Post-Mechanical Writing Cores
'All the forces in the world are not so powerful
as an idea whose time has come.'
Victor Hugo
A New Writing Instrument for the 21st Century
Touch-typing with an alphanumeric keyboard using muscle memory requires a relaxed neutral posture.
The writer's body is squared-up on the typing core with the arms hanging down from the shoulders. The elbows are flexed to raise the forearms into the transversal plane and those forearms are angled anteromedially to station the two hands in concert over the character key array. Inwardly angled hands allow the writer's fingertips to facilely align with the straight rows of keys. Relaxed fingers readily conform to "home-row".
To reach keys outside of home-row the fingers must extend or contract vertically. The course a fingertip naturally follows is not truly vertical but is angled inwardly at the top, and outwardly at the bottom. The angled forearms dictate these "natural biomechanical angles." The fingers are extensions of the forearms. When hands and fingers obtain comfortable alignment with angled key columns, a relaxed instinctive flow of movement is permitted.
Any human-factored keyboard that is designed for two-handed writing must contain a bilaterally symmetric split character key array with those character keys aligned along natural biomechanical angles. Those character keys must be populated with a letter sequence that is arranged for two-handed writing.
A revised typing core with neither the asymmetric monolithic character key array of the 19th-century mechanical typewriter nor the odd Qwerty letter scheme is more accurately dubbed the "Post-Mechanical Writing Core."
To create the unique writing cores, the uneven horizontal keystagger of the mechanical typewriter was smoothed out to a uniform one-third between the four rows of character keys. That keystagger was reversed for the left-hand keys, creating a split character key array. Several carriage keys were moved from the outer perimeter of the footprint to fill the gap along the center line, and some outlying character keys were relocated to create bilateral symmetry.
The numbers-row keys are in direct vertical alignment with the bottom alpha-row keys... à la post-mechanical.
Each of the bilaterally symmetric split-array writing cores presented above have 48 character keys. Those character keys are positioned in two banks that contain linear oblique key columns aligned upon mirrored angles. Those key columns conform to the natural biomechanical angles of the operator's fingers.
A writer using either of the two variants will find that vertical reaches out of home-row are comfortable for both hands and fewer errors occur due to off-center keystrokes that unwittingly actuate adjacent keys. Each hand has an equal number of assignments. The workloads of the fingers are balanced by design.
Both Post-Mechanical variants are backward compatible with the European ISO keyboard layout, which embodies forty-eight character keys. Conventional US English ANSI keyboards have just forty-seven.
The Final Verdict: The initial Testbed keyboard design was rejected. The Final variant is a more intuitive design.
Previous endeavors to market "ergonomic" alphanumeric keyboards have produced unnecessarily complicated writing instruments that fail to satisfy human biomechanical needs. Those ergo-keyboards are more expensive to manufacture and will never directly fit into any currently manufactured notebook PC products.
Traditional "old-school" alphanumeric keyboards for desktop and portable PCs were designed around a fifteen-key wide five-row deep typing core. A well-established trend in today's PC industry is to produce notebook keyboards with typing cores 14.5 units wide. Many PC manufacturers also produce substandard desktop keyboards.
The Post-Mechanical compact keyboard designs have a nostalgic footprint; the cursor control keys are full-sized. The up-arrow key cannot intrude into the writing core and there are no half-height mechanical keyboard switches made; therefore, my home-built compact keyboards must use full-size keys with the bottom three keys of the cursor pad dropped below the 15U by 5U writing core... my fat fingers are thrilled with this old-school design.
Ergonomically speaking, the numeric pad on laptop PCs is a bad idea. That feature forces writers well off center of the typing core. Align yourself with the screen: you must awkwardly reach sideways to write. Position yourself to comfortably use the keyboard: the screen is off-center of your vision. Use the numeric pad for a long period: you must push the laptop even farther off center. Users would prefer a $10 stand-alone numeric keypad.
The Post-Mechanical writing core must be centered on the display of a notebook. It could be misaligned by 0.5U from the centerline to keep the receiving hole in the deck symmetrically positioned, that's not a deal-breaker.
