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Comment by mech422 | Hacker News Reader

after having tried various splits, including the ergodox and the kinesis - I'm gonna hold out for something like (1) so I can adjust the dam thumb clusters. My thumbs are too short otherwise. It doesn't use via/qmk by default, but VIA can be installed. Only other thing I'd like is it to have curved wells like a dactyl(2) (but the dactyl's don't have adjustable thumb clusters sigh )

1 https://www.zsa.io/moonlander/ 2 https://bastardkb.com/product/charybdis-prebuilt-preorder-2/

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Have you looked at all at the ZSA Voyager and if so, what were your thoughts? I realise it cuts down on the number of thumb buttons compared to the Moonlander but I saw quite a few Moonlander users who have used both saying they'd opt for the Voyager[0] or have got both and prefer the Voyager. Many people seem to have issues with the Moonlander's thumb cluster especially with smaller hands.

[0] https://www.reddit.com/r/ErgoMechKeyboards/comments/17ee1tr/...

I actually haven't tried either of them yet... but the Voyager thumb cluster isn't adjustable, so I figured I'd like the moonlander better ?

btw - I'd _really_ rather have a dactyl (especially one with a track ball) but there don't seem to be any with adjustable thumb cluster, and I'm worried they'd be too big for my thumbs...

Most dactyl designs are parametric, meaning you measure your hands and the design is automatically created to adjust your hands.

yeah - there's even some ocaml code for generating 'custom fit' dactyls. Problem in, the shells take hours to print and it a very finicky 'fitting' process. I stopped after like 3 'test' dactyl shells.

I see, not sure how far you're willing to pursue this but you _might_ find help on Reddit or Discord. I would be very surprised if you are the first person with short thumbs to want a Dactyl. Someone might have paved the way with a hand similar to yours.

Some subreddits that I know: r/ErgoMechKeyboards r/MechanicalKeyboards r/olkb

Also I know about these on Discord: SliceMK KBDFans BastardKB SplitKB QMK

Thanks! I generally make the rounds every 6 months or so... But I've been building keebs for a few years now, and I gotta cut back :-P The biggest issue is it takes forever to print a shell to 'test fit' it. It would actually be cool if you could print the shells upside down so you don't have to print the whole thing to see how it feels.

Oh! looks like there's a OpenSCAD parametric dactyl now (1) I think this was the clojure one I was playing with before: (2)

1: https://github.com/pseudoku/Dactyl-It-Yourself-Editor

2: https://github.com/l4u/dactyl-manuform-mini-keyboard

I hadn't seen the first one, nice! Well, the only way to cut back is to make the end-game kb, which will also be a Dactyl for me but I think I’ll buy it from either ohkeycaps[1] or cyboard[2]. cyboard also does measure-to-build[3], it might entice you if you decide to buy it ready-made instead of building yourself.

[1] https://ohkeycaps.com/products/built-to-order-dactyl-manufor...

[2] https://www.cyboard.digital/

[3] https://www.cyboard.digital/product-page/imprint

I hadn't seen the cyboard - Thanks!

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