dactyl-cc VS kint

Keeping with keywells, there's the split kinesis advantage boards: - Without palm rest: Dactyl CC - With palm rest: Ergo S-1

I need a split keyboard with concave key wells that also has an ergonomic palm/wrist rest like Kinesis Advantage boards have. I borrowed a friend's Kinesis Advantage 2 for a mont last year and it was fantastic - much more comfortable for me than the handful of dactyl and dactyl-manuform variants I've tried (although I wished I could have slightly adjusted the spacing between the two sides). I'm not very able to pay to try a KA360 or Glove80 at the moment, but I have a well-tuned 3D printer and a drawer of various key switches. I know that critical aspects of Kinesis' form factor are patented, but I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for DIY boards that feel a bit more similar to the real thing. Extra points for boards with 36-ish keys (more keys is fine, too, though). Trackballs are nice, too, but not required - either way, I'll probably add a TrackPoint on the right side. I've had my eye on the Charybdis Nano, but I'm not convinced I'll actually find it comfortable. If anyone has used both the Charybdis and the Kinesis Advantage, subjective comparisons are appreciated. I'm also curious about what the Dactyl-CC, and if people who've tried it feel it lives up to it's description of being more Kinesis-like. Thanks!

I'm building a keyboard inspired by the dactyl-cc (and by the Kinesis Advantage 360 by proxy). Before I started out laying up stuff, I've been thinking on the general layout. All feedback is welcome!

The Dactyl variant the closest to OG Kinesis in spirit is Dactyl-CC AFAIK.

Also worth checking out: https://github.com/mjohns/dactyl-cc

Not sure it qualifies as easy to build, but if you are willing to jump in a bit the Dactyl-cc is designed to feel just like the KA2. That's my current daily driver. It's a 3d printed body, so you'll have to order prints and do some hand wiring. If that's more than you want to sign up for it's probably not a good fit, but I've really enjoyed it. Here's the github: https://github.com/mjohns/dactyl-cc

I can suggest the following, I had three advantage 2s before picking up my 360pro.

I modded all of the 2s with the following boards:

* https://github.com/kinx-project/kint - Great board, requires usb of course. Programmable with QMK.

* https://github.com/wizarddata/Blue-Wizard-Mod - Doesn't support QMK but does support ZMK but is bluetooth. Great board.

I picked the kint up on some pcbway type service, the blue wizard I got off ebay.

Is Stapelberg's Kint with a Blackpill the suggested approach nowadays?

https://michael.stapelberg.ch/posts/2013-03-21-kinesis_custom_controller/ https://github.com/kinx-project/kint

I have a KinT board in my Advantage2 keyboards, gives you all the QMK goodness.

I assumed you tried using the link for kinesis_kint41_default.hex from https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/tree/main/default-firmware and it did not work. It is difficult to download individual files from github if the file is not text.

Some time ago, I replaced the default SmartSet controller board by a KinT board (produced by JLCPCB) with a Teensy LC controller to run QMK. It's splendid and I like it so much more than the default SmartSet firmware. Also makes it easier to keep the 360 Pro and the Advantage2 in sync.

You mean Stapelberg's own Kint? It's also great, I use it in two KA2s (only not my work KA2).