Macro Keypads

[TArthur99]

Hi,

So I am currently attending school for 3D animation and modelling and will be going into that career when school is over. I have noticed with the amount of key commands there is it can be awkward to hit some as they get more and more complex as more and more are added. I have a G710 plus keyboard so the macros on that help but I find that its not very ergonomic over time to hit them as they are on the side and in a vertical row instead of horizontal. 

So my plan is to get a macro keypad, I have looked at several in the fairly small market there is (mostly Razors Orbweaver RGB and Logitechs G13) but there pads are ether expensive, or don't fit my needs.

So I was thinking, with the recent video on making your own mechanical keyboard, how hard would it be to make my own? and how expensive? I have 3D modelling skills (obviously) and access to 3D printers, and I also have experience with wiring and minor programming. 

is it worth my time to try and tackle a project like this? or should I buy something like the Orbweaver RGB? or get something like the G13 and mod it?     

[TArthur99]

just a FYI my mouse and keyboard both use logitechs software and I heard that razers software does not get along? any confirmation on that?

[Jason Neglo]

56 minutes ago, TArthur99 said:

Hi,

So I am currently attending school for 3D animation and modelling and will be going into that career when school is over. I have noticed with the amount of key commands there is it can be awkward to hit some as they get more and more complex as more and more are added. I have a G710 plus keyboard so the macros on that help but I find that its not very ergonomic over time to hit them as they are on the side and in a vertical row instead of horizontal. 

So my plan is to get a macro keypad, I have looked at several in the fairly small market there is (mostly Razors Orbweaver RGB and Logitechs G13) but there pads are ether expensive, or don't fit my needs.

So I was thinking, with the recent video on making your own mechanical keyboard, how hard would it be to make my own? and how expensive? I have 3D modelling skills (obviously) and access to 3D printers, and I also have experience with wiring and minor programming. 

is it worth my time to try and tackle a project like this? or should I buy something like the Orbweaver RGB? or get something like the G13 and mod it?     

i have a razer ornata chroma i dont know what the others are like but the chroma doesnt work that well i havent really used the macros on it though so thats worth it but i wouldnt fully recommend razers products they are sometimes dodgy and they just have a big price tag on them to so look into it its all preference i guess its up to u what u like though

[divito]

Building something from scratch isn't really necessary. There are some that pop up on Massdrop like:

 

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/planck-mechanical-keyboard
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/max-falcon-20-rgb-programmable-mini-macropad

that will serve your purposes. Comes down more for what you're looking for out of a form factor than anything else.

[TArthur99]

13 hours ago, divito said:

Building something from scratch isn't really necessary. There are some that pop up on Massdrop like:

 

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/planck-mechanical-keyboard
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/max-falcon-20-rgb-programmable-mini-macropad

that will serve your purposes. Comes down more for what you're looking for out of a form factor than anything else.

Thanks, I think I will end up getting something like the falcon and then 3D print a palm rest for ergaomics