Why Use a Mechanical Keyboard Like the Ferris Sweep?

For a while I've been asked about this strange keyboard I've been using for almost a year. First, I must warn you that the world of mechanical keyboards is quite extensive and the DIY (Do it Yourself) keyboards even more so.

Currently there are different types of keyboards with respect to their shape, structure, key type and size.

Why Use a Mechanical Keyboard?

People when they hear about mechanical keyboards usually think of those old typewriters or noisy keyboards.

The truth is that there is nothing further from reality. Membrane keyboards, which are the ones that usually come with laptops and most keyboards on the market, are "more popular" due to their low manufacturing cost although mechanical ones are more durable over time.

These keyboards have individual electronic components for each key, so if one breaks, it is easily replaceable. Some keyboards are hotswap, this means you can replace it without needing to do any electronic soldering.

These interchangeable pieces are called switches and are responsible for converting your keystroke into an electronic signal. Various companies are dedicated to their manufacture, each guided by their own standards. These pieces are responsible for the force that must be exerted when pressing it, so you can choose how hard you must press it for it to activate.

Types of Cherry MX Switches. From left to right from the quietest and softest to the loudest and hardest to press.

In the case of Cherry MX switches there are linear ones, which are quite silent and easily pressable; the "clicky" ones which are the loudest, and the tactile ones, which cause a feedback "bump" effect when pressed. You can choose as you wish how the keys are. Are you seeing how wonderful it is?

My Ferris Sweep

The Ferris Sweep keyboard is a version of the Ferris created by Pierre Chevalier. This includes several interesting aspects that made it attractive to me:

• Ortholinear: This means that the keys are one below the other, making their location easier and avoiding the adoption of strange postures when typing. Current keyboards follow the staggered or stair position since old typewriters used rods that imprinted the letter and to avoid jamming they decided to put them that way.
• DIY: You can assemble it following your preferences using the specifications found in its GitHub.
• Split keyboard: This has a huge effect on your health. You can put it in a comfortable position, which allows you to open your elbows and hands more. This way you will avoid hunching over, taking better care of your spine and neck.
• Portable: Being small and disassemblable you can take it anywhere and it doesn't take up much space.

Why Don't the Keys Have Markings?

With this type of keyboard you can also choose the type of keycap, which is nothing more than the plastic part we press that is above the switch. They come in different sizes and shapes and influence when pressing them.

types of keycaps

I selected them without visual indicators since these keyboards usually come with a microcontroller that is programmable. There are various programs to flash these controllers such as QMK or Vial.

This means you can select what functionality each key will have, you can choose the symbols you use most.

How Can You, in Only 34 Keys, Put Everything You Need?

Ergonomics is the main thing about this keyboard. Being so small, it avoids unnecessary displacement of fingers and hands. The main premise is: Instead of pressing a hard-to-reach key, it's preferable to press two keys that are closer to your fingers.

The 108-key keyboards are these traditional keyboards with their numeric section. These are called 100%. There are also those that don't have the numbers on the right which are 80% and there is an even more reduced version of these of 75%.

From there they start to reduce from 60% to 40% which is the case of the Ferris Sweep. Now, how do I put all the functions I need in only 34 keys?

These programmable keyboards follow an interesting concept called layers. They are common in custom mechanical keyboards, where users can program and customize key layers according to their needs. This allows them to have quick access to specific keys they need frequently, such as keyboard shortcuts for applications or programming tools.

The layers in keyboards refer to the ability of keyboards to have several layers of keys and assign different functions to each layer. In other words, layers are a way to add functionalities to a keyboard without increasing its physical size.

For example, on a normal keyboard, each key has a single function (for example, a letter, number or symbol). On a keyboard with layers, however, each key can have several functions. By pressing a special key, an additional layer is activated, and the keys in that layer perform different functions than the keys in the main layer.

An easy way to see them is when you press Shift, by doing this, all alphanumeric letters are converted to their respective capital letters. Another simple example to see is on laptops with the Fn key (or function), where the numbers are above but if you press them in combination with Fn these become F1 - F12.

Conclusions

If you're one of those people who likes to customize their work environment and have your tools adapt to your way and workflow, this type of keyboard is for you.

Perhaps a 34-key keyboard is too big a leap. You can try this quiz from Mechanical Keyboard, a parts and kits store, specialized in mechanical keyboards. I also recommend checking out Keychron which already come assembled but you can choose their components.