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Show HN: Laptop mount for your mechanical keyboard

24 points by nooron 4y ago

I travel a lot for work and can't type for long on my laptop keyboard due to RSI. To solve the problem, I 3D printed a platform for my laptop that I can put a mechanical keyboard on top of without pressing the built-in keys: https://imgur.com/a/mfAYQj6 If you like it, let me know, I'll post the CAD file so you can print it yourself! EDIT: file and schematic are here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-cB9qJt8CPm76u1VAFvuilYKR_HwshkT?usp=sharing

syncbehind 4y ago
That looks really useful indeed! It also lets you access your track pad easily. I use a keyboard with the same formfactor as you do but never thought to do this. Will have to play around with this idea a bit
- nooron 4y ago
  Thank you very much! Glad to hear it.
rahimnathwani 4y ago
This is pretty cool! I'm curious, though, why you don't prefer to put your laptop on a stand like the Nexstand? Of course, your stand would work better wherever space is constrained, e.g. on an airplane.
- nooron 4y ago
  I like nexstand! This is for being on flights and busses or in classrooms.
Markoff 4y ago
I don't see much benefit in this, since it's still missing regular layout even if we ignored NumLock. It would be easier, healthier and more comfortable just use normal external keyboard with/without laptop stand.
- astaunton 4y ago
  This is a "normal" external keyboard, there are numerous different types / sizes of external keyboard. The stand allows using the external keyboard in the same physical location / orientation as the one built in to the laptop (making it easier / healthier for someone with RSI instead of using a smaller laptop keyboard or creating strain because the external keyboard is in a different location / orientation to the "standard" keyboard)
- nooron 4y ago
  Because of my RSI it feels a lot easier and healthier than using the built-in keyboard but I recognize that's not the case for everyone
KolenCh 4y ago
I have similar problem that if I use the MacBook Pro keyboard for a while, as short as half an hour, my carpal tunnel will have some tingling feeling. Your setup looks great, but I wonder how would it help? In my case I have to use split keyboard. Any keyboard like yours that don’t split at least at an angle would not work to me. My current solution for travel is to put the Microsoft sculpt keyboard on top of the MacBook Pro. It sits there without touching the keys (on a MacBook Pro 2012 retina form factor.) but that keyboard add about half a kg to the already heavy setup, and as long as the keyboard is on top of the MBP. I can’t access the touchpad. I wish someone would make a laptop with split keyboard.
- nooron 4y ago
  That makes sense. I would kill for a laptop with a split mechanical keyboard too!
- h-w 4y ago
  See my solution posted outside the thread
ljosa 4y ago
I just configure Karabiner-Elements to disable the internal keyboard when my travel keyboard is plugged in.
ranqet 4y ago
Bought one of these a few years back to use with my old butterfly keyboard MacBook Pro: https://shop.bird-electron.co.jp/?pid=128928848 https://shop.bird-electron.co.jp/?pid=128928848 Nice to see something easier to obtain and 3D printable at that.
- nooron 4y ago
  That's really cool. I looked for one I could just buy for a couple years and never found anything like it. How did you find this?
h-w 4y ago
My split keyboard solution below. much healthier/comfier hand width/orientation, and ability to walk around the office relatively easily. all off the shelf parts. As many have said, better is having a screen at eye level and keyboard not attached, but this is great when writing in the garden. https://ibb.co/kGFbkKc https://ibb.co/kGFbkKc https://ibb.co/dWj5pJS https://ibb.co/dWj5pJS https://ibb.co/5995y45 https://ibb.co/5995y45 https://ibb.co/0KnpPgS https://ibb.co/0KnpPgS https://ibb.co/HnCQn0v https://ibb.co/HnCQn0v https://ibb.co/3NPfjjt https://ibb.co/3NPfjjt https://ibb.co/MfTKWGD https://ibb.co/MfTKWGD
- KolenCh 4y ago
  Interesting. Is the keyboard custom made, and any link to instructions? Also, how do you create the clamp and be sure it is of the right strength but not too much?
  - h-w 4y ago
    The keyboard is an open source one called the hillside [1]. It has a niche little thing called a puck on the bottom of it that allows standard 1/4” thread mounting to many tripods/camera accessories [2]. The clamp is off of Amazon and has rubber so that it won’t damage a computer, it is very strong and not easy to alter. [3] [1] https://github.com/mmccoyd/hillside https://github.com/mmccoyd/hillside [2] https://splitkb.com/products/tenting-puck https://splitkb.com/products/tenting-puck [3] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QV1HYVZ/ref=sspa_mw_detail_2?psc=1&pf_rd_p=81b2ae4c-6be1-45bd-942c-abb69c9d8ea5&pd_rd_wg=GuFLg&pf_rd_r=Q7P32MZ95WWJES7B0ZH6&pd_rd_w=s3bgy&pd_rd_r=f99185a4-90fc-4779-998c-8579d166e1db&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyQkJBOEtFTU5OSjVRJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzA2MTkxNzdEVVJTN1pPODNHJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3OTAwMjIxUkkzMjFMTVBSMTBTJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfZGV0YWlsX3RoZW1hdGljJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QV1HYVZ/ref=sspa_mw_detail_2?ps...

