Author Topic: Another 40%-ish keyboard project  (Read 3540 times)

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Offline JackMills

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Another 40%-ish keyboard project
« on: Mon, 15 September 2014, 06:57:42 »
Hello

Still more of a lurker here, but trying to wrap my head around my own take on a small 40%-ish keyboard. I got inspired by jdcarpe his JD40 project and the Dvorak 42% of Joey Quinn.

I am currently debating about 2 possible layouts and would appreciate some input for this community. I am looking for a Colemak compatible size, a split space bar (because I only hit with my right thumb, so I can have a use for my left thumb as well) and I want to try column staggering.

The space bar sizes are 2 or 1.75, I like the 2 unit size because it gives symmetry, but I am not sure if this then requires a stabilizer or not.

I will start with experimenting with kiCad to design a PCB, because I want to give a PCB a try (if it doesn't work out, hand wiring it will be)

77100-0
77102-1

As I am a slow learner and very tedious about what I do, don't expect a working keyboard in several weeks :-)
« Last Edit: Mon, 15 September 2014, 07:09:47 by JackMills »

Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: Another 40%-ish keyboard project
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 15 September 2014, 07:52:24 »
I like the first layout a lot. The symmetry is nice. And you won't need a stabilizer for keycaps of those sizes. Neither of your presented layouts will need a stabilizer.

Offline jdcarpe

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Re: Another 40%-ish keyboard project
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 15 September 2014, 08:45:30 »
I like the first layout a lot. The symmetry is nice. And you won't need a stabilizer for keycaps of those sizes. Neither of your presented layouts will need a stabilizer.

Well, technically, any key over 1.75 units "requires" a stabilizer, but it will probably be fine without it. Just take the stabilizer off your Backspace key to demonstrate the difference.
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Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: Another 40%-ish keyboard project
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 15 September 2014, 08:47:07 »
I've been using my Epsilon without proper stabilizers in my backspace for a while. It's not 100% ideal but it works.

Offline JackMills

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Re: Another 40%-ish keyboard project
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 15 September 2014, 08:57:41 »
Main reason not to have stabilisers would have been not to think about those cut-outs and sourcing them. However, as I just started with the PCB design, and looking at the efforts I will have to put in to understand how a keyboard is designed, I shouldn`t fuss about incorporating stabilisers.

The first layout is really nice and I better take my time for it and design it properly. So 2-key it will be, with the possibility to add stabilisers.

Offline Hazel

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Re: Another 40%-ish keyboard project
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 15 September 2014, 14:25:47 »
This is already being done!   See the Interest Checks forum for the Planck Keyboard thread.
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62471.0
« Last Edit: Mon, 15 September 2014, 14:32:25 by Hazel »

Offline JackMills

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Re: Another 40%-ish keyboard project
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 15 September 2014, 14:57:16 »
This is already being done!   See the Interest Checks forum for the Planck Keyboard thread.
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62471.0
Cool, thanks for the link. My goal is not to be unique with this project, or even to make this into a group buy. It's sole purpose is to give me the opportunity to learn and play around. But thanks for the link, I will have a good look at it.
« Last Edit: Mon, 15 September 2014, 16:45:10 by JackMills »

Offline JackMills

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Re: Another 40%-ish keyboard project
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 19 September 2014, 02:10:36 »
Question about connecting the rows/columns to the pins of a teensy eg. Is there a specific order to consider? Haven't looked at the datasheets, so this is me being lazy by asking instead of looking this up.


Offline JackMills

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Re: Another 40%-ish keyboard project
« Reply #9 on: Fri, 26 September 2014, 11:34:13 »
http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/building-a-custom-keyboard-from-the-ground-up-t5761.html

http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/brownfox-step-by-step-t6050.html
http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/how-to-build-your-very-own-keyboard-firmware-t7177.html#p141148
you can try these guides.

Thank you for the guides, I will try to put them to good use this weekend. I want to finish the initial PCB design this weekend.
It has been very busy at work lately, several test- and rehearsal migrations that are just not doing what needs to be done. So lots of stress and not much spare time.


Offline Tiramisuu

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Re: Another 40%-ish keyboard project
« Reply #10 on: Fri, 26 September 2014, 19:38:58 »
will be watching this thread carefully.   40% colemak, matias quiet click, programmable...  now if you can figure out where to put the bluetooth and the battery... :)
Keyboard error F1 to continue.

Poker 2, Gherkin, Lets Split, Planck, Filco