in this case I used http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com and gimp... you can made cad files from their data and get plates cut, but making a circuit boards is an entirely different adventure.

yup :)
I don't see how it would be hard to hit ctrl+alt+delete ... it would still be ctrl+alt+delete if on right layer, and would become ctrl+alt+layer+delete if on left layer - (if four buttons is too many for you, you could press that toggle button first)

I'd be more likely to split into two pieces than to give it a fixed angle.

that looks awesome. this idea started with the idea of extending the numbad and flipping it for symmetry... leaving the nav cluster in the center.... but it keeps evolving... not sure if getting better or worse :)

https://preview.redd.it/uw9tst3ur71a1.png?width=749&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=9b9381f12c3c2b87216096d2944c595ecac39342

I had issues with getting upper F keys to function properly when using them on a custom board before. had planned on those four being media keys like a 108. I would be building this and using an opensource firmware, so the keys would all be re-programmable anyways.

As far as the edge keys being hard to source at 1.25 for anything other than row 1: thanks. hadn't thought of that yet.

The idea here was to fit the functionality of an entire 108 into something much smaller (and ortho)...