I am calling this the "ErgoChamp 79" - Split, staggered, ergonomic

[semaj4712]

This is my first post on Deskthority, and my second keyboard that I have designed.

I have not yet started building it or ordering parts because I am not 100% that I will make it or not. This is simply a design at the moment and wanted to get some general input from the community in regards to design, layout, and pcb design.

The design started with the need for a split keyboard. I have a Large Wacom in the middle of my desk and my standard keyboard feels too close to me in front of it, and too far away from me on the back of it. So i figured it makes some amount of sense to put it on both sides.

Then I did a good amount of research on keyboards, I decided I really liked the overall look for the Ergodox but I am not super happy about the orthlinear nature of the keys. I have been typing for over 20 years on a standered split and don't really see me switching anytime soon, plus my planck is not the easiest thing to use IMHO.

I found this keyboard on google, which I really like

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40880.0

I truthfully love everything about it minus maybe it's total height and color scheme. I would love to build a totally wireless keyboard but it is quite a bit out of the scope of my programming abilities at the moment.

But I did change a few things, and I came up with this. the ErgoChamp 79.

Ergochamp79.png (841.72 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

keyboard-layout.png (76.93 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

As you can see just like the one posted above, the hand rests are built into the keyboard itself, and stainless plates on the top and bottom with a plate in the middle for mounting.

I designed the PCB for the left side as this is the master, and the right would be very similar. I have designed a few PCBs before but nothing surface mount and def nothing this crazy before. I am hoping to get some feedback on the design as well.

I decided not to blow up the forum so here is both the top and bottom pcb eagle images, but if you would like to see them super hi-res click the link below each.

ErgoChamp79_L_PCB_B_SM.png (810.17 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

http://chrischampeau.com/Transfer/keybo ... _PCB_B.png

ErgoChamp79_L_PCB_T_SM.png (836.59 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

http://chrischampeau.com/Transfer/keybo ... _PCB_T.png

Let me know what you think.

[vvp]

I decided I really liked the overall look for the Ergodox but I am not super happy about the orthlinear nature of the keys.

Well, you discarded one of the best ergodox features: column staggering instead of row staggering. If you touch type then column staggering is definitely better than row staggering. It allows you to stretch your fingers less. Although ergodox would need a bit more column stagger on pinkie columns.
You may also consider to put modifiers on thumb clusters.

You created something significantly worse than ergodox from my poimt of view. Probably, just because you want to keep more compatibility with standard keyboards. Which is misleading since it is very easy to learn a slight change in touch typing required by different staggering. From this point of view, it will be harder to learn using the thumb clusters which you have already added.

Probably not the response you hoped for