geekhack
geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: ErgoMacros on Fri, 31 March 2017, 01:03:59
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Hi,
I saw this layout posed over under "42 keys edgodox layout"
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=84165.msg2393080#msg2393080 (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=84165.msg2393080#msg2393080)
http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/46212116016a708326c5714b16aa7cf0 (http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/46212116016a708326c5714b16aa7cf0)
And I thought "way cool!" Maybe I don't need full height keys on the home row, and it would make reaching the other rows that much easier.
But the home row keys are only 0.5u x 1u each. Don't most key switches occupy the better part of the 1u x 1u switch area?
So, are there any switches available that have a smaller footprint?
Thanks.
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for me it looks like they are all 1u/1u.
eg some ALPS keys are able to do 0. 5/1u
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Guten Tag,
Yes, his current layout is all Ergodox, 1x1u. I was referring to his imagined "Bear Claw" custom keyboard, the 3rd image.
It's home row, in red, is only 1/2 high... reminiscent of function keys on a MacBook, or smaller keyboards.
Thanks for the Alps pointer. I'll go check that out.
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Cf. to matias ergo, there you can see it
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it would be possible with Alps Compact Switches: https://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_SKCL_Compact but that being said sourcing these + keycaps of this size would be very difficult, on top of that you'd have to figure out the spacing for a plate and then also either a custom pcb or handwire it.
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Look how Matias does it with cursor keys on Alps-clone switches on the Ergo Pro (http://matias.ca/ergopro/pc/) and the Matias 60% (http://matias.ca/60/pc/).
The surface on the cylindrical keys is half or so but the spacing is the same as for full-sized keys, so the total footprint is larger than half.
I don't think that the skirts on the smaller Matias keys reach as low as normal keys which would be why those keyboards have a higher rim around those keys.
On Cherry MX, there is very little space between switch and keycap when a thick-walled keycap (like Cherry's double-shot ABS, POM and thick variety of PBT) for the home row is pressed all the way down - and that is because of the skirt of the keycap. Without skirts you could pack them as closely as the switch dimensions allow.
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kurplop's keyboards (Alumaplop, Planet 6 most lately) has smaller vertical spacing. The switches were Cherry ML or Matias IIRC. He made custom keycaps, though.