« previous next »
Pages:  [1]     Go Down

Author Topic: Where can I find standard layouts?  (Read 4515 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline epicepee

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 35
Where can I find standard layouts?
« on: Tue, 19 August 2014, 00:45:02 »
I am designing an ANSI TKL keyboard, and I am having trouble finding standard dimensions.  For example, how far from F4 to F5?

Is there a set of technical drawings that most TKL boards adhere to?
Logged

Offline Oobly

  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Posts: 3929
  • Location: Finland
Re: Where can I find standard layouts?
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 19 August 2014, 01:15:04 »
0.75" between key centres. You can work the rest out from there (for instance F4 to F5 would be 1.125" centre to centre since there's a 0.5x gap between them and 15x normal spaces across the main board section). The gaps between the main area and F keys, arrows and edits and between the arrows and edits and numpad are flexible. Each manufacturer chooses their own spacing. The "most standard" I would guess would be what Filco use. Perhaps someone with a Filco can measure for you. Key centre to key centre will get you the most accuracy.

At a guess I would say it's 0.5x vertical gap, 0.25x horizontal gaps. You can make a rough measurement from a good picture.
« Last Edit: Tue, 19 August 2014, 01:29:22 by Oobly »
Logged
Buying more keycaps,
it really hacks my wallet,
but I must have them.

Offline jacobolus

  • Posts: 3661
  • Location: San Francisco, CA
Re: Where can I find standard layouts?
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 19 August 2014, 01:50:44 »
Each small square in the grid here is 3/16" on each side, with the rulers at top and left measuring inches.


Most TKL boards probably have less space between the F row and the number row. (This picture is based on a full-sized IBM-style ANSI keyboard.)
Logged

Offline 0100010

  • Posts: 1127
  • Location: DFW, TX, US
  • Not Sure
Re: Where can I find standard layouts?
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 19 August 2014, 09:08:55 »
Logged
  Quoting me causes a posting error that you need to ignore.

Offline epicepee

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 35
Re: Where can I find standard layouts?
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 19 August 2014, 16:37:16 »
Thanks, y'all!

Does this mean that there is no one standard layout with certain distances between keys?
Logged

Offline IvanIvanovich

  • Mr. Silk Underwear
  • Posts: 8199
  • Location: USA
Re: Where can I find standard layouts?
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 19 August 2014, 18:15:34 »
Nope. Some are really close like .25 - .5 units as with most Costar made for example, others are really far like 1 units or more sometimes on vintage boards.
Logged

Offline jacobolus

  • Posts: 3661
  • Location: San Francisco, CA
Re: Where can I find standard layouts?
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 19 August 2014, 19:06:56 »
I think the most common is like the layout I pasted above but with only 3/8" gap between the number row and f row, instead of the 3/4" shown there. But yeah, some are closer together than that.

The layout inside the main section of the keyboard is relatively more standardized, but the bottom row in particular gets some variation.
Logged
Pages:  [1]     Go Up
« previous next »