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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: Anole on Mon, 02 May 2016, 10:50:22

Title: 40% Layout
Post by: Anole on Mon, 02 May 2016, 10:50:22

I'm working on making my own 40% keyboard. I am thinking about using this layout, do you guys have any suggestions or comments on it?

Title: Re: 40% Layout
Post by: 3K on Mon, 02 May 2016, 10:57:13

Quote from: Anole on Mon, 02 May 2016, 10:50:22

I'm working on making my own 40% keyboard. I am thinking about using this layout, do you guys have any suggestions or comments on it?

It looks cute! But I'd suggest to choose a standard key size as spacebar. A 5u spacebar will render the board incompatible with most keycap sets.

Title: Re: 40% Layout
Post by: Anole on Mon, 02 May 2016, 11:32:16

Quote from: 3K on Mon, 02 May 2016, 10:57:13

Quote from: Anole on Mon, 02 May 2016, 10:50:22

I'm working on making my own 40% keyboard. I am thinking about using this layout, do you guys have any suggestions or comments on it?

It looks cute! But I'd suggest to choose a standard key size as spacebar. A 5u spacebar will render the board incompatible with most keycap sets.

Thank you for the feedback! I see your point, it would be best to use standard sized keycaps  :D

Title: Re: 40% Layout
Post by: Joey Quinn on Mon, 02 May 2016, 22:09:35

This board my friend and I designed seems right up your alley as far as layout goes, the only changes are a few key sizes and a split space.

(https://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=61141.0;attach=72778;image)

Title: Re: 40% Layout
Post by: alexjd99 on Mon, 02 May 2016, 22:16:17

Here's my layout for my HHKB Golbat that should be coming soon (mind the symbols, I forgot those are a no go with TKG)
(http://i.imgur.com/V2SxYgi.png)

Here's my layout for my Planck (num pad layer key will be an MX lock switch soon)
(http://i.imgur.com/szO5ETP.png)
Fn
(http://i.imgur.com/DmW5WZr.png)
Fn 2
(http://i.imgur.com/KLI8UFE.png)
Fn 3 (num pad layer)
(http://i.imgur.com/lG05U9d.png)

I'm sure you can get some ideas from that :))

Title: Re: 40% Layout
Post by: decker on Tue, 03 May 2016, 01:24:09

One idea I had was to limit the mod keys to 3.
Combining them would give missing keys :

100 shift
010 ctrl
001 alt
110 win
101 hyper
011 alt gr
111 fn

Note that on regular kb win can be obtained by Ctrl+Esc and Alt Gr by Ctrl+Alt...

About your layout, I'd remove one or both of the Fn keys and the caps lock.
Add Esc and more symbols...

Title: Re: 40% Layout
Post by: Anole on Tue, 03 May 2016, 07:20:41

Quote from: Joey Quinn on Mon, 02 May 2016, 22:09:35

This board my friend and I designed seems right up your alley as far as layout goes, the only changes are a few key sizes and a split space.

Show Image

(https://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=61141.0;attach=72778;image)

Thanks, this looks great!

Title: Re: 40% Layout
Post by: Anole on Tue, 03 May 2016, 12:52:17

I revised the layout. It now uses standard sized keys that are all in their native rows, except for the backspace, which is not in its correct row  :(.

Title: Re: 40% Layout
Post by: Anole on Tue, 10 May 2016, 20:42:25

Bump. I edited the original. Please tell me what you think!

Title: Re: 40% Layout
Post by: alexjd99 on Tue, 10 May 2016, 22:45:01

My only new recommendations would be to replace caps with tab, but swap caps and control, and add an esc (so from top to bottom it would go Esc, control, shift, and tab). Control and caps swapping is the greatest thing you will ever try. And on minimalist boards, it's better to have keys that are less frequently used on a function layer (I would just use FN+Tab for caps)