ErgoDox keyboard assembly

Sat, 02 Aug 2014 10:46:41 -0700
debian, keyboards, tech

I routinely use a Kinesis Advantage Pro keyboard, which is a split, ergonomic keyboard with thumb clusters that uses brown cherryMX switches. Over the thirteen years that I've been using it, I've become a huge fan of this style of keyboard. However, I have two major annoyances with the Kinesis. First, while the firmware is good, remapping the keys is complicated and producing more complicated keyboard layouts with layers and keycodes that are not present in the original layout is not possible. Secondly, the interconnect between the main key wells and the controller board in the middle occasionally fails, and requires disassembly and occasional re-tinning of the circuit board interconnect connector.

1 About a year ago, I became aware of the ErgoDox keyboard, which is a keyboard design which mimics the kinesis to some degree, but with completely separated key halves (useful, because I'm substantially bigger than the average human), programmable firmware (so I can finally have the layers and missing keys) and with slightly more elegant interconnects (TRRS cables). Unfortunately, at the time I first heard about it (and other custom keyboards), making it required sourcing circuit boards, parts, and finding someone to cut a case for the keyboard. Then, a few months ago, I learned about MassDrop, a company who puts together groups of people to do buys of products at near-wholesale level prices, and their offer of all of the parts to build an ErgoDox. After waiting for a group buy of the keyboard to become available, I put in an order, and received the parts two months later.

Over a few hours yesterday, I learned how to do surface mount soldering of the 78 diodes (one for each key), and finished assembling and flashing the firmware. This morning, I fixed up the few key bindings that I needed to be productive, and viola, my laptop at home now has a brand new ergonomic keyboard.