Natural Wooden Keyboard Rest by Alex Ellis

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Own a one-of-a-kind keyboard rest made by Alex Ellis, the Founder of OpenFaaS.

For me, my first mechanical keyboard was a revelation in typing experience. One that meant I could never go back to cheap OEM keyboards with rubber domes. If you've got into fresh coffee, you'll know what I mean, when I say that instant just does not cut it anymore.

The same thing happened when I ordered my first wooden keyboard rest, it made such a difference in comfort that I didn't want to go back.

One day, I realised that I could make my own, to the exact size I wanted, from select pieces of timber. I then set out on a journey to learn woodworking with traditional hand-tools. As a self-confessing perfectionist, I spend a lot of time on these to make sure they're as smooth as possible. When I make yours, if I wouldn't be happy using it, I'll throw it away and make another before sending it to you.

Click through the images in the carousel to see how they're made from natural, solid wood.

Why would you need a wrist rest?

A wrist rest can create a more ergonomic typing position for your hands when using a mechanical keyboard. That can increase comfort and relieve strain, but also brings a natural look to your office setup.

Below: slow-grown pine, finished with a dark staining wax, it can be buffed back to a shine whenever you need.

Lighter woods are also available, such as this local Sycamore, with a very tight grain it polishes up to a very smooth surface.

If you'd like a Premium wrist rest, you can have one made in Oak, these can also be branded with the OpenFaaS logo on the front or back.

The 65-key and 85-key layouts are some of the most popular, but full-size keyboards are also very common. Just pick the right option at checkout.

"Dark Mode" ebonised Oak or Ash

If a deeper, darker colour would suit your setup better, order ebonised Oak or Ash.

For Oak, the finish will be ebonised using the wood's natural tannins to produce a deep dark shade, still showing through the grain. For Ash, I'll stain the grain using a non-toxic pre-colour by Rubio.

See what this looks like in our pour-over stands

Why buy from me?

Some people talk about woodworking as a hobby, but for me it's a craft. I take sustainably sourced, natural product and turn it into something beautiful and practical that will probably outlast both of us.

So you'll not only upgrade your typing experience, but you'll support Open Source at the same time.

What are they like?

Made from a natural material, with a taper, they have more give so can be used all day
A embossed logo shows your support for open source and glides under your hands
Finished to a high standard, they are silky smooth and kind to your hands
A traditional finish protects the wood for a long life
Made to a custom size to fit your keyboard

The species of wood, final colour and finish (wax or hardwax oil) may vary depending on the stock available at the time. Wood is a natural product, so may have defects, flaws or discolouration.

Sizes:

For pine/softwood, the following sizes are available:

65-68%: 31.5cm
Tenkeyless - TKL / 86-87 key: 35.5cm
Full size with numberpad: 44cm

For custom woods like Oak and Ash, the price is for any size listed above, or email me if you need a custom size not shown.

If you need a board for a really slim or thin keyboard, then order the "full size" and I'll plane it down to thickness.

Sizes may vary by +/- 1.5cm

Free gift

Every purchase comes with a selection of free stickers to brighten up your laptop.

Shipping:

Currently shipping to UK, Europe and North America.

All packages are sent by tracked or signed-for post with a bonus gift of a selection of stickers. The buyer takes responsibility for any taxes, duties, custom charges or import regulations.

Not got a mechanical keyboard yet?

Moving to a mechanical keyboard is like trying fresh coffee for the first time, when all you've had is instant. The same can be said of making pizza by hand or spending 150 USD on a pair of premium noise-cancelling headphones. I wrote about mechanical keyboards in 2016 and wished I'd had a palm rest back then too.

Cherry MX Red keys are the quietest, Blue keys are the loudest and the Brown keys give a good mix of tactile feel and low noise.

Good starter models are: Filco Majestouch (TKL or full-size), Durgod K320 (TKL) and Epomaker's AKKO 3068 (68-key).

What are people saying?

“Just Received my custom wrist rest! I still believe wood is one of the most eco friendly materials when it is grown for purpose. Thanks @alexellisuk it is awesome! Bonus stickers too! @openfaas #Kubernetes” Leonidas Kane - https://twitter.com/leonidas_kane/status/1423589137123266560?s=20

“My @openfaas themed wrist rest arrived today! Top quality work from @alexellisuk” - Daniel Houston - https://twitter.com/DanielSHouston/status/1438091398830563328

“The order has arrived after surviving all the new controls that came with Brexit. A huge thank you for the awesome hand rest, I appreciate it.” Jan

“Love my @openfaas / @inletsdev wrist rest and branded coasters! Thanks @alexellisuk My desk is now even more serverless” - Alistair Hey https://twitter.com/alistair_hey/status/1438479543212421124

“Just received my handcrafted wooden wrist rest made by @alexellisuk. Excellent fit and finish” - Iheb - https://twitter.com/iboonox/status/1439211056295989250?s=20

“@alexellisuk kitted me out with a bunch of new stickers and an awesome wrist rest! Make sure you get your hands on one!” - Tom Withers

“What a perfect addition to the standing desk @alexellisuk” Michael Cade - https://twitter.com/MichaelCade1/status/1403673328758321155

“Where did you get that awesome branding iron from? What grade of sandpaper did you use? This thing is smooth like silk.” Nik Markovic

From Alex Stapleton: "Wow very impressive :) Looks like it will last longer than either of us. Thanks for the stickers!"

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One of a kind wooden wrist rest.

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