hillside VS elephant42

Only two thumb keys seems like it could be a pain. I don't love trying to figure out the timing delays for tap vs hold. After a long search I settled on the Hillside 46 [1][2] which has 4 thumb keys and a splayed layout. Also choc spacing, as I didn't love the gaps between choc keycaps with mx spacing. Not sure why, as the macbook pro keyboard doesn't seem to give me any problems.

I like the all the case options and mods available to the ZSA keyboards. The biggest problem with building your own I feel is the cost of getting a nice, solid feeling case.

[1] https://github.com/mmccoyd/hillside/tree/main/hillside46

There are a few things that are close: * The Cantor/Piantor: more aggressive stagger and slightly changed thumb cluster. * The Swept Corne: essentially a big sweep. * The Hillside 46/48: This comes in many forms which are very similar to what you are looking for. Essentially an extra aggressive stagger (and perhaps splayed) Corne with a bigger thumb cluster.

I don’t have personal experience no. If you want to compare, here is a image of the key location: https://github.com/mmccoyd/hillside/blob/main/hillside46/doc/image/hill46_keys.png others exist for the other sizes in similar places. You can print this out, making sure you size so that the keys are properly spaced, and then compare that way

hillside

the first thing that pops into my head is something like the Hillside 52/56?

I'd recommend a Hillside. If you're not into the splay, there's the 48 and the 56. https://github.com/mmccoyd/hillside

Hillside ? https://github.com/mmccoyd/hillside

Elephant42 and KLOR – but 1 less pinky key

Maybe the elephant42 if you can make do with over less key in the outermost columns 😬

Elephant42 – 4 thumb keys

The spacers I used are 8mm brass standoffs because I used the same layers as described in the Elephant42 repo but if I only used a 3mm switch plate, I'm sure you could use 6mm standoffs.

Fwiw I'm currently daily driving an elephant42 with a custom layout that does not use the outermost column. Given its pinky stagger and 4 relatively easily reachable thumb cluster, I could envision it to be an option.

Current is elephant42 with Boba U4s and YMDK milky fog keycaps.

There are few presets in the elephant42 for the RGB. Is there any way to define colors on my choice. For example if I want to select the RGB color for each key individually myself? Thanks

elephant42. https://github.com/illness072/elephant42