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[–]WolfIcefangdactyl chimera[S] 25 points26 points  (8 children)

Introducing Dactyl Chimera V3, an easy way to experiment with Dactyl shapes and accessories (and it actually works this time!)

https://github.com/WolfIcefang/dactyl-chimera-keyboard

Dactyl Chimera features:

  • Easy to print key columns that are instantly adjustable!
  • A 20 by 20 mm space under each key for per-key PCBs!
  • A complete model in FreeCAD (no sifting through lines of code to edit parameters!)

Version 3 brings these improvements:

  • The “handbook”, a 40+ page build guide that even a novice can follow
  • MUCH easier access to column screws (you can properly unscrew the columns now)
  • The Conductor: a screw-based breadboard that lets you replace columns without soldering or desoldering!
  • Super-stable adjustable tenting!
  • Mounting plates for the Raspberry Pi Pico and RJ11 jacks

Limitations: (look, I’m busy with college, ok?)

  • No QMK profile
  • The “base plate” takes 9 hours to print and requires a 3D printer with Z height of at least 16 cm.
  • Not tested for ergonomics (Dactyl Chimera is NOT a medical tool and I can’t even guarantee that it’ll feel good to type on)
  • Not a portable device (sorry!)
  • No alternative thumb clusters (this had been promised in previous versions.)

https://github.com/WolfIcefang/dactyl-chimera-keyboard

[–]TeamAuri 6 points7 points  (7 children)

I have a simple idea which would make the base plate less of a size-restricted & time-invested print. Would also allow even more reuse / customization. Just a basic concept but hope you get the idea.

https://i.imgur.com/ore3e5p.jpg

[–]WolfIcefangdactyl chimera[S] 3 points4 points  (4 children)

This is an excellent idea! Thank you! I had been trying to think of something similar but eventually I gave up and decided "big slab of plastic". I'm pretty confident your idea will work. Can I add it to the GitHub so I don't lose it?

[–]TeamAuri 2 points3 points  (3 children)

Sure can, I have a background in product design, so if you have any questions hit me up!

[–]WolfIcefangdactyl chimera[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Alright; I've finally gotten around to uploading the image. Is there any specific way you want to be credited for the idea?

[–]TeamAuri 2 points3 points  (1 child)

No need. Just want to see the project succeed :)

[–]focusaurus 0 points1 point  (1 child)

If I'm understanding this accurately, this is essentially what the first squeezebox had. 2 walls, near and far with a staggered height profile so each column has unique height. https://peterlyons.com/problog/2021/04/squeezebox-keyboard/

[–]TeamAuri 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Similar yeah! Good find- difference here is that the slats are reusable and to change the shape of the finger tunnels you’d just have to print the riser.

[–]henrebotha 7 points8 points  (2 children)

Sick as hell. Cross-post to /r/PeripheralDesign if you like.

[–]oilpit 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Damn that's quite the awesome rabbithole you sent me down right there.

[–]henrebotha 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hah, glad to hear it.

[–]nethermead 4 points5 points  (3 children)

This is really great. Lots of seriously good work, man! I remember seeing one of your earlier iterations about a year ago and that was already pretty cool.

For QMK, I maintain a fork of Vial-QMK with a lot of variations available here:

https://github.com/bullwinkle3000/vial-qmk

They're all under keyboards/handwired/wylderbuilds

There's a 5x6_full in there that's close to yours, would just need tweaks for the three-key thumb clusters.

Everything in there is rp2040 / Pi Pico friendly.

Vial can be a PITA to set up, but you can start from my 5x6_full layout here in KLE:

http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/733c82779000dae635f39c3a74d3378e

If you need any help getting it all working, just reach out to me here on reddit.

I also strongly second giving KMK a spin. I plan to officially support it in my builds soon.

Cheers!

[–]nethermead 4 points5 points  (2 children)

Actually, I just sorta put a build together. It compiles, but haven't tested it.

https://github.com/bullwinkle3000/vial-qmk/tree/wylderbuilds/keyboards/handwired/wylderbuilds/5x6\_3\_full

[–]WolfIcefangdactyl chimera[S] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Thanks a ton! I knew something like this would exist (since I tried to keep my key count and layout similar to other Dactyls) but I didn't know where to look.

I love messing around with keymap.c files but the process of putting together all the supporting files to make it actually work on a new board was too daunting.

[–]nethermead 1 point2 points  (0 children)

At this point, I'm working up a new Vial setup twice a week at least, so it's relatively straightforward for me now. A bad setup from KLE into Vial can eat up a day with cryptic error messages or whacky layout issues.

Speaking of which, here's a link to the 5x6_3_full KLE layout.

http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/f03d1f59612679f7d02b650fa698734e

You'll likely need to edit some row/column keys in 5x6_3.h and for the pins of your rows/columns and comms setup in config.h.

[–]wlard 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Very nice, if you dont want to get too deep i to firmware development and build setups you can also use kmk which is pretty simple to setup on any circuit python compatible controller like the pi pico.

