I designed it in Fusion, 3d printed several prototypes, and then had a manufacturer CNC these out of aluminum. It was a huge learning experience.
I’m a little biased since I designed this keyboard, but the main layout was inspired by the Vault 35 HHKB which has been my favorite layout for quite a while!
Haha totally understand!
It’s not for everyone but you do get used to it surprisingly fast.
I first got into 40s because I wanted more free desk space and then I moved to a 35%. My friend always said my 35 didn’t have enough keys so I designed this layout as a joke but enough people liked it that I decided to actually make it.
In my default layout, QAZ are mapped to Esc, Tab, Shift and I use the keys on the right for macros.
Does this mean you won’t be joining the GB?
Thank you!
It’s my daily driver. I was using the original prototype up until this one was delivered. Same layout, just a slightly different case design.
Haha you are correct, I have used it with QAZ on the right side.
My friend always says my Vault 35 doesn’t have enough keys so I made this layout on Keyboard Layout Editor as a joke and then he said I should make it a real keyboard and then I posted it on the 40s discord and they said I should make it a real keyboard and next thing I knew I was making 3d printed prototypes and shopping for manufacturers.
It’s very ergonomic, I swear.
Haha it was at my wife’s family cottage for decades and we tried to sell it in a garage sale but nobody wanted it so it’s been sitting in our basement for several years. I had a SNES and N64 hooked up to it for a while but didn’t play them much so now it’s back in the basement.
Also getting a screenshot of a typing test on it was kind of a huge pain and I probably did it in the most convoluted way possible. But in the end I was super happy with how the shot turned out, especially since a friend of mine made this insanely cool video out of it.
In a good way or a bad way?
It’s honestly really useful having the three keys off to the right. You can just map them to macros or something.
When you hit Q, A, and Z at the same time it spits this out
You guys always kill me because it’s like you come up with a funny idea for a keyboard meme product and then someone spends actual effort mocking it up or making a CAD model and then someone decides to actually make it and you spend real money on it because nobody had the sense to just say “this is actually stupid” somewhere along the way.
It takes some getting used to but I’ve been using a 35% for work for almost a year now and I don’t think I can go back.
People kept asking me how I use a keyboard without QAZ so I threw them on there to appease everyone.
It started as a joke but then I posted the layout from KLE on the 40% Discord and things got out of hand and the next thing I knew I was reaching out to manufacturers on Alibaba.
When is the group buy??
The current PCB doesn’t have ISO support, but you’re not the first person who has asked and I do like ISO… I might need to make one in the future.