'm also a SW engineer so I use those last 2 lot). I moved all of these under my thumbs when I got an ErgoDox and I VERY much enjoyed not having to lift my hand to stretch my pinky up to hit some of those keys. So that was a big priority for me on this build, to keep all of those keys under my thumbs.

[cribbit]

Would love to see more Atomic keyboard built! 

I'm planning to build one but I'm really torn between Planck and Atomic.
Basically the Planck attracted me to consider also the Atomic.
Originally I thought that the Atomic is quite ugly compared to the Planck because of the Planck is totally symmetrical and tiny like an adorable object.

After learning the user experience of majority of Planck triers, I think it is relatively difficult to have the Planck as a practical daily driver of sort (especially as I need to do some programming). And I started to consider Atomic.
However, it is almost impossible to make the Atomic symmetrical because of some intrinsic keyboard factors -- the right-hand heavy modern keyboard layout designs (e.g. QWERTY) have trained us to type symbols mostly with our right hand. The Planck, with a 10x4 design limitation, forces us to break this habit although the result is a bit of inconvenience - adding layers.

I hope the coming new 2nd gen. Atomic keyboard design will allow us more freedom. Or should I go with the Planck?

Please show some of Atomic!

I was under the impression that the planck is a 12 col board.

Once you get used to the multiple modifiers on the planck to be able to use all the symbols you normally have direct access to it's very usable. I would argue that standard 40% boards are harder to use than the planck because they waste so much room on spacebar and modifiers.

You should custom build your own layout that suits your needs!

The biggest "bad right-hand habits" that I had before were backspace, delete, return, -/_, and =/+ (I'm also a SW engineer so I use those last 2 lot). I moved all of these under my thumbs when I got an ErgoDox and I VERY much enjoyed not having to lift my hand to stretch my pinky up to hit some of those keys. So that was a big priority for me on this build, to keep all of those keys under my thumbs.

Destroying the 6.25u spacebar makes typing a whole lot better. 1u spacebars are fine and it allows for your non spacebar thumb to hit all the modifiers you need, plus enter, without moving your hands.

[Skandocious]

The biggest "bad right-hand habits" that I had before were backspace, delete, return, -/_, and =/+ (I'm also a SW engineer so I use those last 2 lot). I moved all of these under my thumbs when I got an ErgoDox and I VERY much enjoyed not having to lift my hand to stretch my pinky up to hit some of those keys. So that was a big priority for me on this build, to keep all of those keys under my thumbs.

Destroying the 6.25u spacebar makes typing a whole lot better. 1u spacebars are fine and it allows for your non spacebar thumb to hit all the modifiers you need, plus enter, without moving your hands.
[/quote]Yep, this is precisely why I did my layout as seen above. I only use my right thumb for space anyway, and I always hit the spacebar in the same spot (usually get a nice little shiny circle on the larger spacebars). So it really makes sense to use a 1u key for the spacebar-- 6+U feels like a big waste of valuable real estate to me.

[menuhin]

More

Would love to see more Atomic keyboard built! 

I'm planning to build one but I'm really torn between Planck and Atomic.
Basically the Planck attracted me to consider also the Atomic.
Originally I thought that the Atomic is quite ugly compared to the Planck because of the Planck is totally symmetrical and tiny like an adorable object.

After learning the user experience of majority of Planck triers, I think it is relatively difficult to have the Planck as a practical daily driver of sort (especially as I need to do some programming). And I started to consider Atomic.
However, it is almost impossible to make the Atomic symmetrical because of some intrinsic keyboard factors -- the right-hand heavy modern keyboard layout designs (e.g. QWERTY) have trained us to type symbols mostly with our right hand. The Planck, with a 10x4 design limitation, forces us to break this habit although the result is a bit of inconvenience - adding layers.

I hope the coming new 2nd gen. Atomic keyboard design will allow us more freedom. Or should I go with the Planck?

Please show some of Atomic!

Well a perfectly symmetrical layout is certainly possible on the Atomic, the question is whether not you think that you can lay out your keys in such a way that it will break your bad right-handed symbol typing habits. Certainly it can be done if it can be done on the Planck because the atomic is essentially the same but bigger.

That said, after I started ordering parts I finalized my layout and then  realized that I don't need this many keys, I actually had trouble filling about five 1u slots. Incidentally this seems to be the exact design that the upcoming Subatomic will use, same as the atomic minus one column, too bad I'm so impatient 😬

I lost count of how many columns the Planck has because I have always been focusing on its beauty of being able to have both the 1 to 0 and Q to P on its top 2 rows.
And I just realized that for the "Subatomic" (if it is Atomic minus 1 column) would be even more difficult to achieve a symmetry look if one doesn't move around symbol keys drastically, away from their original locations in the traditional layout.

A typical and more symmetrical Atomic layout (from reddit):

https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/51bq9l/atomic_w_granites/

[Skandocious]

That Atomic from Reddit was the inspiration to my build! Such an awesome setup.

[menuhin]

That Atomic from Reddit was the inspiration to my build! Such an awesome setup.

In this keyboard, there's the Granite common kit plus >2 additional sets there!

[Skandocious]

Unfortunately the layout I posted above will require misc caps from more than 5-6 sets 😟

[menuhin]

No Atomic at hand, so have to post other's. An alternative layout:


Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/4z0hg2/photos_my_mechanical_keyboard_journey/

[Skandocious]

No Atomic at hand, so have to post other's. An alternative layout:

Show Image

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/4z0hg2/photos_my_mechanical_keyboard_journey/

This is a pretty neat idea actually-- moving some of the mods and/or symbols the center. Since I'm coming from an ErgoDox (full split) it will be a strange adjustment going back to my hands being so close together (finger collisions?!). If this ends up being the case I might toy with a split layout on the Atomic.

[menuhin]

More

No Atomic at hand, so have to post other's. An alternative layout:

Show Image

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/4z0hg2/photos_my_mechanical_keyboard_journey/

This is a pretty neat idea actually-- moving some of the mods and/or symbols the center. Since I'm coming from an ErgoDox (full split) it will be a strange adjustment going back to my hands being so close together (finger collisions?!). If this ends up being the case I might toy with a split layout on the Atomic.

Coming from an ErgoDox? Why do you come back from it? I always think there'll be no going back from an ergo-split design.
For me, the ergo-split design is more like a pair of.gloves or a couch for the hands to rest on -- they do not feel as much like an object for the hands and fingers to handle. For this property, ergo-split is less like a piece of adorable toy and more like mainly a piece of.functional tool. I can also observe that people play less on ergo-split with things like LEDs, under-glow, and artison key caps.
For me, I prefer to handle an adorable object.

[Skandocious]

Had a fun mail call today!

[Skandocious]

Still acquiring key caps, coming along!