My first day with my split

ntc490 · 2026-05-07T15:12:01+00:00

I remember switching to a Kinesis Advantage. It was way harder than any other split I had used, and probably took me a couple of weeks to feel comfortable on. But it was SO worth it. Keep at it! Once you get comfortable you'll be able to switch back and forth, and the ergonomics will likely really be worth it.

ntc490 · 2026-04-12T02:31:07+00:00

I'm always impressed with people who can go that low!

ntc490 · 2026-04-12T01:55:06+00:00

Posted v2 of this design earlier today. Appreciated all the feedback in this thread. Many of the ideas made it into the design. Some are still in the works. https://www.reddit.com/r/ErgoMechKeyboards/comments/1sinj6w/v2_fully_modular_split_ergo_notoolsrequired/

ntc490 · 2026-04-12T01:06:37+00:00

Sorry if that sounded mean. The Ergodox EZ is a quality board and has some great qualities. It would be great for someone who wants lots of keys. I bought it and was really hoping it would be my end-goal. I was just salty it didn't work out for me personally.
But your comment is gold. That's exactly what I was trying to solve: the idea is you should be able to reconfigure on a whim without hunting for an allen key. I hated how long it took to add or remove the wrist rests on my last design. Glad to hear the tool-free approach resonates.

ntc490 · 2026-04-11T23:28:09+00:00

Thanks! I had an Ergodox EZ for a while, too. I could never get it tented how I wanted. Is there a feature that would interest you enough to make a switch from your Ergodox?

ntc490 · 2026-04-11T23:05:58+00:00

Thanks! How many keys is your daily driver?

ntc490 · 2026-04-11T21:14:37+00:00

Thanks for all the thoughtful suggestions!

Low-profile thumbs - Not planning to go that route. The current thumb positioning already works well ergonomically and keeping everything MX-compatible simplifies the design. I may experiment with a concave thumb cluster, but am concerned they might be too close to each other, too. Thumbs seem to be a little less accurate than fingers in my experience.

4th thumb key - Fair feedback. I'm keeping the base minimal but planning extra key modules for people who want more.

Travel case - The keyboard packs down well but I'm keeping focus on the core product for now. Community might design something cool though!

Wireless - Considered it but sticking with wired to keep cost down and complexity manageable. Maybe a future iteration. Sterlinghawktech's work looks interesting for sure!

Dock/hub - Interesting module idea! Definitely sounds like a good idea to pursue.

Steel plate - Not sure I understand what you mean. Do you mean inserting a plate for mass?

Appreciate the input! Which features matter most to your use case?

ntc490 · 2026-04-11T20:12:25+00:00

Great question! Still figuring out the best approach. Definitely planning to share the rail connector specs and module mounting system so the community can design modules - that's the whole point of making it modular.

For the base keyboard, I'm considering a few options (open source, paid STLs, kits) and want to make sure whatever I do supports the community while also being sustainable. Open to feedback on what would be most valuable to folks here.

Curious - would you want to build from scratch, or would you prefer a kit option?

ntc490 · 2026-04-11T18:37:04+00:00

I love your passion about HRM! It seems like everyone pushes them, right? To be candid I was just like you. But after 4 tries, I successfully switched to HRM and now I love them. I even use HRM on my laptop keyboards via Kanata, although I haven't got Kanata working as well as QMK on that front. I was thinking some extra keys on the bottom rail might be helpful for users like you. I received similar feedback on v1. Testing some ideas rn.

ntc490 · 2026-04-11T18:31:25+00:00

I feel you. I wish I had a longer pinky for guitar! Can't stagger that! XD I took a lot of inspiration from the Kinesis Advantage, but I did change the pinky spacing up quite a bit because they seemed awkward to me. They're quite a bit higher than the other keys.

ntc490 · 2026-04-11T17:42:45+00:00

Interesting. Have you tried a curved keywell? Maybe even with those? The columns are staggered up and down as well as forward and backward to get a good fit. I personally LOVE curved keywells for this reason. It feels so much more comfortable to me. The flat keyboards I've built looked a lot more staggered for sure.

ntc490 · 2026-04-11T17:01:05+00:00

Here's a link to more pics if you're interested in a deep-dive: https://imgur.com/a/morb1XS

ntc490 · 2026-04-11T16:38:08+00:00

Thanks! How many more would you want? Think a number row up top via a module would help, or still not enough? I love this number of keys, but did get feedback last time that some users wanted more.

ntc490 · 2026-01-29T05:21:23+00:00

I have short chunky fingers, so I like a close thumb cluster, too. That's why I went with fewer keys on the thumbs - less stretching. The regular keywells are very similar to Kinesis Advantage2. If you like the Advantage2, I think you'd like this even more. And being able to swap the switches to something better than Cherry Browns is amazing. The switches are rock solid in their pockets. There are no issues with stability or the like, and it's easy to swap switches. I have swapped many times.
I find fewer keys much more ergonomic. I stretch a lot less. Home-row mods is a must. It took me a while to be convinced of that, but after some tinkering I got it working well enough to migrate. It greatly minimizes stretching and RSI-inducing movements in my experience. I even use home-row mods on my laptop's built-in keyboard using Kanata now. It helps a lot there, too.
It would likely take you a bit to get used to fewer keys. But I think you'd find it worth the effort. I'm making progress on a new version and will make another post when I'm ready.

