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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: CPTBadAss on Thu, 29 May 2014, 08:59:06

Title: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Thu, 29 May 2014, 08:59:06
What angle do you like your keyboard at?

Recently the Ducky 4 was announced. The case seems to have hard legs (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=58845.msg1346705#msg1346705) which allow for a bit of adjustment (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=58845.msg1345426#msg1345426). But the keyboard looks too steep for my tastes and those hard legs points mean I have to do something drastic like sand down the legs in order to get a flatter angle. It *looks* like it would be too steep for me to use stock. Maybe it's an illusion though.

That steep angle really hurts my hands and wrists when I type.

I *never* use the flip out legs on my stock keyboards. With the legs flipped down, the keyboard angle is too steep and hurts my hands to type on. I think the Filco angle is 7 degrees without the legs?

I have noticed that I do like a reverse angle where the modifier row is higher than the function row. And the tenting on the Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 or the Cherry G80-5000.

Edit: Doesn't have to be *literal* angles, just how do you have your keyboard sitting on your desk? Flat, legs out, on a ergotron arm, in your lap, on your head?
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: Photekq on Thu, 29 May 2014, 09:04:14
12 degrees.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: esoomenona on Thu, 29 May 2014, 09:13:05
Let me pull out my protractor.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Thu, 29 May 2014, 09:16:58
I bet there's an app for that.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: Defect on Thu, 29 May 2014, 09:18:55
Flat and let the cap profile do the work.
Didn't even put the legs on my watermelon board, keep the legs tucked on all my stock boards.
Maybe a very very small angle.  Near 0
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 29 May 2014, 09:19:36
Angle is entirely contingent upon the desk height.  At work, I actually have mine at a negative angle since I have a tray at lap height.  At hope, it's a positive angle, but a small one.  I couldn't say off the top of my head exactly what angle that is, but it's under 10 degrees.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Thu, 29 May 2014, 09:20:58
Didn't even put the legs on my watermelon board, keep the legs tucked on all my stock boards.

You have a watermelon keyboard?? I gotta see this, pictures please :)

I hope it's all juicy and delicious
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Thu, 29 May 2014, 09:32:29
Flat (no legs), and ~10 degrees off parallel to my left display.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: mashby on Thu, 29 May 2014, 10:53:14
Whatever the Hammer case is, but with SA profile key caps.  :cool:
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: kurplop on Thu, 29 May 2014, 10:55:39
It depends on how I'm seated but I usually have my  tray tilted at about -5 degrees.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: katushkin on Thu, 29 May 2014, 10:56:54
I bring the legs out on all of my boards. Although I'm pretty sure newer boards have a lot shorter legs than, say, my Model M.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Thu, 29 May 2014, 11:29:17
5° with OEM profile...
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: ideus on Thu, 29 May 2014, 11:56:47
An interesting paper on the subject reported less wrist stress with negative angles. In my case I have been using mine with -3 deg, and it feels very comfortable, and I can even type faster. I want to use -5, or -7, but I may need a special device for that.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: mashby on Thu, 29 May 2014, 13:05:19
How are you guys getting negative tilts on your boards?
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Thu, 29 May 2014, 13:07:37
Propping the keyboard up with something? Perhaps a wrist rest?
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 29 May 2014, 13:28:41
How are you guys getting negative tilts on your boards?

I have a tray on my desk at work that can be negatively inclined.  It does need something on the back to prevent slippage though.

I've also thought about making a case and wrist wrest with a negative slope.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: ideus on Thu, 29 May 2014, 13:35:07
I am using a simple 7u space bar under the front of the board. As I have my board in a Fellowes tray it works like a charm. However I cannot adjust the tilt angle.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: kurplop on Thu, 29 May 2014, 15:40:35


How are you guys getting negative tilts on your boards?