24 points by nooron 4y ago

syncbehind 4y ago

That looks really useful indeed! It also lets you access your track pad easily. I use a keyboard with the same formfactor as you do but never thought to do this. Will have to play around with this idea a bit

nooron 4y ago
Thank you very much! Glad to hear it.

rahimnathwani 4y ago

This is pretty cool! I'm curious, though, why you don't prefer to put your laptop on a stand like the Nexstand? Of course, your stand would work better wherever space is constrained, e.g. on an airplane.

nooron 4y ago
I like nexstand! This is for being on flights and busses or in classrooms.

Markoff 4y ago

I don't see much benefit in this, since it's still missing regular layout even if we ignored NumLock. It would be easier, healthier and more comfortable just use normal external keyboard with/without laptop stand.

astaunton 4y ago
This is a "normal" external keyboard, there are numerous different types / sizes of external keyboard. The stand allows using the external keyboard in the same physical location / orientation as the one built in to the laptop (making it easier / healthier for someone with RSI instead of using a smaller laptop keyboard or creating strain because the external keyboard is in a different location / orientation to the "standard" keyboard)
nooron 4y ago
Because of my RSI it feels a lot easier and healthier than using the built-in keyboard but I recognize that's not the case for everyone

KolenCh 4y ago

I have similar problem that if I use the MacBook Pro keyboard for a while, as short as half an hour, my carpal tunnel will have some tingling feeling. Your setup looks great, but I wonder how would it help? In my case I have to use split keyboard. Any keyboard like yours that don’t split at least at an angle would not work to me. My current solution for travel is to put the Microsoft sculpt keyboard on top of the MacBook Pro. It sits there without touching the keys (on a MacBook Pro 2012 retina form factor.) but that keyboard add about half a kg to the already heavy setup, and as long as the keyboard is on top of the MBP. I can’t access the touchpad. I wish someone would make a laptop with split keyboard.

nooron 4y ago
That makes sense. I would kill for a laptop with a split mechanical keyboard too!
h-w 4y ago
See my solution posted outside the thread

ljosa 4y ago

I just configure Karabiner-Elements to disable the internal keyboard when my travel keyboard is plugged in.

ranqet 4y ago

Bought one of these a few years back to use with my old butterfly keyboard MacBook Pro: https://shop.bird-electron.co.jp/?pid=128928848 https://shop.bird-electron.co.jp/?pid=128928848 Nice to see something easier to obtain and 3D printable at that.

nooron 4y ago
That's really cool. I looked for one I could just buy for a couple years and never found anything like it. How did you find this?

h-w 4y ago

My split keyboard solution below. much healthier/comfier hand width/orientation, and ability to walk around the office relatively easily. all off the shelf parts. As many have said, better is having a screen at eye level and keyboard not attached, but this is great when writing in the garden. https://ibb.co/kGFbkKc https://ibb.co/kGFbkKc https://ibb.co/dWj5pJS https://ibb.co/dWj5pJS https://ibb.co/5995y45 https://ibb.co/5995y45 https://ibb.co/0KnpPgS https://ibb.co/0KnpPgS https://ibb.co/HnCQn0v https://ibb.co/HnCQn0v https://ibb.co/3NPfjjt https://ibb.co/3NPfjjt https://ibb.co/MfTKWGD https://ibb.co/MfTKWGD

KolenCh 4y ago
Interesting. Is the keyboard custom made, and any link to instructions? Also, how do you create the clamp and be sure it is of the right strength but not too much?
- h-w 4y ago
  The keyboard is an open source one called the hillside [1]. It has a niche little thing called a puck on the bottom of it that allows standard 1/4” thread mounting to many tripods/camera accessories [2]. The clamp is off of Amazon and has rubber so that it won’t damage a computer, it is very strong and not easy to alter. [3] [1] https://github.com/mmccoyd/hillside https://github.com/mmccoyd/hillside [2] https://splitkb.com/products/tenting-puck https://splitkb.com/products/tenting-puck [3] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QV1HYVZ/ref=sspa_mw_detail_2?psc=1&pf_rd_p=81b2ae4c-6be1-45bd-942c-abb69c9d8ea5&pd_rd_wg=GuFLg&pf_rd_r=Q7P32MZ95WWJES7B0ZH6&pd_rd_w=s3bgy&pd_rd_r=f99185a4-90fc-4779-998c-8579d166e1db&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyQkJBOEtFTU5OSjVRJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzA2MTkxNzdEVVJTN1pPODNHJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3OTAwMjIxUkkzMjFMTVBSMTBTJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfZGV0YWlsX3RoZW1hdGljJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QV1HYVZ/ref=sspa_mw_detail_2?ps...