Thank you! I'll take a look at Keebtalk!
Depending on where you live, you might run into my friend taking these photos in the woods.
Haha, it was a joke that got out of hand and people were into it!
Qazimodo - A QAZ-ish board with an exploded right column
Qazimodo group buy is now open!
Qazimodo is an aluminum Vial-compatible QAZ-ish keyboard with an exploded right column of 3 keys, inspired by the Vault 35 HHKB and my friend who hates 40s.
Details:
- Aluminum case
- Top mounted
- 3 degree typing angle
- POM switch plate
- STM32F072-based hot-swap PCB
Kit contents:
- 1 case (top and bottom)
- 1 hot-swap PCB
- 1 POM plate
- Hardware (case screws and plate screws)
- 4 SKUF silicone feet
Vendor:
- Myself, purchases can be made at Quasi Keys
Price:
- $250 USD plus shipping (and import fees and taxes depending on location)
Group buy dates:
- Group buy will be open November 11 to 25.
ETA:
- Q2 2025
Links:
GB channel available on the 40s Discord
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.
Qazimodo design revisions
I mentioned in a previous post that I made a few design changes to the Qazimodo case and wanted to highlight those changes.
New vs old design photos here.
- Removed the visible seam between the top and bottom of the case. Now the bottom is inserted into the top. This helps a ton with alignment which was a bit of an issue with the first iteration and it helps smooth out the curve.
- USB port improvements. The first USB port was pretty small and didn’t work with some cables. It also didn’t flow smoothly with the curve.
- Doubled the number of bottom screws to help prevent pinging and make things more sturdy.
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!
Purple Qazimodo prototype
Last week I sent this purple Qazimodo prototype to my good friend (chellekeebs on Instagram) and she took these amazing photos of it. Love how it looks with Lilac Dreams.
I was very close to not doing a purple case but I’m so glad I did!
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.
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.
Updated Qazimodo prototypes arrived this week!
Made some design updates based on feedback I received from a couple fellow keyboard designers and I just received the first two prototypes this week. Super happy with how they turned out.
This is a really good read, thanks for sharing it! I'm currently in the process of deciding how to move forward with the sale of the keyboard I designed so this is all really relevant information for me.
Here it is! (Sorry I’m guessing imgur wasn’t really what you had in mind when you said not a centralized platform)
This layout was made for speed
This was an actual typing test using the QAZ keys over on the right side which is less horrible than I imagined it would be. I probably got lucky, though, because there weren't many Q's or Z's in my test.
Family photo
Top: KBt RE: 66, Akko Mod 005 Middle: Zoom 65, Qazimodo Bottom: Vault 35, Daisy 40, mISO 34
Qazimodo
Qazimodo interest check is now open!
Qazimodo is an aluminum Vial-compatible QAZ-ish keyboard with an exploded right column of 3 keys, inspired by the Vault 35 HHKB.
Details:
- Aluminum case
- Top mounted
- 3 degree typing angle
- POM switch plate (subject to change)
- STM32F072-based PCB
Qazimodo prototype
I started designing the Qazimodo in February and just got the first aluminum case from the manufacturer a couple days ago. Very happy with how it turned out.
Built my Vault 35 yesterday
Vault 35 by MechVault
- Lubed Banana Milk Tactiles
- Akko Cream MDA keycaps
- Everglide stabs
Favorite lesser-known restaurants?
What are some of your favorite GR restaurants that you think more people should know about?
Welcome!
I set up this community mostly because r/grandrapids went private as a part of the ongoing protest (which I fully support) and I missed having a place to see what’s going on around town. Hopefully we can get at least a small portion of that here.
If anybody stumbles upon this and knows of a better alternative, let me know!