flow-MX36 released!
Hi folks, I've been working on this keyboard pretty much since January of this year, and I've finally got it to the point that I can call it done! If you'd like to build one, all files are available here.
This is an MX-based keyboard, 36 keys with integrated trackball. The github page has a bunch more details. I also have a choc version in dev using the same style that's based off the Trinidox.
Let me know what you think!
This looks really cool. I've been interested in the idea of keyboards with built in trackballs for a while now, I really need to make some time to build one.
Thanks for sharing!
Fingerpunch.xyz has a few boards with integrated trackballs. Ximi, FFKB v3, Rock On v3 and upcoming Vulpes Majora
I was pretty blown away the first time I used a split with integrated trackball. I've since been on a mission to get a trackball on all my keyboards 😎
Oh man, what are you doing to me? I have almost everything together to build a Charybis and have procrastinated the hell out of that project and now I need to have new stuff printed and restart my whole procrastination routine?
No seriously, this is one extremely fine and finished looking keyboard.
Can the pi PICO accommodate two trackball halves?
Do you have a picture or video of you typing on it?
I am very interested how far you have to move your hand to reach the trackball.
haha sorry! Decisions are tough...I say build both :-)
I'm not quite sure what you mean by two trackball halves...do you mean a trackball on both the left and right? Totally possible if that's what you mean since each side has a uC...but I think I'm not quite catching your question.
I'll get some pics of hand on home row and hand on trackball. I aim for it to be equivalent to a "row shift", meaning when using the trackball, the fingers rest comfortably on the top row which then become the mouse buttons. This works well if you use HJKL for VIM style arrow keys since it can all be on the same nav layer: home row for arrows, top row for mouse buttons. Take a peek at the Trinidox page I linked to...it has pictures of home row and trackball use and should be very similar to the flow-MX36.
Thanks for your interest! Keep me posted...would love to see another build in the wild!
This is fucking amazing. Thank you for sharing the files. How do you like the built in trackball? I’ve never been one to ball with my thumb but I like the concept a lot.
Thanks! Regarding the trackball, I can't imagine not having it. I found it pretty natural from the start. When I'm stuck without it, I really notice when I have to move my hand between the keyboard and mouse. It's almost as if everything has the speed and convenience of a keyboard operation... And with that statement, I've just triggered the whole VIM community, haha
What is the difference between the MX and the choc version? If I understand correctly, chocs also fit in the 14x14 mm plate holes that the MXs need. And since you're hand-wiring, there is no PCB with different holes. Shouldn't the chocs just fit the MX version?
You're totally right. The thickness of the key matrix could have been 2mm for choc (instead of 4mm for MX), and I bet there's a way to combine the recesses for the difference in key switch grippers.The spacing between keys in a column can be 2mm closer for choc (key cap difference), meaning the choc keys in an MX board would have an extra 2mm between keys (more reaching, gasp!). Unfortunate, but doable.
The deal breaker for me was the position of the trackball. A choc key is much lower than an MX key, meaning a choc on the MX would lead to reaching up to the trackball. I found that quite uncomfortable. I actually had a trackball placement somewhat like that during dev and used it for a week...I injured a tendon in my thumb and had go back to another board for a while, hehe. Trackball placement is finicky.
Sorry I might not be understanding this correctly, but does that mean the choc version will have proper choc spacing and be 2mm closer? And a properly located trackpad on top of that?
That is exactly what I've been waiting for. I printed the case for a MX Skeletyl but found the spacing a bit too far, and the choc skeletyl that I printed felt a bit off for some reason.
Can I upvote a second time for the ThinkPad?
This is such a nice keyboard, and the documentation with all the AliExpress links is awesome 👍
Super nice!!
Looks amazing! The mouse-ball I think is really cool addition, never seen something like that before
Thanks!
Can you tell me which setting you used to print the top shells? I just got a printer (Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro) and would like to try my luck with them.
Nothing out if the normal. I'm a big fan of tree supports, but aside from that it's just a standard layer height for a 0.4mm nozzle. Temp will depend on the type of filament you decide to use. I have to admit, I've had my printer for around 2 years and I've gotten by with learning very little about it and doing almost no maintenance... I'm somewhat paying the price now because the thing is giving me nothing but trouble 😭
Excited to see how it looks!
Ah. I think I overdid it. I am.printing a first test in black PLA, with 0.2 mm layer height. I chose normal supports, because tree supports only generated three or four supports and I feared that would not be enough. Because I read it somewhere as a tip for Dactyl shells, I went with 100% infill. This will be one massive shell and a lot of cleanup work, when it is finished!
Coolest keyboard trackpad combo I've seen by far.
I'd be lying if I said I understood what the extra buttons where I expected the spacebar to be. Anyone care to explain.
They are really whatever you want them to be. But usually space enter backspace shift etc + layer switching. These 36 key keyboards don’t have the number row, function row or even some of the symbols. So you use other ways to get that to function. Here’s a video of a 34 key layout that I think explains things well https://youtu.be/8wZ8FRwOzhU