[GB] Universal TKL plate (Filco/phantom/CM quickfire compatible)

[cgbuen]

So you can get the black clip on like this, and there'll just be space leftover on the sides. This is OK in terms of how the clip fits onto the plate.



However, the issue is that this vertical part is too far forward.



What'll happen is that the white insert is going to hang up on the come-up, so your spacebar/other stabilized key will never reset.



The solution is to take a pair of pliers, and then push the vertical sides outwards. Do so gently, especially if you've already soldered everything on. (If you don't, the black clip might break and crumble inwards towards the PCB, and you could lose the piece under the plate.)



You can kind of notice that it's a little more outward than before. Here's a side-by-side comparison of the earlier picture (left), and what it should look like now (right).



Now the insert can sit pretty freely inside, and it can move in-and-out smoothly where the top of the black clip is. The stabilized key should be able to reset properly now.

[jdcarpe]

Very nice tutorial! That's exactly what you have to do on all these boards that use the Universal stabilizer mounts, but especially the stainless steel ones, since they are thicker.

[Lunartuna]

Thanks for the pics. I think I'm going to measure the exact size and location of the costar holes on my zibal 60 and file the cherry style stab holes to the right size on my ducky plate.

[mistakemistake]

Hey T, these plates look great. Thanks for offering these!

[WhiteFireDragon]

cgbuen, thanks for bringing that up. The cutouts for costar slots are in the correct positions, but the problem is the plate thickness. I've asked around a lot for exactly 0.060" that Cherry specified for the plate thickness, however US system use our own gauge system for thickness, so 16guage is exactly 0.0625". Even that small amount of extra thickness cause the costar stabilizers to not properly clip into the slots correctly. That's why that vertical part you're referring to is slightly bent forward.

I guess you can force it straight like you did, but what I did to half the plates I sent out from this GB, was to file down the top part of the underside of the plate so the stabilizers can clip on perfectly. I used a dremel to do this.

[cyberwave]

WFD, did you get a PM from me?
Can't seem to get it registered under 'sent items' even though i get a 'message sent successfully' prompt 

[do_Og@n]

Oh man...I want one

[danielucf]

cgbuen, thanks for bringing that up. The cutouts for costar slots are in the correct positions, but the problem is the plate thickness. I've asked around a lot for exactly 0.060" that Cherry specified for the plate thickness, however US system use our own gauge system for thickness, so 16guage is exactly 0.0625". Even that small amount of extra thickness cause the costar stabilizers to not properly clip into the slots correctly. That's why that vertical part you're referring to is slightly bent forward.

I guess you can force it straight like you did, but what I did to half the plates I sent out from this GB, was to file down the top part of the underside of the plate so the stabilizers can clip on perfectly. I used a dremel to do this.

Show Image

So this would have to be done before soldering the PCB on?

[badcop]

i dont mean to necro a 2 month old thread but i ran into issues with costar stabs and this plate.  I tried bending them back as far they would go but the keys are still really sticky.  everything is soldered already so i cant realistically go to plate mounted cherry stabs and i saw wfd dremeled out the bottom of the plates a little to get them to fit but again that would require me to desolder everything.  i found this on the deskthority wiki for phantom plates.  do you think this would work?


If your Costar stabilizers feel a little sticky, here is what you can do:   - they are seated correctly
1. In the first Costar star stabilizer picture on the right (scroll down a bit to see) the red areas need to be fully seated onto the plate. alaricljs's suggestion: Use a micro straight blade screw driver and gently press the black plastic piece toward the plate edge so that it engages properly. You may or may not hear a click as it seats itself. The tolerance is very tight.

2. Costar Stabilizer Clip -   the stabs are as wide as they will go.  they white inserts will fit in between but are very sticky/fussy
Also, the stabilizer clips are made of plastic, so the width can vary. You can see the difference between these two in the picture on the right (scroll down a bit).

3. Costar Stabilizer Clip Width Difference -    this is what im about to try.  what does this exactly accomplish?  i just want to make sure this is relavant before i start hacking up my stabs anymore than what they already are.
Besides making sure the clips are seated perfectly, you can also gently bend the clip with your figures to make the gap wider. After this was done to a few Costar stabilizer clips, the wide, stabilized keys should not stick any more.
If, and only if, the two techniques don't fix your sticky Costar stabilizers, the last resort is to file down slightly the areas marked as red in the first Costar stabilizer clip picture. Use a thin filer that fits in there and file just a little. after filing both sides down a little bit, it should fit very well on to the plate.




EDIT: i went with #3 but with a razor blade.  carved out the stab a little bit on the back side, slid in and all they stabilized keys are operating as intended 

[Chase5delta]

Anybody happen to be selling one of these?

[do_Og@n]

Anybody happen to be selling one of these?

http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_list&c=47

[remmeh]

I think he was asking if there are any more plates, not about stabilizers.

