Support for Alternative Layouts
This is a summary of how alternative layouts have been supported by kits such as Colevrak and Homing. It is not a discussion of alt layout performance and development, but if that interests you I highly recommend starting with Pascal Getreuer’s A guide to alt keyboard layouts (why, how, which one?). It’s a concise and comprehensive overview with links to some great sites that go deeper. He also has a separate Links about keyboards page. The Keyboard layouts doc he recommends explains layout goals and metrics in detail, summarizing the alt layouts discussed here as well as more than one hundred others. Sculpted-profile The majority of custom keycap sets are sculpted-profile (Cherry, SA, MT3, KAT, etc. - more on profiles generally here) so let’s start there. Because each row has a unique keycap shape, alt layouts require a unique keycap for each legend that moves off its QWERTY row. At first there were two The Dvorak layout was patented in 1936 by August Dvorak & William L....
Apr 23, 2024
These are made not in a factory, but by two actual human beings with their hands. This is not just cutting a piece of wood, putting a bevel on it and calling it a day. These are sanded to be glass smooth - you can ask anyone that has received one from us, including the Massdrop team. The amount of care and time that goes into the sanding process is significant. In addition, when we finish them, this isn't using typical finishes from Home Depot. We use professional furniture quality finishes. These are very different finishes from what you will find on any other wood product sold here on MD (and that is not meant to disparage, but simply point out a difference). We apply multiple coats and we allow for proper drying time in between each one.
So you have to understand, the price is reached by taking many things into account. Not just the material price, but also the cost of sanding, and finishing, the blades needed to make these, the feet that go on the underside and, it should go without saying, but the amount of time it takes to make something that is worth selling (and, in my opinion buying).
I understand that this may not be for everyone. And I respect everyone's opinion on cost, and any other feedback. I realize I may not sway anyone with my explanation, but it is better to provide one then say nothing.
Thank you!
These shipping rates are actually Massdrop's, not mine. I am doing the fulfillment, but they are providing the shipping labels. I have no idea how they got you a $6 shipping rate from US to Germany. When I ship normally it costs like 3x that much, and no tracking is provided.
Perhaps someone from the MD team could chime in?