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!
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 😎
That’s awesome. I’m currently in the process of designing the PCB for the 40% ortho I’ve been working on. Once I’m done with this one I’m definitely going to build a split, maybe I’ll have to build one of yours because the more I look at it the more I like it lol.
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
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.
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!
My first test print:
Came out OK with a few caveats,
- Way too much support material
- A few warps and a horizontal line from where I paused the print overnight
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.
They keys within the columns are spaced as tightly together as I could get them without interference. The column to column has more space though - I just found it more comfy as I ran through some iterations. But now I’m getting curious about smashing the columns together again…I think the keyboard could be considerably smaller. I’ll release this version and continue to mess around…I’m just working through some annoying under-extrusion issues on my printer, so I’m hoping that I can have it released in a couple weeks.