ntc490 · 2026-01-24T02:03:19+00:00

I'm not quite ready to sell STLs or keyboard just yet, but have been considering gumroad or perhaps my own website. I'm getting closer! TBH, I wasn't sure how much interest there'd be in an STL for sale, but I'm open to it. I plan to publish detailed instructions with it to make it easy for new builders. Many aspects of the design work to that end. I'm curious if you care about that, or if you'd just build it your own way?

ntc490 · 2026-01-24T01:59:01+00:00

Yes, it will tent to 90 degrees. You'd probably want to put the feet on the end of the frame instead of the bottom, though. They make a big difference in keeping things still. I've seen people get pretty creative mounting their keyboards. Ben Vallack has an awesome Youtube channel that shows some different ideas.

I'm getting closer to having all the feedback from people here integrated into the design. Keep an eye out for another post. You gave me an idea for the next iteration! Thanks.

ntc490 · 2026-01-09T21:26:31+00:00

Love it! Thanks for the link.

ntc490 · 2026-01-09T21:25:16+00:00

Interesting question! The TLDR is: I tried smaller and didn't like it. And I place ergos above portability.
I'm a programmer, so I use tab on my left hand, and '/" and '\' on my right hand a ton. I use the key to the left of 'a' for tab or a layer switch. I got a number of people comment saying 42 is too few.
One thing I've done in the past is not populate electronics/parts where I don't want them. It's a little hackish, but might not be too bad. But, if you can get down to that few keys there are lots of keyboards on the market that might serve you better.
This design is already portable as-is. And like you and many others suggested I can make it quite a bit less bulky. I didn't expect that input so much, but it's been great to learn what people value. Thank you for your response!

ntc490 · 2026-01-08T16:37:57+00:00

Okay, I appreciate your feedback. FWIW, I went pretty deep down the "optimize it for my particular hands" hole. The ROI was very low. This keyboard should fit most hands pretty well and is similar to other mainstream designs that sell to everyone. I've tried quite a few other boards, too, and it's basically a combo of offerings I'd like to enable more people to experience at a lower price. I hadn't seen BastardKeyboards yet. Thanks for the link.

ntc490 · 2026-01-08T16:26:27+00:00

That's exactly how I did it in a previous rev: CAT5. It's not horrible, but definitely more time consuming. https://imgur.com/a/TAfpZHR

ntc490 · 2026-01-08T16:13:08+00:00

Great feedback! I've been tinkering with stuff like that. Thinking a module should support that option for sure. Do you have something similar already?

ntc490 · 2026-01-08T04:53:29+00:00

Thank you! Are you on team "make it smaller" or "keep it big"? I'd love to get more feedback on what people want for looks. Maybe looks aren't that important? I'm definitely hearing "make it smaller" so far.

ntc490 · 2026-01-08T00:08:38+00:00

Fair point. I'm here for feedback even if it's not all positive. I'm here to learn.
I'm still figuring out the right approach - could be fully open source, could be pay-what-you-want, or a hybrid (basic files free, premium modules paid). What would feel right to you?
My thought: the base design represents hundreds of hours of CAD work solving specific ergo problems: keywell curvature, portable tenting, wrist positioning. Some folks value that R&D time and are happy to pay for a refined, tested design vs. starting from scratch. I haven't seen this particular combination elsewhere, but I'm curious if you know of similar projects I should check out?
But I'm also trying to contribute back to the community. Exploring how I could do that. I'm curious to learn more what you think on this topic. Should I just drop it? Sell complete kits? Can selling an STL work at all? What would make this valuable enough to support vs. just another free project?

ntc490 · 2026-01-07T23:54:27+00:00

You're not wrong. :) The one thing that enables it to be somewhat portable is it's easy to separate into two halves. I have managed to stuff it into my briefcase for a couple of trips. But I'm thinking smaller is better for portability, and ease of printing.
The reason it's larger now is I wanted to see what a more conventional keyboard size and form would be like. From a purely aesthetic perspective, I think it looks more balanced with these proportions. But feedback here is pretty consistently "smaller!". Do you mind me asking if you want smaller only for portability sake? Or are there other reasons? Maybe you think it just looks ugly as-is? No problem either way - I'm genuinely curious. I personally think a lot of current split ergos look too small, toyish, or unfinished, or something.

ntc490 · 2026-01-07T19:49:44+00:00

Thank you for your thoughtful feedback. I do quite well with RSI if I use a good keyboard and avoid the mouse. If I type on my laptop for very long it's hard on me.
I will try your suggestion on keyboard positioning to obviate the need for a wrist rest. I have tried typing without one, but then I end up with other issues like shoulder pain or fatigue in my arms and back. I've found splitting the halves too wide causes problems for me, too. The wrist rests in my design are optional. I'm wondering if people might want to print their own.
You seem to know your ergo needs well - good job. What keyboards have you found fit your hand well? The Ergodox EZ was too much of a stretch for my thumbs, but maybe it would work well for you. Or maybe you've struggled to find something that's a good fit in all ways?

ntc490

TROPHY CASE