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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: tobsn on Thu, 25 August 2016, 09:03:38

Title: ISO-DE Layout 45% Idea
Post by: tobsn on Thu, 25 August 2016, 09:03:38

I studied how I use which keys and this is the result.

How much sense does the following idea make in terms of building it?
Is there maybe a PCB/case that already fits this layout or could made fit.

(http://i.imgur.com/Fzi12tS.jpg)

If it's deemed okay maybe someone could give me a hand with creating a plate and sandwich parts.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks! :)



KBL Code below:

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Code: [Select]

[{w:1.25},"Tab\n°\n\n\n\n\n^","Q\n!\n\n\n\n\n1","W\n\"\n\n\n\n\n2","E\n§\n\n\n\n\n3","R\n$\n\n\n\n\n4","T\n%\n\n\n\n\n5","Y\n&\n\n\n\n\n6","U\n/\n\n\n\n\n7\n\n{","I\n(\n\n\n\n\n8\n\n[","O\n)\n\n\n\n\n9\n\n]","P\n=\n\n\n\n\n0\n\n}","ß\n+\n\n\n\n\n?\n\nü\nÜ\n*",{w:1.25},"Enter\n\n\n\n\n\nBs"],
[{w:1.5},"Hack","A","S","D","F","G","H","J","K","L","ö\n\n\n\n\n\nÖ","ä\n\n\n\n\n\nÄ","#\n\n\n\n\n\n'"],
["Shift","<\n|\n\n\n\n\n>","Z","X","C","V","B","N","M",";\n,",":\n.","-\n\n\n\n\n\n_",{w:1.5},"Shift"],
[{w:1.5},"Ctrl",{w:1.5},"Alt",{w:1.5},"Cmd",{w:1.5},"Mod",{w:3},"Space",{w:1.5},"Cmd",{w:1.5},"Alt",{w:1.5},"Lock"]


EDIT:
I compared it with the jd45 and since I built it after it it aligns pretty good:
(http://i.giphy.com/26ybwZTNz3EgmzFvi.gif)

What's the recommendation on how to solder this if I get a jd45 PCB?
I was thinking about electric tape to separate the not matching contacts from the board and rewrite the two added switches to the two not used last row modifier keys via thin wires.

Title: Re: ISO-DE Layout 45% Idea
Post by: suicidal_orange on Thu, 25 August 2016, 19:01:42

If you get a JD45 PCB you'd have to make holes in it to fit the extra switches (the centre locating bit is nearly as long as the contacts) and chances are there will be traces which will get cut and need jumpering - not really advisable.

The other option is to put your KBL code through Swill's awesome plate generator (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=65189.0) and ask for a sandwhich case, then handwire it to a Teensy or similar :thumb:

As to the layout itself 3u keycaps are rare while 2.75u is a standard shift key so very common - I'd seriously consider shifting the bottom row in 0.125 to make that swap.  The other unusual size caps should be available as long as you don't mind blanks?

Title: Re: ISO-DE Layout 45% Idea
Post by: tobsn on Fri, 26 August 2016, 07:03:45

Wouldn't it be possible to lay the switch legs flat, wire them up, put electric tape on them to insulate them from the PCB and wire them up with the not used keys on the PCB?

Title: Re: ISO-DE Layout 45% Idea
Post by: tobsn on Fri, 26 August 2016, 09:04:09

I changed it a bit - would that work better?
http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/8aad181321763ef4e284bd14e7626b80

Is there a list of most common key caps? I don't mind blank ones - I would make them blank anyway. I just added a legend on them for me to visualize what keys I need and where I would put them.

I've got a lot more questions - is there some general place to ask them? Like is there a way to have someone make a custom PCB from it. Also for the swills builder, I messed around with it and I can't figure out what would be a good padding settings, what are commonly used for screws etc.
Where I am there are lots of places that would just take the files and for a bit of money CNC every part including the PCB, I just would need help with the PCB layout, I can solder like a pro but I suck at eagle (I'm used to the old school DOS version...)

Thanks!

