geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: intellipanda on Sat, 29 September 2012, 22:55:02
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hi all,
just wanted to share my experience on making my own keyboard. I wanted something similar to the humble hacker keyboard, but didn't want to spend the same amount as he did. So the only way for me to get a matrix layout was to look at some number pads. I chose the goldtouch numpad because it had cherry mx keys and had an extra row.
I was able to buy 3 of them from amazon, used at $20 each (used 2 for my build). I cut and glued two of these together to form a pretty compact matrix layout keyboard. After figuring out the matrix layout, i removed the original chip and wired the different groups to a teensy++. Then after configuring the humble hackers firmware for my layout, the keyboard was functioning sucessfully. finishing touches like painting the interior red and put on a new set of wasd keycaps. The key caps for cherry mx are slightly directional but i was able to turn them sideways, it a bit tight in wrong orientation but not a real issue.
Ideally i would have liked a number row but i was willing to make this concession. right now the keyboard is working well, there is almost no movement of my hands to reach any key. Since i designed the layout myself i do remember it, but just doesn't come quickly yet.
here is the key layout i am using:
| default: |
| esc | q | w | e | r | t | y | u | i | o | p | bs |
| tab | a | s | d | f | g | h | j | k | l | ; | ent |
| l_shft | z | x | c | v | b | n | m | , | . | / | r_shft |
| l_ctrl | | l_alt | fn2 | fn1 | | space | | win | ' | r_ctrl |
| Fn1: |
| ` | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | bs |
| tab | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | (+) | 4 | 5 | 6 | - | ent |
| l_shft | F6 | F7 | F8 | F9 | F10 | (*) | 1 | 2 | 3 | / | = |
| l_ctrl | | l_alt | fn2 | fn1 | | 0 | | . | , | esc |
| Fn2: |
| ~ | ! | @ | # | $ | % | ^ | & | * | ( | ) | esc |
| tab | F11 | F13 | insert | home | p_up | left | down | up | right | " | ' |
| l_shft | F12 | email | del | end | p_down | [ | ] | { | } | \ | = |
| l_ctrl | | l_alt | fn2 | fn1 | | space | | win | | | _ |
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Woah! Nice project! Welcome to GH!
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Very nice project sir...hope to see a how to soon O0
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Whoa. Hard core, dude. Doesn't get much more compact than that! I like how the space bar is on the right hand. I use my right thumb, too. Although, not ALL the time.
Edit: By the way, how does the joining work? Does it flex? Did you make a plate?
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yea i only use the space bar on my right hand. Left thumb for meta keys. I crazy glued the metal frames (the frames won't take any solder) and soldered a small piece of pcb connecting two ground spots that i rubbed off. the combination of that makes it pretty sturdy.
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Wow, that's awesome! I'd considered doing that when I saw the mini split keyboard made out of the larger tipro numberpads, but that is great!
At $15, I might buy some, and run the matrix over on a snake (looks like only 12 wires+1 extra), just to get a feel for split keyboards
Why did you jumper the grounds with a PCB piece instead of a wire?
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Wow! Nice project and amazing result. It looks nice and is super minimalistic — awesome. :)
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thanks.
I jumped the ground with pcb to make it more rigid - since the metal frame was only glued, a rigid connection at the pcb plates will make it much stronger. I will post a more detailed build soon. it's critical to find a 22 key (or more - they are usually 19) numpad, i think this is the absolute minimum.
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here are the details of the build
it seems i can't attach a pdf, so here's the link to the google doc.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MgPTxi_431I0GDgeFFj3Ubp_6zC7pNP_dJcPvqxR3UE/edit