My truncated 15.5U wide notebook keyboard can be fitted directly into current laptop cases for 14-inch displays. To fit inside current cases for 15.6-inch or 17-inch displays blank ears must be added... a temporary expedience.
PC makers should build 15U wide writing cores for the Post-Mechanical: narrowed 1.25U shift keys are needlessly skimpy. Full 16U wide laptop keyboards require manufacturers to modify all cases made for displays of all sizes.
All of the designs include a six-key wide spacebar. Conventional desktop and notebook keyboards have a narrower 5U or 5U+ spacebar key. Any of the variants could just as well embody a 5U spacebar. Lo que será, será.
Ronald Earl Walker - Contemporary Keyboard Designer
Post-Mechanical Writing Core Keyboards
A Better Writing Instrument for Every Language
Dvorak was designed for writing English, but a writer of any language that uses the Greek, Latin or Cyrillic alphabet will be better served by Dvorak than Qwerty. Writers that use any script devised by humans will be better served by the Post-Mechanical keyboard configuration. The mechanical typewriter interface causes repetitive stress injury.
The Post-Mechanical writing core is designed as a drop-in replacement for the ugly mechanical typewriter core that resides in every conventional keyboard on this planet. Yes, I am an ambitious alphanumeric keyboard designer!
PC manufacturers can build Post-Mechanical product lines with uniform profile keycaps. Those products will ship with the keys needed to convert between Dvorak and Qwerty. Consumers will decide which scheme to use.
There are no keycap sets made for my unique keyboards.
I must use large (over 130 piece) XDA, or similar uniform profile Qwerty keycap sets as best I can. Replacement keyboard stickers are used to relabel keycaps as needed. The results are imperfect but satisfying. I have eleven handmade keyboards on hand, they are my gap-toothed honeys.
All of my designs for the US market are plug-n-play, hardwired to use the US English (Qwerty) keyboard driver.
Inside of my 'all-gussied-up' GitHub project you will find the files needed to build my two-hand compact and TKL keyboards, in Dvorak or Qwerty. Also included are files for my left-hand and right-hand compact keyboards.
The project contains the KiCad PCB design files, PCB gerber files, QMK firmware files, OpenSCAD keyboard case design files, 3D printing model files, and a link to my custom KiCad library.
Guidance: Select the 'GitHub Repository' button below. Inside of my 'all-gussied-up' GitHub project, select the green 'Code' button, then select 'Download ZIP' to grab all of the files needed to build any of my keyboards.
Keycap stickers are available for many languages. Other-than-English variants of the Post-Mechanical can be easily built with a Qwerty scheme... what a waste. Every fledgling writer on this planet is Dvorak-worthy.
My keyboards are designed to supersede the "Universal" Qwerty typewriter standard. They can be adapted to serve writers in every region of the world. The same scan codes are used in every PC keyboard no matter what language.
I invite hobbyists worldwide to build Dvorak 2024 keyboards. Adapting the Dvorak scheme for OTE languages will require re-mapping of the AltGr characters with custom keyboard drivers. Many programmers are capable of writing Dvorak 2024 drivers for the major operating systems. Where is the Torvald crew when they are needed? JAJA
Children, living anywhere in the world, should not be forced into the 150-year-old mechanical typewriter tradition. In a perfect world, future generations of writers will cease using the word "type" as a substitute for the word "write."
