kmiller8's 40% Board (Where we're going... we don't need stabilizers)

[kmiller8]

So I'm thinking of making some crazy awesome layouts, however I'd like to prototype them before I get PCBs manufactured, I was thinking of making some kind of temporary plates to attach the switches to, however I'm not sure what to make a plate out of, I was thinking cardboard, but I don't think it'd be nearly strong enough to hold a bunch of switches together, or be as manageable to get the proper cuts to fit a MX switch.

guys. ideas. pls

I made a video for you guys!

[kmiller8]

ok guys, I broke my own suggestion.

I'm already working with someone to get a PCB of this ASAP )







If that is not, the cutest board, I've ever seen.

Oh also, changed topic title, this thread is about to go craycray.

[The_Beast]

you crazy son

[kmiller8]

you crazy son

crazy... OR BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!

Also, can you help me get a non-cardboard plate

[esoomenona]

What the hell is going on around here...!? I'd probably still buy one just for the heck of it. Have them make one for me!

[inlikeflynn]

you better be drunk son to make such a thing

[whiskerBox]

So can you elaborate on what the keys are, I mean like what is what. I am confused but intrigued.

[esoomenona]

It looks like it's all alpha keys, with mods at the bottom, probably a key for space, and other stuff. What kind of layers are we looking at?

[kmiller8]

What the hell is going on around here...!? I'd probably still buy one just for the heck of it. Have them make one for me!

dem 60% boards too stronk, I need something that'll fit in my pocket

you better be drunk son to make such a thing

I swear I'm not officer drunk.

But from the look of those bare switches, It looks like I was cutting these little squares drunk.

I've been wanting something like this for a LONG time.  I know I will get tea bagged but I'm not excited by GH60, K-Mac, Phantom but I am excited by this!

I will wield a soldering iron for this!

Oh dante, just wait until the final designs are revealed. The amazing layout is only 1/3 the surprise

[kmiller8]

So can you elaborate on what the keys are, I mean like what is what. I am confused but intrigued.

yes, here's the layout when I designed it at work today

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i54v6g2m9wimssv/2012-12-31%2013.37.39.jpg

It looks like it's all alpha keys, with mods at the bottom, probably a key for space, and other stuff. What kind of layers are we looking at?

yep, pure alpha keys with mods at the bottom, the way I'm envisioning it, I'll have three layers overall, one of them focusing numbers, one focusing symbols.

[SmallFry]

* SmallFry thinks Kmiller is crazy... Good luck with it!

[WhiteFireDragon]

How are you going to do the spacebar? Getting a custom convexed cap is pretty expensive, but if you use modifier keys as the spacebar, they're concaved so it'll feel pretty sharp for your thumb.

[JPG]

How are you going to do the spacebar? Getting a custom convexed cap is pretty expensive, but if you use modifier keys as the spacebar, they're concaved so it'll feel pretty sharp for your thumb.

Tape your thumb, you'll be ok

[esoomenona]

With such a small layout, I don't think having more than one alt, ctrl, or super would be necessary. Maybe we should make those 1.25x on the left, have a 1.5x for the space, and have a couple 1x on the right for things that a little more common, like ? and @.

[kmiller8]

* SmallFry thinks Kmiller is crazy... Good luck with it!

no reason to think. I am crazy

How are you going to do the spacebar? Getting a custom convexed cap is pretty expensive, but if you use modifier keys as the spacebar, they're concaved so it'll feel pretty sharp for your thumb.

lookit the stickynote i posted. My right thumb sits PERFECTLY on one of the 1.25 mods, the rest are there for show.

As for sharpness, I'm just using a 1.25 cherry mod and it's pretty alright for my fake typing I've done on it, I'll cover that hurdle when the time comes

how about a 1x1 or 1x1.25 that is mounted on a track and can be slid back and forth and on an angle for individual tastes?

this is kmiller8's layout, not lets-appeal-to-everyone layout

I plan on the entire bottom row being 100% customizable so you can put however many switches as spacebar as your little heart desires. Assuming I mass produce something like this.

[kmiller8]

With such a small layout, I don't think having more than one alt, ctrl, or super would be necessary. Maybe we should make those 1.25x on the left, have a 1.5x for the space, and have a couple 1x on the right for things that a little more common, like ? and @.

Yeah, I'm not 100% on the bottom row right now, I kinda like the full 1.25 mods with one or two 1x on the far right side, but this is just a piece of cardboard with a few MX switches shoved in it, nothing is solid right now. Some things I need to work on now, is getting some better ideas of what the layers would pertain. But for that I'd really like to wire all this up to a controller, and just see what I don't like about the layout, before deciding which characters/symbols need to be put on the main layer, and which switches need to be reduced to  a smaller size.

[The_Beast]

I'd have no problem providing a plate if you provide a dwg for my laser guy


happy new years to all (bourbon is good son ^____________^ )

[Acetrak]

You white boy crazy

[kmiller8]

Would you be open to doing an Alps version?  It will then be super easy to use older keys / order from SP.

What exactly can I do to help in this project?  Anything?

Hmm.... that would be interesting to do an ALPS version.  I'm just chugging along slowly, one piece of the project at a time, I plan on attempting to do some PCB layouts soon, but as it stands right now, this project is pure Cherry MX but I will definitely consider an ALPS PCB

[kmiller8]

I'd have no problem providing a plate if you provide a dwg for my laser guy


happy new years to all (bourbon is good son ^____________^ )

I realize now, that my current board vision will not be able to utilize a plate, and all the switches will have to be PCB mount, but that's all I'm saying for now, it shouldn't be more than a week for me to finalize the rest of the project and do the great reveal

You white boy crazy

i'm not crazy, you're just sane!!!!!!

