cheapino VS keyboards

The cheapino is super cheap: https://github.com/tompi/cheapino

If you're looking for a 40s Ergo Split, then the Cheapino is really cheap: https://github.com/tompi/cheapino/ (though you have to source parts & PCB yourself + soldering required)

Is there a project similar to the cheapino with a similar goal of offering a DIY cost-effective monoblock 34/36 key keyboard?

inspired by the cheapino

Depending on how comfortable you are ordering PCBs yourself, the Cantor (https://github.com/diepala/cantor ) or the Cheapino (https://github.com/tompi/cheapino ) might be a good starting point for getting into split keyboards, both are diodeless, so you only need to solder the switches and use relatively cheap microcontrollers

If money is a big concern, you could look for cheaper style boards like this one designed specifically to be on the cheaper side: https://github.com/tompi/cheapino

Here is the link to the project: https://github.com/tompi/cheapino

I have custom alpha layers and extremely optimized symbol layers, combos and other features in my keymap. It is not designed for web development, but it is good for VIM and Java.

That made me think. If I would adapt Romak for 20 keys, it would be something like this:

But since you are a programmer, I invite you to check the fancy programmer features that I have implemented in my keymap. I still need to rework on the documentation, but you can take some inspiration from there if you decide to design your own.

Romak also has some very nice attributes, as do poqtea and uciea. I also find Canary to have a lot of merit.

There is also the unusual option to handwire a keyboard without soldering, as I did here, but the result might not be so reliable.

You can see my layout here.

I started my own layout, Romak, using BEAKL as inspiration, with similar objectives, mostly making it more suitable for my home language and reducing the load on pinkies and indexes, concentrating in the middle and ring fingers instead. Another thing I did was to remove the top row key from both the central and pinkie columns. Later I also removed the bottom row key from the pinkies.

My first handwired board checks all your requirements, and I have some pictures of the process, but it is not a complete guide. It might help though. And I think the FFKB case can be great for a first handwired project.

Really nice work, congrats. My custom layout is designed for both Portuguese and English, and I have some of the same ideas implemented, with similar reasoning. I also have some programming features that remind yours, but I preferred to remap hjkl instead.

I've used two different options in my builds. You can see them in the build logs: FFKB and Rommana.