Title: Re: ISO-DE Layout 45% Idea
Post by: suicidal_orange on Fri, 26 August 2016, 12:24:50

If you look at the bottom of an MX switch (you won't find Alps caps in unusual sizes so you don't really have a choice) there's a big plastic plug in the middle which sticks out nearly as far as the contacts, and the stem goes down into it so you can't just cut it off.  This goes through the big hole in the PCB...  You might be able to solder the end of the switch contacts to a PCB without modding but it wouldn't be very stable.

Caps depend whether you're going for all keys the same height or contoured where the top and bottom rows are taller and the middle shortest - same height you can get 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 2.25 and 2.75 wide caps, contoured you can get all these sizes but 2.25 and 2.75 are only used as shift keys so fit that row (which is often the same as the bottom row) and 2s are for backspace and numberpad.  1.25 is ISO shift or bottom row, 1.5 is tab or bottom row and SA numberpad 2s are flat and match the middle row of alphas...  You can look at the example layouts for which row they are in if I missed any.

Custom PCBs aren't something many people make - for a one off board most just get a plate and handwire the switches.  Maybe kallerator (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=74139.0) will work if you can deal with Eagle files?

This is the place to ask these questions but you might want to change the title (edit your first post) so people notice it's changed and look again.  I'll have a look at your layout when I'm not looking at a smashed phone :))

edit: looking at your new layout you could cover it in sculpted SA and I was wrong - there is a 3u spacebar too (both only available in brown...) but SA blanks are sold in 10 packs and you need 12 per row so it's going to be expensive with a lot of waste.  All row 3 would be cheaper if you don't mind it flat.  Other than that you're out of luck because of the spacebar!

Title: Re: ISO-DE Layout 45% Idea
Post by: tobsn on Sat, 27 August 2016, 04:43:05

(http://i.imgur.com/JpC9fq6.jpg)


ok, moved some things around to get rid of the impossible to find 3u (you were right it's impossible) and now the layout is fit to take an order of two TKL modifier sets... even gives enough additional keys for another color combination and it's cheaper than a single basic set.

I ordered a teensy, diodes, wire, and the keycaps... in waiting for gateron switch samples.

swill's sandwich maker works too, going to have the front plate CNC'd on tuesday.

any recommendations for the padding/edge/screw settings?

thanks for your help!


edit: for reference:

http://pimpmykeyboard.com/dsa-pbt-abs-blank-keycap-sets/
TKL Modifier set includes:
19 – 1x Keys
7 – 1.25x Keys
2 – 1.5x Keys
1 – 1.75x Key
1 – 2x Key
2 – 2.25x Keys
1 – 2.75x Key

two of those cover all keys - I ordered GKK base then instructions:
1x Keys: - 29 GKK - 1 GDE - 4 BCT - 4 GDE
1.25x Keys: - 6 GDE - 1 RBH - 7 BCT
1.5x Keys: - 1 GDE - 1 GQT - 1 BCT - 1 RBH
1.75x Keys: - 1 GDE - 1 BCT
2.75x Keys: - 1 GDE - 1 VAZ

Two additional keys: 2.75x Keys: - 1 GDE - 1 BCT

This way I can make the color combination above and for example those:
(http://i.imgur.com/GVyABEk.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/fFNdkh6.png)

Title: Re: ISO-DE Layout 45% Idea
Post by: tobsn on Sun, 28 August 2016, 16:16:50

Added simpler labels to the caps for better visualization:
http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/ff3374e064770867929c23c6e186fdb2

(http://i.imgur.com/sSqUOtS.png)

Title: Re: ISO-DE Layout 45% Idea
Post by: tobsn on Tue, 11 October 2016, 13:06:26

As an update, I just got the steel and aluminum parts from the laser cutter as well the signature plastics DSAs

(https://instagram.fhen1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t51.2885-15/e35/14574130_1113704788705178_4288721215255740416_n.jpg)

(https://scontent-fra3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/14714667_310923859278884_8707281551022358528_n.jpg)

(https://instagram.fhen1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t51.2885-15/e35/14712430_1058468697584511_7238609645839843328_n.jpg)