Custom keyboard design+build based on atreus+dox; comments and advice needed.

[milkypostman]

I wanted to share the keyboard design I came up with. The design is based on the Atreus and the Ergodox but is meant to solve a couple of problems I had with both of those keyboards: the Atreus doesn't have enough keys and the Ergodox has a weird thumb cluster placement AND doesn't fit a normal keycap set.

My original goals were,

1. be able to fit a standard keycap set, requiring no extra keycap sizes when buying from group buys
2. include lots of keys so that minimal layers are required
3. have a comfortable thumb cluster
4. be a single piece (not two separate halves)
5. allow for customization of the split width and angle

I don't know if I actually achieved that goal but here is the keyboard.

There are some issues I think are with the firmware--I am getting duplicate characters every once and a while--but could be caused by my first time trying blues.

Also, I know that in the next couple days I'll be redesigning the base so that it's tented and not just one piece. Even though my original goal was to have the thing be one piece I'm not so sure that's how I want to do it now. I actually think it's more important to have it raised in the middle and I'm not sure once it's tented that I actually want the halves tied together.

So what should I do now? Need some advice,

1. I kinda want to make this thing into a tighter package but is that really worth it? PCB would be costly unless others were in.
2. What's a better way to connect the two halves? I don't know if I'm up for the challenge of doing something like the ergodox where there is a sub-controller in one half communicating over a 3mm audio cable. Each half is 5x8 so what's the best way to get that over to one side?
3. Is there something better to write the firmware in? I will post my current version in the next couple days. It needs cleaning up.

[milkypostman]

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[3K]

So what should I do now? Need some advice,

1. I kinda want to make this thing into a tighter package but is that really worth it? PCB would be costly unless others were in.
2. What's a better way to connect the two halves? I don't know if I'm up for the challenge of doing something like the ergodox where there is a sub-controller in one half communicating over a 3mm audio cable. Each half is 5x8 so what's the best way to get that over to one side?
3. Is there something better to write the firmware in? I will post my current version in the next couple days. It needs cleaning up.

1. You could run an interest check - maybe you'll find some people who join in.
2. If you want separate halves without a sub-controller you could just extend the wiring with a non-detachable cable. I'd try something like this:

More

3. Could you specify what you mean by 'better'? What are you using now? Errors can also be caused by the wiring.

Also good luck with your project!

[milkypostman]

I finally got around to posting the firmware and I resolved the double key issues; basically I hadn't figured about debouncing so I added support for that. It's amazing how simple the code actually is given the support by teensy libraries.

https://github.com/milkypostman/dkey

This keyboard is actually really great. I don't know if it's that I really like blues or if it's just that I like the layout a lot. It's only been one day but who knows.

Need to sort out the code for the case a bit. It's just really hacky right now and I don't think it will make any sense to anyone else at this point.

[Oobly]

To get tenting you can print a new middle section only and keep using the rest of the parts as-is. It just needs a bend there, you can leave the outer edges of both sides touching the desk and supporting the whole assembly. You could try somehow to make a hinge in the centre piece with thumbscrews to lock it in place, so the tent angle can be adjusted and it can be made flat for easy transport.

[Heliobb]

The design is based on the Atreus and the Ergodox but is meant to solve a couple of problems I had with both of those keyboards: the Atreus doesn't have enough keys and the Ergodox has a weird thumb cluster placement AND doesn't fit a normal keycap set.

Great point. At Atreus they said that it's better with less keys, when you have to write a lot à,é,î, having more keys is better.

More than interested for an IC.