I'm unexpectedly going without my right hand for a few months, so I leaned on friends and built a left hand keyboard. It is ergodox like, built for half qwerty and tmk.
Files at
https://github.com/milestogo/qmk_firmware/blob/master/keyboard/1hGoals:
1) left hand only.
2) minimize time to learn. This isn't for ever. I have tried a Bat,twiddler, and frogpad in the past.I was always faster with one hand on a standard keyboard.
-- I added the Number row, even though it probably doesn't make sense for long-term use.
-- created lots of redundant keys, even on the same layer. this allows a bit of guessing where the key should be.
-- layers + printouts are faster to learn than chords. So there will be many layers.
3) good ergonomics. Do not burn out to the remaining hand.
-- I moved the thumb buttons closer to the fingers. This is comfortable enough for some modifier keys, but limits how many thumb buttons will fit.
-- the one hand limit makes combining momentary layers + modifiers harder. And tmk isn't chord friendly. So most layers will be toggled not momentary.
-- include a wrist rest to make sure I can't use the keyboard in a bad alignment. The design has stacked squares
for the wrist rest, so the height can be adjusted.
4) with lots of layers we need a good layer indicator.
I cribbed together a RGB layer indicator using a NeoPixel/WS2812 led. The timing doesn't seem to be a problem and getting tens of colors or pixels from one pin is nice.
What I have learned so far:
-Don't painfully strip column wire, use bare wire and slide on pre-measured heat shrink between keys.
-Use weaker springs for chords and modifiers. I have gateron reds for the base, and clears for all modifiers.
-open source is amazing - thanks all.
-half qwerty is fast to learn, but not yet objectively fast. TMK layers are better than qwerty for code and shell work (try ctrl-a,ctrl-k left handed) . That was what made the frogpad unusable. Macros may help make up some of the difference for writing text.
Questions:
Can I share a function (not modifier) key with a standard key? So holding down space toggles the macro layer?
My matrix does not work like it should:
https://github.com/milestogo/qmk_firmware/blob/master/keyboard/1h/1h.hbottom 2 rows:
k30, k31, k32, k33, k34, k35, k36, \
k40, k41, k42, k44, \
k45, k46 \
/* 1 */ { KC_##K30, KC_##K31 KC_##K32, KC_##K33, KC_##K34, KC_##K35, KC_##K36,}, \
/* 0 */ { KC_##K40, KC_##K41 , KC_##K42, KC_NO , KC_##K44, KC_##K45, KC_##K46,},\
based on that I should only need 6 keys in the 0 row of my keymaps, right?
But I have to have 7 with a kc_no in the middle, or everything to the right of K43 is shifted left one key.
