Ergonomic Keyboard Crocodox 2 (Matias switches) by ak666666

Last crawled date: 3 years, 1 month ago

eUPD 20180919: added pictures of the board with the ALPS key caps and the tenting stand/covers.
I replaced the PLA-printed keytops with APLS keycaps I got from aliexpress. The board now is much closer to a Dactyl-Manuform in feeling and operations. Also I printed the tenting cover/stand for the left half - now the halves are identical.
This project includes components for a hand-wired split "ergonomic" keyboard:
case, key tops, and holster-tenting stand.
Case is the only necessary thing to print. Key tops are not as comfortable, so they are only a temporary solution until the keycaps arrived.
This is a seemingly better version of the Crocodox keyboard with Matias switches.
For more details on the idea and innards please see the source version of this board.
Fusion 360 project: https://a360.co/2yyvpEb
The intended use of this board is stenography with Plover.
Hence are the flat key tops and Matias silent switches.
It can and is used as a regular QWERTY board, but the shape of the keys is not the best one.
I used the previous version of this board with Matias switches for a few days.
I realized that my hands are never in the best position for typing. In most cases they are not on top of the keys, but move at 45 degrees angle to the surface. With my usual Dactyl-Manuform boards that feels natural. With a board laying flat on the table it requires keys re-location. Hence the changes (in the original Crocodox I managed to hit the sweet sport from the first time somehow.)
The thumb cluster is turned more inwards, this way the most used keys (raise/lower and shifts) are hit with the thumb knuckle sideways, without bending it or changing the hitting spot. Found that desirable in all the keyboards.
The outer columns are shifted to match the natural finger movements: the innermost column used by index fingers is moved up. For some reason it is feeling better.
The board became more compact, narrower (the first version with Matias switches was too wide for my rather average M/L size hands.)
UPD: added a holster/stand piece. It protects the keys when pulled over the board. In the working position it gives a good tenting angle.
You need 6 mm silicone pads for the board and holster.
Each board half has 10 spots for them, holster - 6, yet they should be ok with 5 and 4 each.