Ronald Earl Walker - Unabashed Qwerty Killer
Post-Mechanical Writing Cores for Other Languages
A Comprehensive Post-Mechanical DIY Guide
BILL OF MATERIALS
Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 1 each
Cherry MX2A switches, or compatible Compact/Tenkeyless 87/89 each
1N4148 diodes, D0-35 Compact/Tenkeyless 87/89 each
Elite-C V4 controller Standoffs are included 1 each
XDA keycap set (over 130 pcs) White, with four 1.5U and four 1.25U keys 1 set
XDA spacebar 6U (rare) Any color available, offset or centered stem 1 each
Cherry OEM PCB stabilizer 6U (rare) Clips into the PCB 1 each
Cherry OEM PCB stabilizer 2U Two-Hand/Single-Hand 1/4 each
Keyboard stickers, replacement (rare) Black letters/White background 1 set
Keyboard case sections (3D printed parts) PETG filament 1 set
M3-18 socket head screws Varies by variant and printer size 6 or 4 or 2 each
M3-8 button head screws 8 each
Soldering station w/digital display for good temperature control 1 each
Lead-free rosin core solder, RoHS Sn99 Ag0.3 Cu0.7 0.6/0.8mm thick 1 roll
Desoldering wick, RoHS for removing solder 0.075/0.1 inch wide 1 roll
Liquid solder flux, RoHS aid for lead-free soldering/desoldering 1 bottle
Rosin paste solder flux, RoHS aid to keep the soldering iron tip tinned 1 jar
Solder fume extractor for the health of your lungs 1 each
2.5mm ball-end hex key For case assembly 1 each
USB-A to type C data cable Straight or 90-degree (see note below) 1 each
COMPLETE DETAILS OF THE POST-MECHANICAL PRAXIS
1. Soldering electronics is both art and science. I have learned to use RoHS compliant soldering materials. Locally sourced lead-free solder produced unsatisfactory results. It is too thick, made for electrical work. Buy online. Hint: Use a good digital soldering station to control the heat. Use a narrow chisel tip for better heat transfer to solder the through-hole parts.
2. Install all the 1N4148 diodes in their proper orientation. Match-up the band on the diode (which may be inconsistently painted and hard to read) with the band on the silkscreen. Use the edge of the PCB as a tool to preform the diode leads. Insert the leads into the PCB and secure the diodes by bending the leads flush to the board. Note: This technique is depicted in the photo gallery on the second page.
3. Triple check the orientation of the diodes, then solder them all. Do not solder the through hole pads to the neighboring uncut leads by mistake, push the leads out of the way as you go.
Take Notice: One reversed diode will kill the controller.
4. Trim the excess leads off the diodes close to the pads. Cut straight across the splayed-out leads, perpendicular to the PCB. Danger: Cutting the leads at an angle will produce needlelike hooks that will easily slip into your fingertips and rip you open! Handle the built-up PCB carefully.
5. Install and solder the switches in manageable batches, leaving a wide space around the Elite-C micro-controller slot. Along the way, check the seating of the switches. You will, on occasion, find crooked switches that must be straightened. Take Notice: Placement of the spacebar switch depends upon the spacebar procured. The 6U key can have an offset stem, a centered stem, or both.
6. Insert the long leads of one Elite-C standoff into the bottom of the PCB and solder from the top. Tack down one pin while holding the standoff up, from below, against the PCB. Hint: You do not need three hands. Lay the solder wire across the pad and wrap it around the pin before tacking it down. Voila! Danger: Take my word for it, you do not want to be holding on to a standoff by the metal pin that you are soldering... D'oh!
7. Make sure that the standoff is square and flush to the PCB before soldering the remaining pins. Hint: Raise the temperature a bit for the standoff pins, and even more for the ground pins (marked in the silkscreen). This ensures that you do not linger too long with the heat and melt the plastic pin holders. Install and solder the remaining standoffs.
8. Lower the temperature back down before installing and soldering the remaining switches. Warning: First check to make sure that you did not melt the heretofore installed switches with the shaft of the soldering iron during the preceding step.
9. Build each of the case halves, top and bottom, securing the 3D printed sections together with M3-18mm socket head screws. Lightly lube the screw threads and receiving holes. Warning: You really must use a 2.5mm ball-end hex key to get the angle needed. Using a regular hex key is a nightmare... I tried. The screws started off at an angle, then my hands gave out followed closely by my patience. Do not over-tighten.
10. Take Notice: Evaluate the assembled case top for fit. It should slip over the switches without binding. A gentle snap to "fit like a girdle" is OK, but binding-up that requires force is not. Examine the PCB for crooked switches that were overlooked. If necessary, print a "corrected" case top.