[The_Beast]

If you need a plate let me know, if not, that's fine too ^__^

[esoomenona]

Maybe we should just have two keys: one Fn and one key with 105 layers!

[kmiller8]

Maybe we should just have two keys: one Fn and one key with 105 layers!

already been done

[razorsharpgears]

^LOL

[Glod]

It would be a unique thing to own if working and functional.

[jdcarpe]

Here is my idea. It uses a 4x12 matrix and standard modifiers you can easily obtain.




And a slightly smaller version. Might have difficulty finding a 1.25 Caps Lock key in that profile...

[kmiller8]

I made a video for you guys!

[razorsharpgears]

Interestingly enough, you are right. I only ever use my right thumb to hit the spacebar.
Mind=Blown

[The_Beast]

Left thumb only for me


you fail

[tjcaustin]

I would think it'll have a programmable pcb, too.

[kmiller8]

I would think it'll have a programmable pcb, too.

^

[razorsharpgears]

Left thumb only for me


you fail

You sir must be left handed then :O

[The_Beast]

Left thumb only for me


you fail

You sir must be left handed then :O

Nopeski, right handed

this really isn't an issue since it should be programmable anyways. kmiller, have you seen 7bits 40% board?

[Magnusian]

Right index for me.

[kmiller8]

this really isn't an issue since it should be programmable anyways. kmiller, have you seen 7bits 40% board?

I saw it yesterday, after people were spamming me in IRC saying I stole his design :/

[The_Beast]

this really isn't an issue since it should be programmable anyways. kmiller, have you seen 7bits 40% board?

I saw it yesterday, after people were spamming me in IRC saying I stole his design :/

It's a similar idea (smaller than 60% board), but didn't 7bit's have a 4.5 unit spacebar? (IIRC)

[precarious]

Left thumb only for me


you fail

You sir must be left handed then :O

1. right handed
2. use left thumb
3. left hand is more stationary, causing it to be more rationally defensible to use the left thumb
4. world class typing champion

i think that about settles it

[esoomenona]

So I don't see why you would need two Fn keys. What we need is something like Fn+Backspace to be Numlock which will allow you to type on the numpad layer, and then Fn+Backspace to turn it off. Then you only need one Fn key.

[razorsharpgears]

Left thumb only for me


you fail

You sir must be left handed then :O

1. right handed
2. use left thumb
3. left hand is more stationary, causing it to be more rationally defensible to use the left thumb
4. world class typing champion

i think that about settles it

Okay, okay... you win :3

[kmiller8]

So I don't see why you would need two Fn keys. What we need is something like Fn+Backspace to be Numlock which will allow you to type on the numpad layer, and then Fn+Backspace to turn it off. Then you only need one Fn key.

That idea. I like it.

[samwisekoi]

I'd have no problem providing a plate if you provide a dwg for my laser guy


happy new years to all (bourbon is good son ^____________^ )

Single malts are also good!

I am interested in a single plate based on the GH60. Is that do-able?

Thanks and happy new year,

 - Ron | samwisekoi

[SmallFry]

this really isn't an issue since it should be programmable anyways. kmiller, have you seen 7bits 40% board?

I saw it yesterday, after people were spamming me in IRC saying I stole his design :/

Yew waz a bit cray cray. I didn't say you stole it though, that was Flynn!

[WhiteFireDragon]

How are you going to do the spacebar? Getting a custom convexed cap is pretty expensive, but if you use modifier keys as the spacebar, they're concaved so it'll feel pretty sharp for your thumb.

lookit the stickynote i posted. My right thumb sits PERFECTLY on one of the 1.25 mods, the rest are there for show.

As for sharpness, I'm just using a 1.25 cherry mod and it's pretty alright for my fake typing I've done on it, I'll cover that hurdle when the time comes

Pefect fit for YOUR thumb. But I know everyone has different size hands. For me, my thumb is positioned right below the middle of the N key, and for some that have larger or wider hands, their thumbs might be just to the left of the N key on the spacebar. The thing with concaved keys is that the finger must be exactly centered, otherwise it'll sit on the higher corners.

I guess this all won't matter if this is only tailored to your fit and not the whole GH.

[kmiller8]

Pefect fit for YOUR thumb. But I know everyone has different size hands. For me, my thumb is positioned right below the middle of the N key, and for some that have larger or wider hands, their thumbs might be just to the left of the N key on the spacebar. The thing with concaved keys is that the finger must be exactly centered, otherwise it'll sit on the higher corners.

I guess this all won't matter if this is only tailored to your fit and not the whole GH.

perfect fit for MY layout

EDIT: Nomoresneekpeek, I gotta fix the PCB!

[samwisekoi]

So can you elaborate on what the keys are, I mean like what is what. I am confused but intrigued.

yes, here's the layout when I designed it at work today

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i54v6g2m9wimssv/2012-12-31%2013.37.39.jpg

It looks like it's all alpha keys, with mods at the bottom, probably a key for space, and other stuff. What kind of layers are we looking at?

yep, pure alpha keys with mods at the bottom, the way I'm envisioning it, I'll have three layers overall, one of them focusing numbers, one focusing symbols.

Here is a pretty picture for you to work with.  PM me with adjustments and the layers and I'll mock them up for you as well.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

[kmiller8]

Here is a pretty picture for you to work with.  PM me with adjustments and the layers and I'll mock them up for you as well.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

ITZ SO CUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the mock-up samwisekoiron

[SmallFry]

[Strike]You can has no spacebar?[/strike]

[jdcarpe]

It's right there below the N.

[SmallFry]

What's right below the N? *quickly changes other post*

[phetto]

Ok, interesting, will follow this project, and I'm in no matter what.


Fun fact, I also only use left hand for space ^___^