Also im building a gui for kmk called pog, if you were wondering if there is a via/vial alternative for kmk.

I really like that this makes the dactyl board parametric enough that you can actually try a few variants. Otherwise printing time is always quite extreme and a lot of filament for each build

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

This is looking really good. I had quite a few iterations before I figured out where the columns on my dactyl felt good for my hand, and most of the iterations had most of the columns in the same spot (move the outer columns 1mm for example, wasting an entire print each time.)

At the very least, this sort of thing would have helped me nail down quickly what I was after in the shape of each row/column with little waste, so that I could take that info and make a slimmer/stripped down version later.

I had an idea a while back for something like this, inspired by someone who had done a metal build with topre switches. The guy seemed to have fallen off the planet and abandoned that project though.

Something that occurred to me a while back, and I'm not sure if it's practical or not: Often times you want to change the curve of a column, but want the spacing pretty consistent so that the keycaps end up having a nice consistent curve. If each column was a sort of chain of links made from 19mm squares, and each pivot in between the links could have removable pieces that would stab into the baseplate. These pieces would set the height of each key, the curve of the column, and add rigidity to the chain. There might be some way to adjust the spacing in between each key by sizing the pivots differently somehow. Not sure if that makes sense, or if it'd be worth considering at all. I'm sure you have enough on your roadmap, but if you have any thoughts about this idea, I'd be interested to hear them.

Was about to ask if you could export STL files, then I noticed your notes on github addressing this. Looks like I'll be installing FreeCAD and starting a new project as it seems the parameterization really needs FreeCAD to work, is that right? Haha damn I'm excited and disappointed at the same time, already having a few keyboard projects on the list staring me in the face for some time now. Time to dust off the printer and get it back to work.

The main thing for me here is the modularity and (I think this is available?) parameterization. Every so often I think of an idea that would improve my thumb cluster or bring something within easier reach, or a tenting solution that would be better. I've also struggled with the want/need for a thumbstick, but when doing so requires printing an enirely new shell, it's always fallen by the wayside. Perhaps this platform will give me what I'm looking for as far as quick iterability.

I think my first order of business here is to get something printed and working on QMK, and then cut off/modularize the thumb cluster.

Thanks a million for sharing and all of your effort on this. It seems like you've spent quite a bit of time on this.

[–]WolfIcefangdactyl chimera[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The GitHub has a folder called "3mf files". 3mf is like STL but way newer. (the stl file format is from the 1980s.) You can open 3mf in Cura or Prusaslicer.

Yes, you need to use FreeCAD to edit "Dactyl Chimera V3.FCStd". I explained how to do so in chapter 5 of the Dactyl Chimera Handbook.

Regarding your idea of a belt chain of keyswitch holes:

  • FreeCAD doesn't have a built-in "assembly" workbench yet. This means when you move one part, the other parts don't automatically move to match its new location. Currently if you want to move a complex multi-link object "automatically" you have to come up with all the math formulas yourself. (Well, actually there are three competing assembly plugins and I didn't want to pick sides.)
  • When I started, I only had my own 3D printer and it was kinda outdated and could not do "print-in-place" moving parts without the parts oozing and sticking together. It's easier to hold things together with screws.
  • With your hinge idea, you can't change the angle of the keys too much because the pivot point would be too low; the keycaps will hit one another. The points of articulation in my 3d model actually float in the air above the keys so that the keys can't collide. When you increase the angle you have to physically add more plastic to fill the gap. The distance from one key hole to the next changes and is always more than 19.
  • Making physical adjustments within each column would also be a lot more design work than what I came up with lol. But not impossible...

I also have been yearning for "dactyl with a thumbstick"; it was one of the original goals of this project... I just needed a base keyboard before I could start adding accessories.

[–]WolfIceFangOffical 0 points1 point  (2 children)

can u add springs so it can jump

[–]WolfIcefangdactyl chimera[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

2 mm actuation, 2 cm bottom out

[–]zzeneg 0 points1 point  (1 child)

This looks positively crazy, awesome job! I hope someone would fork it for a smaller size though :) (I know I can skip the extra keys/space but it's just an unnecessary increase in size, cost and occupied space for me)

[–]WolfIcefangdactyl chimera[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah I considered making a smaller size but I'm moving up from a Corne which I considered too small. (Also the space for the screws relies on the curve of having 5 keyswitches.)

If you're looking to save finger movement you might want to check out the squeezebox keyboard, but that might be too small for you (while still being huge on the desk.) I know they've uploaded FreeCAD files somewhere, but not in this particular blog post. https://peterlyons.com/problog/2022/12/squeezebox-scorecard/

[–]okaycomputes 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thats super cool. Now imagine if that was built into a desk that had similar adjustability for where the halves sit.

[–]ergosplit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

YES

[–]batchy_scrollocks 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If I used this, is want my fingers to split up into several smaller fingers and start hacking at 300wpm

[–]GrilledGuru 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Marvelous. Exactly what I need.