DIY Staggered Columnar Laptop Keyboard (Semi Ortholinear) [Prototype]

Clearance would probably be your largest issue unless you plan on taking it off every time you shut the laptop.

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Just discovered Framework and am blown away by how much it changes the game. The sustainability/repairability and linux support alone are enough to make other brands feel uncompetitive, but just when I thought it couldnā€™t get any betterā€¦ qmk on a laptop keyboard? Amazing.

That said, Iā€™m really hoping alternative layouts gain traction. Massive spacebars are so wasteful.

While a full ortho would be ideal, if itā€™s any easier to just take a standard layout and split up the spacebar into as many keys as possible, that would get me 90% of the way towards what I want.

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I understand that itā€™s a very niche market for an ortholinear laptop keyboard, but weā€™re also the bunch whoā€™s willing to pay a hefty price for it. The average price of an ergo ortholinear keyboard is above $200 for sure. And Iā€™m willing to pay $500 (excluding the keyboard itself) just to have it installed. If someone is willing to install an ortholinear keyboard (preferably 3x5_3), please kindly DM me. Iā€™ll immediately buy a framework and a compatible keyboard.

Iā€™m so sick of using the regular laptop keyboard. I curse every time I have to put the acrylic sheet and then my chocofi on top of the laptop keyboard and connecting it and all the shenanigans just to use a decent keyboard that doesnā€™t hurt my wrists.

Thanks guys!

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The problem is that I donā€™t think any compatible keyboard exists. Someone could potentially create one, but the construction of laptop keyboards is challenging and expensive. In order to make them thin enough. And a lot of the most dedicated custom keyboard users seem to strongly prefer mechanical keyboards, to the point of feeling hatred for membrane laptop keyboards. So I think those two combined are the reason it doesnā€™t exist.

The Framework-16 I bet will overcome this though.

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Iā€™m curious, is there any news on this? It seems like it might be doable to mod the hinges to gain some extra space for the keyboard.

Itā€™d be awesome to use an ergonomic keyboard inside this laptop!

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Hello.

Thanks a lot for your interest.
I am personally more interested in an ergo keeb as plug in play as possible, without further modification to the FW13 beside the input cover.

As an alternative, I am looking into cutting a proper aluminium based for the keyboard like the original one, then build a custom membrane on top of it.

While I am at it, hello again @nrp .
I know you are probably quite busy handling the new models releases as well as the next points on FWā€™s roadmap, but I was wondering if there was any update regarding the individual key switch development, now that the FW16 is out?

Best regards to all.

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Ah yeah I shouldā€™ve said that Iā€™m talking about the FL16.
Iā€™d also love a mostly plug and play keyboard for the FL16, but Iā€™m wondering if itā€™d also be possible to create a detachable bluetooth keyboard. Thatā€™d be insanely cool for on the go, but Iā€™m not sure if itā€™s possible. The batteries would probably fit easily on the sides, the harder problem is structural integrity and a nice mounting system. ZMK should be able to take care of the firmware and bluetooth part, so thatā€™s nice.

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Iā€™m curious if this is being pursued? Iā€™m so used to my ergo dox that I just canā€™t do laptops any more, and Iā€™m looking at the Voyager mentioned above.

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Hello Lee,

Thanks for the interested.
Progress is slow, but I am still working on prototyping a better base layout for the keyboard using CNC.

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If such a thing ever comes to pass I will teleport money into your wallet.

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Not mine, but a cool related project here: The mikefive, a Kailh PG1316 keyboard

The height is unfortunately 5mm, 1.3 mm short of the maximum clearance that the FW13 allows, but great to see some lower switch profiles.

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Those Kailh PG1316 switches look extremely similar to Cherry MX ULP 3.5mm switches. Once they are fully in production, I hope the Kailhs are easier to get than the Cherrys.

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I just picked up a Framework 16 for work and Iā€™ve also been a ZSA Voyager user (Moonlander before that) since its release. Iā€™d be over the moon for a new keyboard with an ortho layout, but Iā€™m also not holding my breath for it (though Iā€™d happily pay $500+ for one FYI). I would be ecstatic for JUST a flat layout that doesnā€™t have any keys and instead just has some magnets the Voyager can attach to. I donā€™t even need it to connect over pogo or anything fancy. Literally just a magnetic mount with no actual keys so I can keep the Voyager from slipping off while I move around. Iā€™m fine with still needing a USB cable to connect with, I just want a fixed mount.

Iā€™ve considered working out how to make a clamp of some kind with folding arms on a tripod ball mount. Then when I want to close the lid I can fold the arms up, put the lid down, and close the arms over the top of the lid. But I have absolutely no idea where Iā€™d even begin with something like that. Anywho, love these ideas and I hope we get an ortho layout in the future!

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Also thought of this and beside design and building difficulties aside, I thought that it might be rough on the keyboard to keep it above the lid while putting it in my backpack.

Sharing the good news here too:

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Does anyone know if thereā€™s a simple (?) blank module with an RP2040 that would fit into one of the module spaces? If there were such a thing, then one could simply create a plane of keys that are soldered to the outputs of the RP2040 and- voila!- a DIY keyboard.

At least, thatā€™s where my mind is goingā€¦

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There are indeed some small rp2040 boards.

Though of course, if you want it the way a Framework keyboard is, rp2040 and supporting componets hidden under an area of keys, there isnā€™t the height available for a seperate rp2040 board.

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The most promising avenue for this sort of hardware hacking seems to be the MNT Reform laptop which does indeed use an RP2040 for its mk4 keyboard controller.

Their keyboard is an interesting unit that may be purchased standalone. This is a desktop unit with nice alloy case from which the guts can be removed and put into the Reform laptop. So, in our mission to build a laptop with an ergo keyboard, we could start here without the need to buy a Reform yet, thus reducing upfront cost.

It uses ā€œchocā€ switches making it sufficiently ā€œold skoolā€ construction that the home builder has a sporting chance of building its guts with normal skills and equipment. Because it is an MNT product it will of course come with all the documentation. The company is working up designs for a new laptop called the Next that will hopefully arrive sometime next year and is said to be backward compatible with the current keyboard, further increasing its utility, as well as that of any ergonomic design fork we make in the meantime.

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Why does the FW 16 trackpad not work when the keyboard is removed? Itā€™s like the modules on the machine activate when a keyboard is plunked down. It seems strange that thatā€™s a prerequisite to use the machine.

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If not all input modules are in place there will be exposed contacts. So the input board cuts power to protect itself from accidental shorts. Could happen if youā€™re wearing a ring & place your hand down.

There is an override option in the bios. But if you enable that be sure to cover the exposed contacts with something, paper taped over them would work.

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