ErgoMechKeyboards
Ergonomic, split and other weird keyboards
Rules
Keep it ergo
Posts must be of/about keyboards that have a clear delineation between the left and right halves of the keyboard, column stagger, or both. This includes one-handed (one half doesn't exist, what clearer delineation is that!?)
i.e. no regular non-split¹ row-stagger and no non-split¹ ortholinear²
¹ split meaning a separation of the halves, whether fixed in place or entirely separate, both are fine.
² ortholinear meaning keys layed out in a grid
No Spam
No excessive posting/"shilling" for commercial purposes. Vendors are permitted to promote their products/services but keep it to a minimum and use the [vendor] flair. Posts that appear to be marketing without being transparent about it will be removed.
No Buy/Sell/Trade
This subreddit is not a marketplace, please post on r/mechmarket or other relevant marketplace.
Some useful links
- EMK wiki
- Split keyboard compare tool
- Compare keycap profiles Looking for another set of keycaps - check this site to compare the different keycap profiles https://www.keycaps.info/
- Keymap database A database with all kinds of keymap layouts - some of them fits ergo keyboards - get inspired https://keymapdb.com/
view the rest of the comments
I’ve only made one hand wired board, a 50 key flat, one piece ortho, but I learned some good lessons.
First, the mental hurdle for me with soldering was that you’re not JUST melting the solder, nor are you trying to get the components’ leads hot enough to melt the solder, which might fry them anyway. Instead, heating the wires or leads makes them attract solder when you melt it with the iron. Once I watched enough videos to make that jump and to see how it’s done, I went from hopeless to mediocre, and mediocre is good enough to make a keyboard. Maybe I’m just thick, but my general takeaway is that anyone can learn this.
Second, most MCUs have the port on them already. Unless you were talking about having the two halves not connect to each other, then there’s no component or labor savings in going wireless. I also was able to use KMK on a pi pico for my MCU, which was a godsend for me as someone who doesn’t code in any meaningful way.
Finally, If there’s any way your plate (maybe more of a “bowl” for a manuform, lol) and case can physically support it, consider soldering to Kailh hot swap sockets rather than switches. My little “Planck+3” board is not true hot swap, but it should be no-solder swap if I want to change the switches.