The Manuform is the first keyboard I have built. It is a 50% keyboard based on the ManuForm by Jeff Gran and is focussed on ergonomic typing with ortholinear (non-staggered) columns and minimal finger movement. The main differences between the original and this version are:
- hidden screws by using embedded nuts
- aluminum bottom plate for extra rigidity
- 6 extra keys (in my case mapped to quick media access like play/pause, mute, etc.)
- rotary encoder for volume control
If you want to built a custom ergonomic keyboard, I highly recommend to have a look at my other keyboards instead. The Manuform takes a really long time to build (mainly due to the hand-wiring) and the build guide will be incomplete and sparse. It was my first try in building custom keyboards and is mainly included for reference.
- 54x keyboard switches (Cherry MX, Gateron, etc.)
- 48x keycaps 1U
- 6x keycaps 1.5U
- 54x diodes 1N4148
- 1x Arduino Pro Micro
- 1x Micro-USB plug to USB-C jack adapter
- 8x countersunk head screws M3x10
- 8x nuts M3
- 4-8x rubber feet
- ~300g of PETG filament
- access to a CNC router or laser cutter (for the bottom plate, I ordered mine online)
The firmware is powered by QMK, install QMK if not already done. After the installation it is necessary to add a symlink to the qmk/ subfolder of this repository to the QMK keyboards/ directory, for Linux e.g by
ln -s /path/to/manuform/qmk /path/to/qmk/keyboards/manuform
Now you should be able to compile the keyboard firmware by executing
qmk compile -kb manuform -km default
Make sure to have a look at the excellent QMK Documentation on how to create and customize your own keymap.
Start by printing the case split into the left and right half. For both halves you have to insert the embedded M3 nuts during printing. I recommend using PrusaSlicer for slicing, since the necessary print pause is already configured in the attached 3MF files.
For the wiring, have a look at the hand-wiring guide by QMK. The matrix layout can be found or adjusted in qmk/manuform.h.
Also, connect the encoder to D2, D3 and GND.
Cut out/order the bottom plate and use a countersink bit to allow the countersunk screws to sit flush. After screwing on the bottom plate and attaching the rubber feet, the build is completed.
This project is licensed under the MIT license, see LICENSE.txt for further information.