Group Build prototyping phase

[pexon]

I'm in for ANSI too

[matt3o]

Cool. Any savings on making several home made PCBs at once? I have a few I'm after, including the M84 experiment, and a PCB for my shiny 60%.

PCB sheets are 20x30cm so I can fit 2 keyboards in 1 sheet (again up to 16u wide).

[Muirium]

16u is plenty for my plans. Sounds promising! I'd better design that M84 layout…

[Nuum]

[...] Would you have the arrow cluster be on the default layer (0) or are they behind Fn (layer 1)? The XT's bottom row is its greatest weakness and I think you've made several nice improvements. Although I find my arrow keys (right on layer zero) in the numpad to be very useable and quite roomy.
[...]

I myself find, that I use the arrow keys far more often than the numpad. So I would put the arrow keys as default and perhaps have it switchable via numlock similar to the CM Quickfire XT. Also I need the inverted T shaped arrow keys for gaming.

And of course you could put a Fn key next to right shift and even go winkeyless for a more retro feel.

Modern IBM XT.png (26.47 KiB) Viewed 3491 times

[matt3o]

unfortunately the wood-sheets only fit 1 keyboard and half. So for the test run I'm going to laser cut just 1 keyboard. I'll be your guinea pig, if you'll like it I can have it laser cut for you later.

[Muirium]

Leading from the front, as always. We'll be watching!

Just to understand the wood limits: can we still fit large single keyboards?

[matt3o]

Leading from the front, as always. We'll be watching!

Just to understand the wood limits: can we still fit large single keyboards?

there are 3-4 sheet sizes, depending on the laser cutter. the smaller fits nothing. the medium usually fits 1 or 2 small keyboards. the larger sheets fit anything.

[Muirium]

Say we define small keyboard as 15x5 units…!

I'll gladly sit back and see what you can come up with in wood. And I'm definitely in for a couple of PCBs whenever suits you.

[matt3o]

small keyboard is up to 16x6.

16x5 is perfect because I can fit exactly 2 PCBs on the copper sheet. Anything bigger needs more attention.

[Muirium]

There's a possibility I might try a 4 row PCB for the M84 board. Especially if that lets someone else go bigger if they need to.

[pasph]

So the first run will be only 1kb?

[matt3o]

So the first run will be only 1kb?

yes, I thought I could have fitted 2 keyboards, but I just don't have enough room unfortunately. Infact I'll have a lot of wasted material. Sorry for the false alarm.

[Muirium]

Not even a numpad!?

[matt3o]

yeah, maybe I can fit a numpad

[pasph]

yeah, maybe I can fit a numpad

If it's something like this
http://deskthority.net/post157131.html#p157131
or this
http://deskthority.net/post148785.html#p148785
I can take it just to avoid waste

[matt3o]

I'll check if I can fit a numpad

[matt3o]

yes, I can fit a numpad...

[Muirium]

Lucky Pasph. A wooden numpad ought to be quite awesome if the experiment is a success!

[matt3o]

too far?

[Muirium]

Actually, those are pretty good. Just think what you could do with a <6u space bar.

[scottc]

Actually, those are pretty good. Just think what you could do with a <6u space bar.

*cough*or 4U*cough*

[Muirium]

He's trying to keep it DSA compatible, of course. But Round 5!!!

SA works so well on a tiny keyboard. In fact, I aim to use it on a ~40%…

[matt3o]

DSA is so easy on custom keyboards. mix and match keys wherever you want. Anyway the above layouts are so weird that probably the only set that could work on them is round5

[Muirium]

Then you must, you know you must, go for a 4u space bar!

Disclaimer: I got more than one colour of them. As I think they will be superb.

[matt3o]

4u is a bit too small for me. looking at the shine on my spacebar I'd say the perfect size is between 5u and 6u, even though it's just a matter of getting used to the new size.

[Muirium]

The same test for me says even 3u would do, but I'd need it over the right of centre, which I find ungainly.

Uh oh, thinking about symmetry again now. Begone, vile, beautiful, impractical ideas!

[bearcat]

The tex beetle has a 4.5u spacebar, which i've found really nice.

and re: symmetry, form must follow function! Not the other way round!

[Muirium]

Well, just take a look at my username! I've been using it for donkey's years, and hadn't even made the connection myself until now. Symmetry is function! For symmetric creatures like ourselves.

[mr_peck]

I think keyboards needs more symetry for the 2nd row :

[matt3o]

I believe one of my first customs was like that, very hard to source the keycaps, though