Avyortho

AvyOrtho

A basic 40% ortholinear keyboard that uses vim keys for arrows

I wanted to make a nice keyboard and I wanted one that could be small and easy to carry in my backpack. I decided on an ortholinear because I figured they would be a lot easier to build and route because the keys aren't spaced weirdly. I decided to use ZMK for my firmware because there are nice tools to let you export your JSON from keyboard layout editor and turn it into firmware for ZMK. I used a Seeed Studios XIAO nRF52840 Plus for the microcontroller because it had enough GPIO pins and because it could do batteries without external devices needed

I chose to go with a minimal 4x12 setup so I could fit it in my bag and to make it cooler. I will probably do keys like function keys with a layer and a modifier key for other functionality. In my next keyboard, I might consider adding RGB lights with something like a sk6812-mini. I will probably mainly use this keyboard on the go and then build a bigger keyboard as my home keyboard.

Firmware

I used ZMK and made the config using ZMK Shield Wizard. It is built with GitHub Actions on every commit.

Bill of Materials

PCB components (designators and footprints in production/bom.csv). Prices below are USD snapshots from the selected offers in ordering/, not live quotes; check price, stock, shipping, and tax before ordering.

R2's selected offer is an alternative to the BOM's CRCW08052M00FKED (same 2 MΩ value and 0805 size); confirm specifications before substituting. The sockets are priced per 20-pack, not individually. The total excludes shipping, tax, PCB fabrication, and the following build-dependent items (no specific product or price selected):

• 47 × MX-compatible switches — choose a compatible switch and check its current price.
• 47 × 1u MX-compatible keycaps — choose a set and check its current price.
• Case and plate — see the case CAD and plate CAD for fabrication; cost depends on material and manufacturer.