11. Install and solder the Elite-C with the reset switch facing toward the PCB. Hint: Remember to raise the temperature a bit for the ground pins. Warning: Handle the controller and PCB by the edges. Static Shock Will Kill Electronics.
12. Carefully handle and position the PCB into the case bottom, then secure the case top to the bottom with M3-8mm button head screws. Lube as before. Do not overtighten.
13. Install the keycaps, leaving "Backspace" off to allow reset switch access on the two-hand compact variants. When building single-hand compact keyboards the "Caps Lock" keycap is left off.
14. Install the firmware using QMK Toolbox. You must have a USB-C to A cable, and some tool to press the switch on the Elite-C by reaching through the reset hole in the case top. Note: Use the link below to view the official documents. When ready open QMK toolbox, unplug your working USB keyboard then plug in your newly minted keyboard. Follow the instructions.
15. Install the "Backspace" or "CapsLock" keycap and apply the needed replacement keycap stickers.
Enjoy your writing instrument. You never have to "type" again.
Rework: Mistakes do happen. Removing a through hole part is difficult. I tore up a PCB trying to desolder a controller, so I purchased an electric desoldering iron/solder sucker. Hint: Clean the throat and barrel out regularly and lube the sucker's O-ring. Keep spare tips, they wear out often.
Notice: Removing a controller intact is almost impossible. I am one-for-three in this category. The sensible thing to do is: desolder the pins as best you can, then use needle-nose pliers to break apart the controller's PCB. Desolder and remove all remaining copper debris from the standoff pins.
FINDING UNCOMMON PARTS
1. PCBs for any of my four keyboard variants... PCBWay. The Gerber files needed to order a PCB are found inside my PCBWay+ projects. Note: Use the links below to find the Two-Hand variants. Links to the Single-Hand variants are found on the next web page.
2. The 6U XDA profile spacebar... Amazon, YMDK XDA convex spacebar, grey.
3. The 6U Cherry stabilizer PCB mounted... Flashquark... Amazon, YMDK PCB mounted OEM Original Cherry PCB Stabilizers.
4. Elite-C V4 micro-controller... Keebio in the US... Mechboards in the UK.
5. Keyboard stickers, replacement with white background... www.4keyboard.com (good materials/design, but not always cut out... exacto knife).
6. The 90-degree USB-C connector on the C to A cables for my compact keyboards must have a deep reach, most do not... Amazon.
MAKING THE 3D PRINTED PARTS
Is it cost effective to take up 3D printing just to build a few keyboards? A budget medium-sized printer costs $200-400. Manufacturers substitute rubber wheels and nylon bushings for metal bearings. The accuracy is reduced, and the cheap printer parts wear out prematurely.
Think carefully. You probably already know someone who does 3D printing, a hobbyist with years of experience. Ask them if they could print a keyboard case for you. Barter several of your surplus Post-Mechanical PCBs or some spools of filament, they might come to terms. Pay an amateur 3D maker for their services, they will perform well in hope of future orders. You can always hire a local print farmer.
A reminder: Do not install the controller before you have a case in-hand that is tested for fit. Your selected 3D maker will need to use your built-up PCB, sans controller, to scale the print of the case top (see page three). After soldering the controller in handle the PCB assembly by the edges.
Being a 3D print farmer is satisfying. My grandfather had a woodworking hobby, he made some interesting things. I make plug-n-play computer keyboards that can work with any PC in the world. 3D printing will routinely throw you some aggravating curveballs.
If I needed another printer, I would not hesitate to buy a Prusa Mk4S kit. My first printer was a Prusa i3 Mk3S+ kit. Building that printer taught me how the devices work. That knowledge made it possible for me to build a Voron Trident 350. Upgrading the Prusa to a Mk3.5 doubled print speed, added Wi-Fi connectivity, and adaptive mesh bed leveling. Only Prusa Research could offer such a great upgrade!
There are good reasons why most print farms are filled with Prusa printers. They make excellent quality prints and are very dependable. Many replacement parts are stocked in the US. If the parts must come from Czechoslovakia, they are just three days away.
Ronald Earl Walker - Handmade Keyboard Guru