Prime_E. A 45% ergo board.
Here's the revised sample (apologies for the craptastic incandescent lighting). The bezel is now a much nicer fit around the keycaps. Other changes:
Here are a few with various keycap profiles. The complete album can be found
and includes pics in various states of assembly. (
I just have the one picture for now. I hope to have them in my hands next week sometime and will get more pictures at different angles. Also, still waiting on one more sample from a US-based shop.

Today I received assembled prototype PCBs. All is good and working as intended.


After seeing the TGR Alice and subsequently not getting in on the GB, I decided to design something similar but in 45% form factor. I have been using it as a daily driver for several months now and absolutely love it.
Enter Prime_E, a 45% ergo design. Or at least a proposal and looking for feedback so I can produce a keyboard that appeals to a larger group and works with a wider range of keycap sets. Even if it means starting over.
I was at about 90% done with the project. Both case and PCB. But couldn't decide on a final layout. Particularly the bottom row and right-side modifiers.
Case assembly:

Bottom view of top part showing thick integrated plate with provisions so switches can snap in:
Layout ideas:Initial design. Fine for DSA. Not so fine for sculpted. Issues: 2x 2u spacebars. R2 2u backspace doesn't exist in sculpted sets, I think

Split backspace and 2.0/2.25u spacebars should expand compatibility with more sculpted sets. 1.25u mods in lower right instead of 1.5u.

More experimentation with bottom row. 1.75u spacebars probably have wider compatibility that 2.0. Right-side modifiers shrunk by 0.25u which basically provides minivan compatibility.

I think it's fair to say that 2u backspace is a bad idea. 2x 2u spacebar is a bad idea. So lets hear some feedback in preferences, particularly for keycap compatibility. I pretty much strictly use DSA so I'm not too familiar with Cherry/SA norms. Personally I would lean more toward the 2nd layout but maybe go with 2x 1.75 spacebars thereby getting rid of stabilized keys altogether. So lets hear some feedback.
I'll end it here with some pictures of the board I've been using for a few months so you can see some real life examples of what it would look like.
Minus the giant numpad of course 
The bezel under the spacebars will be smaller as seen in the render at the top.