Adjustable tray controls slope and height. Important because any negative tilt will raise the front edge which can make the keyboard too high on most desktops.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: jonathanyu on Thu, 29 May 2014, 16:19:43
12 degrees + cherry profile
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: Mr. D on Thu, 29 May 2014, 16:25:17
Just recently started using my boards with the legs not flipped out and it feels a lot better.  Once I get a chair that sits taller I'll have to try a negative angle.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: Kayla on Thu, 29 May 2014, 16:35:23
I like mine flat. I dont use the feet at all, or any kind of other artificial angle adjustment.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: James35 on Thu, 29 May 2014, 16:48:04
This was the first thing I noticed with the Ducky Shine 4.  The permanent legs was a bad move for ergonomics.  To answer your question, I like a keyboard lying flat.  I sometimes even tilt my keyboard tray so the F-key row is lower than the spacebar.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: Kayla on Thu, 29 May 2014, 16:50:38
Thankfully these are just teaser/concept photos not final design decisions. Ducky has changed things dramatically before retailing before. :p
Even if it was just the space bar..
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 29 May 2014, 17:55:27
Looking at the picture of the underneath of the Shine 4, there are two rectangular rubber feet at the front edge, and two more at the back edge.  The base of the case looks flat.  I'm guessing that the feet either retract or can be removed, to allow the keyboard to lie flat.

And I prefer my keyboard flat on the flat desk surface.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: minho on Thu, 29 May 2014, 18:20:51
Looking at the picture of the underneath of the Shine 4, there are two rectangular rubber feet at the front edge, and two more at the back edge.  The base of the case looks flat.  I'm guessing that the feet either retract or can be removed, to allow the keyboard to lie flat.

And I prefer my keyboard flat on the flat desk surface.

Really hope that's the case... [no pun intended  :p]

But yea I like my keyboard flat. Any angle at all makes me feel like my wrists are starting to get carpal tunnel.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: SonOfSonOfSpock on Thu, 29 May 2014, 18:31:13
I try to get the angle to be as close to zero as possible. I have a keyboard tray that is set to a negative angle because most keyboards have a positive tilt to them.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: divito on Thu, 29 May 2014, 18:34:28
I always use the feet that come with the keyboard. Along with my chair arms level with my keyboard surface, this leaves my hands in their most relaxed position. Having level arms, and no feet causes extra strain on my hands and wrists.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: osi on Thu, 29 May 2014, 18:54:48
If a board has legs generally I use them but I have no good reasons to why. Habit I guess
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: ideus on Fri, 30 May 2014, 17:54:30
I try to get the angle to be as close to zero as possible. I have a keyboard tray that is set to a negative angle because most keyboards have a positive tilt to them.

According with research on the subject, anything from zero, up to 20 negative angle, may benefit you wrists health.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: nuclearsandwich on Fri, 30 May 2014, 18:26:46
When my desk is the right height, the 13 degree incline on the 456GT is divine. Otherwise flat as a pancake.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Fri, 30 May 2014, 21:19:44
Bring that 456GT to keycon. If you don't, the kingsaver stays in Ohio.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: t2russo on Fri, 30 May 2014, 21:21:56
I really like the feet + spacer angle of the KMAC.  I run feet on all three of the aluminum cases I have, but the KMAC is the only case that has absolutely no angle without using the feet.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Fri, 30 May 2014, 21:25:43
I'm with you t2russo. KMAC feels real nice, both the angle and in general, I could and have typed at it all day. :D
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: anoxy on Fri, 30 May 2014, 21:42:32
Flat master race checking in. I just think it looks better that way. And I don't use my keyboard enough to worry about ergonomics.
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: nuclearsandwich on Sun, 01 June 2014, 10:20:11
Bring that 456GT to keycon. If you don't, the kingsaver stays in Ohio.

Alright, but it's so heavy!  :eek:
Title: Re: KTOD - What angle do you like your keyboard at?
Post by: CaptLock on Sun, 01 June 2014, 10:29:22
I keep mine flat.