Years ago, I started this project and it failed, but there is knowledge in failure. Mostly, I learned that you cannot cut a keyboard in half and expect it to work. Hopefully that tidbit will help others out and keep them from ruining a usable keyboard. Admittedly, the keyboards sacrificed for this project were inexpensive silicone ones which won't be missed.
Enough background
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This project was inspired by the Vertical Ergonomic (Tie-Fighter) Keyboard Instructable. Two improvements were made, specifically replacing the connecting pieces, which were speaker mounts, with more versatile camera mounts, and using a pair of inexpensive silicone keyboard instead of a split keyboard which were expensive or hard to source. A USB hub was necessary to limit the project to a single USB port. Four port USB hubs are inexpensive and easy to buy so two ports will remain open for the future by the user.
Materials:
Scissors were used to cut away the unnecessary keys of the left hand side of one keyboard. These keys could be easily cut away because they did not contain any of the circuitry necessary for processing or transmission. The box on the left side of these keyboards contained that circuitry while the keyboard merely contained a couple membranes which contacted one another when keys were pressed. In the case of these keyboards the membrane was clear and had white traces on it.
On the right handed part of the keyboard it was not possible to simply cut the keyboard away, it was necessary to remove the unwanted keys so they could not produce unwanted key presses. The silicone keys were easy to remove, a simple cut from a razor on the side and the buttons tore off. Unwanted buttons were the ones which would not be on the wooden slab or typed with the right hand.
Holes were drilled in the back of the wooden pieces so a camera mount could be placed at the center of each. These camera mounts will provide articulation between the keyboard halves. Each mount will be connected to the other by a 1/4-20 coupling nut. Exact measurements were not taken to ensure the mounts were centered accurately. Their flexibility will allow them to compensate for minor inaccuracy.
The rest of the posts for this project have been arranged by date.
First time here?
Completed projects from year 1
Completed projects from year 2
Completed projects from year 3
Completed projects from year 4
Completed projects from year 5
Disclaimer for http://24hourengineer.blogspot.com and 24HourEngineer.com
This disclaimer must be intact and whole. This disclaimer must be included if a project is distributed.
All information in this blog, or linked by this blog, is not to be taken as advice or solicitation. Anyone attempting to replicate, in whole or in part, is responsible for the outcome and procedure. Any loss of functionality, money, property or similar, is the responsibility of those involved in the replication.
All digital communication regarding the email address 24hourengineer@gmail.com becomes the intellectual property of Brian McEvoy. Any information contained within these messages may be distributed or retained at the discretion of Brian McEvoy. Any email sent to this address, or any email account owned by Brian McEvoy, cannot be used to claim property or assets.
Comments to the blog may be utilized or erased at the discretion of the owner. No one posting may claim property or assets based on their post.
This blog, including pictures and text, is copyright to Brian McEvoy.
2015-10-24
Enough background
----------
This project was inspired by the Vertical Ergonomic (Tie-Fighter) Keyboard Instructable. Two improvements were made, specifically replacing the connecting pieces, which were speaker mounts, with more versatile camera mounts, and using a pair of inexpensive silicone keyboard instead of a split keyboard which were expensive or hard to source. A USB hub was necessary to limit the project to a single USB port. Four port USB hubs are inexpensive and easy to buy so two ports will remain open for the future by the user.
Materials:
- Wood. Can be inexpensive salvaged wood. 1/2 thick or more.
- (2) Security camera mounts. The kind with 2 thumb screws.
- (1) 1/4-20 coupler nut. Buy locally for the best price.
- (2) Silicone USB keyboards
- Mending braces. Buy locally. Must have 4 screw holes.
- 1” (25mm) diameter wooden dowel. Buy locally. Round plastic can be used too.
Identical silicone keyboards
USB hub and camera mounts
Two wooden blocks were cut which were as tall as the keyboards and as wide the edge to the space bar. The picture shows an example of the width which lines up with the space bar. This board is going to back the flexible keyboard for each hand so they have to be sized to fit all the keys for the left or right hand. Sand any splinters off.
Two identical blocks
Width of a block
Scissors were used to cut away the unnecessary keys of the left hand side of one keyboard. These keys could be easily cut away because they did not contain any of the circuitry necessary for processing or transmission. The box on the left side of these keyboards contained that circuitry while the keyboard merely contained a couple membranes which contacted one another when keys were pressed. In the case of these keyboards the membrane was clear and had white traces on it.
Determining which keys to cut away. Keeping the left hand keys only
Keyboard cut away from left hand side
On the right handed part of the keyboard it was not possible to simply cut the keyboard away, it was necessary to remove the unwanted keys so they could not produce unwanted key presses. The silicone keys were easy to remove, a simple cut from a razor on the side and the buttons tore off. Unwanted buttons were the ones which would not be on the wooden slab or typed with the right hand.
First column of removed keys
Keys removed from left side
Both halves
Holes were drilled in the back of the wooden pieces so a camera mount could be placed at the center of each. These camera mounts will provide articulation between the keyboard halves. Each mount will be connected to the other by a 1/4-20 coupling nut. Exact measurements were not taken to ensure the mounts were centered accurately. Their flexibility will allow them to compensate for minor inaccuracy.
Hole pattern for camera mounts
Camera mounts in place
The rest of the posts for this project have been arranged by date.
First time here?
Completed projects from year 1
Completed projects from year 2
Completed projects from year 3
Completed projects from year 4
Completed projects from year 5
Disclaimer for http://24hourengineer.blogspot.com and 24HourEngineer.com
This disclaimer must be intact and whole. This disclaimer must be included if a project is distributed.
All information in this blog, or linked by this blog, is not to be taken as advice or solicitation. Anyone attempting to replicate, in whole or in part, is responsible for the outcome and procedure. Any loss of functionality, money, property or similar, is the responsibility of those involved in the replication.
All digital communication regarding the email address 24hourengineer@gmail.com becomes the intellectual property of Brian McEvoy. Any information contained within these messages may be distributed or retained at the discretion of Brian McEvoy. Any email sent to this address, or any email account owned by Brian McEvoy, cannot be used to claim property or assets.
Comments to the blog may be utilized or erased at the discretion of the owner. No one posting may claim property or assets based on their post.
This blog, including pictures and text, is copyright to Brian McEvoy.
2015-10-24
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