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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Lorem-Ipsum on Thu, 07 June 2012, 15:53:19

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: Lorem-Ipsum on Thu, 07 June 2012, 15:53:19

I just got my Filco Majestouch 2 with Blues.

Previously the keyboards I've used most have been the Logitech Illuminated and the apple aluminium keyboard.
As both of these have been very flat keyboards and both have scissor switches this mech feels very different and I'm sort of struggling to type on it.

I'm going to have to get a wrist wrest, but apart from that, how long does it usually take to become accustom to a mechanical keyboard?

EDIT: Might get some O-Rings too

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: Reptile on Thu, 07 June 2012, 15:58:33

Took me a couple weeks, others more.

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: fohat.digs on Thu, 07 June 2012, 15:58:39

10 seconds

get the o-rings

the harder and smaller, the better

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: Quarzac on Thu, 07 June 2012, 15:59:54

It took me about a day, though I came from other high profile keyboards.

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: minifridge on Thu, 07 June 2012, 16:00:12

Congrats, just got my first one as well this afternoon. After getting a wrist rest, I'm already becoming pretty accustomed to typing on it. I got a Rosewill which is basically rebranded Filco, so your experience shouldn't be too much different from mine.

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: Lorem-Ipsum on Thu, 07 June 2012, 16:12:34

Thanks folks, anyone got a wrist rest recommendation. I'm in the UK and I'd like to keep it under £20, as much as I'd like the leather filco one I can't justify it.

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: minifridge on Thu, 07 June 2012, 16:18:16

Just picked up a random microfiber one from my Best Buy :X pretty comfortable though I can't speak for it's longevity. Don't think you can really go wrong with wrist rests as long as you don't get some super cheap-ass gel plastic one...

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: Lorem-Ipsum on Thu, 07 June 2012, 16:23:01

Thanks. I'll have a look on amazon at some point.

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: The_Beast on Thu, 07 June 2012, 16:26:00

It didn't take me long, just getting used to a ANSI layout vs a Microsoft media keyboard layout


I would say about 2 days, but I type kinda a lot

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: fohat.digs on Thu, 07 June 2012, 16:55:14

I absolutely adore gel wrist pads and would not use anything else.

The one I have is long and tall, but relatively narrow front-to-back, and I don't know how to recommend it because my wife brought it home from work and it has absolutely no markings on it. The bottom is sticky rubbery and it does not move AT ALL.

It is sleeved with a moderately slick nylon fabric, and I consider it perfect.

I will really mourn it when it finally fails.

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: Lorem-Ipsum on Thu, 07 June 2012, 17:00:25

This (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000NWB1LM/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_d0_g147_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1FEWDDKB9BT4H2VST7R2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294) looks nice so I think I'll go for it. I can always get another one if I don't like it.

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: fohat.digs on Thu, 07 June 2012, 17:38:08

This one looks more like mine.

Perhaps the indentations near the center of yours will be helpful.

My feeling is that many wrist rests are not tall enough to be effective. It would be nice for the entire system of forearm/wrist/fingers/keys to be straight and in the same plane.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fellowes-Premium-Keyboard-Wrist-Support/dp/B00006B8J8/ref=pd_cp_computers_1/277-9587175-7252706 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fellowes-Premium-Keyboard-Wrist-Support/dp/B00006B8J8/ref=pd_cp_computers_1/277-9587175-7252706)

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: Lorem-Ipsum on Thu, 07 June 2012, 17:44:30

I currently have an ikea desk but I'm very tempted to build the next one and make the space for the keyboard slightly recessed. Not sure exactly how I'd go about it though, especially if I change keyboards occasionally.

Title: My first mech arrived! How long will I take to get used to it?
Post by: fohat.digs on Thu, 07 June 2012, 20:47:43

The keyboard is not the biggest determinant. I am typing on an absolutely mammoth Model F 122-key terminal right now, and the peak of the uppermost key is perhaps 2 Imperial inches above the tabletop (that is 5 cm to non-Americans) and my wife's svelte Apple Aluminum (with a little built-in leg-like protrusion at the back) is about 3/4" or 2 cm maximum.

90% of the other keyboards in the world probably split that difference about halfway, and so the usual variation between boards is probably not more than single centimeters. (I never use the legs, although that would give me even more reason to use a wrist rest.)

Desk heights are pretty standard, meant to rest elbows on, so dropping the keyboard tray 2"-3"-4" is probably a good idea for most people. But being a big guy, I can't stand keyboard trays because they interfere with my leg room. My wife depends on them.  Also, my chair has more height adjustment than that. For a keyboard tray to be comfortable to me, I would have to raise the desk a couple of inches.

I gauge the wrist rest height to the height of the spacebar, because I am looking for it do just that, provide a rest for my wrist.