In which case, if there are more plates, I'm interested D:

[Turkishrambo]

Should do a round 2 if WFD is up to it after phantom and gh 60 finishes.

[WhiteFireDragon]

For those that PM me, I do not have anymore. I'll get another small batch in a month. You can pre-pay for it if you'd like.

This batch will be stainless steel instead of aluminum, and there will be minor changes as well.

[esoomenona]

What kind of minor changes, if I might ask?

[keymaster]

i dont mean to necro a 2 month old thread but i ran into issues with costar stabs and this plate.  I tried bending them back as far they would go but the keys are still really sticky.  everything is soldered already so i cant realistically go to plate mounted cherry stabs and i saw wfd dremeled out the bottom of the plates a little to get them to fit but again that would require me to desolder everything.  i found this on the deskthority wiki for phantom plates.  do you think this would work?


If your Costar stabilizers feel a little sticky, here is what you can do:   - they are seated correctly
1. In the first Costar star stabilizer picture on the right (scroll down a bit to see) the red areas need to be fully seated onto the plate. alaricljs's suggestion: Use a micro straight blade screw driver and gently press the black plastic piece toward the plate edge so that it engages properly. You may or may not hear a click as it seats itself. The tolerance is very tight.

2. Costar Stabilizer Clip -   the stabs are as wide as they will go.  they white inserts will fit in between but are very sticky/fussy
Also, the stabilizer clips are made of plastic, so the width can vary. You can see the difference between these two in the picture on the right (scroll down a bit).

3. Costar Stabilizer Clip Width Difference -    this is what im about to try.  what does this exactly accomplish?  i just want to make sure this is relavant before i start hacking up my stabs anymore than what they already are.
Besides making sure the clips are seated perfectly, you can also gently bend the clip with your figures to make the gap wider. After this was done to a few Costar stabilizer clips, the wide, stabilized keys should not stick any more.
If, and only if, the two techniques don't fix your sticky Costar stabilizers, the last resort is to file down slightly the areas marked as red in the first Costar stabilizer clip picture. Use a thin filer that fits in there and file just a little. after filing both sides down a little bit, it should fit very well on to the plate.

Show Image

EDIT: i went with #3 but with a razor blade.  carved out the stab a little bit on the back side, slid in and all they stabilized keys are operating as intended  ;)

I seem to be having the same issue with a few of the Costar stabilizers. They make a 'clink' noise and are a little sticky. I think I'll have to go with option #3 to fix it. Thanks for posting this :)

[WhiteFireDragon]

Left and right edges will widen ~0.01", top slit for costar stabs increased by 0.02" (to account for plate thickness), and spacebar wire slit added.

[do_Og@n]

Are you still taking orders for this?

[Tai92]

I'm also interested in one if I could get one from the next batch.

[bazemk1979]

OP left you pm regarding preordering plate of the new batch.

what sort of changes/ improvement will the next batch have vs the older one. In your pm u said it will be steel instead of aluminum, will there be cut out holes for the screws, read somewhere that the 1st version didn't had those, just curious.

[VesperSAINT]

Hmmmmmm. I might have to pick up a stainless steel one too...

[remmeh]

Also interested in a stainless steel plate and pre-paying for it.

[bazemk1979]

OP we need payment info to preorder

[WhiteFireDragon]

Hang on, I'll sort this out in a bit. I have to take care of the GH60 stuff first. I'll respond to PMs about this within a day or two.

[VesperSAINT]

Hang on, I'll sort this out in a bit. I have to take care of the GH60 stuff first. I'll respond to PMs about this within a day or two.

Awesome. Let us know with an update

[OneshotshifT]

Throw me a pm with the info to please 

[bazemk1979]

Hang on, I'll sort this out in a bit. I have to take care of the GH60 stuff first. I'll respond to PMs about this within a day or two.

ok , take your time then

[lightsout714]

I am interested in prepaying. Sorry didn't read the thread was there any mention of a price difference either way after changing metals?

[bazemk1979]

I am interested in prepaying. Sorry didn't read the thread was there any mention of a price difference either way after changing metals?

WFD..... we are waiting.... lol

[Photoelectric]

Just wanted to add that I would be interested in a new plate for my upcoming Filco MJT-2 TKL project

[Dreamre]

Looking forward too .

Thanks!

[csimi]

Same here.
So far no place that does anodizing here replied to me, so using a stainless steel plate would probably be better to use than an unanodized aluminium one.

[WhiteFireDragon]

Ok here is round 2. I do not have time to go through all the steps and logistics of a GB, so I'm paying for these first. Here is the preorder list so far, based on people that have posted or PM me. I will send out PMs soonish when I free up some time. Once I receive them, the remaining ones will just be sold at a mark up.

Tai92
Chase5delta
Dreamre
bazemk1979
dadgh
remmeh
do_Og@n
OneshotshifT
lightsout714
csimi
Photoelectric
Rendom
eyesmiles
kekkon
quochung1989
VesperSAINT

[VesperSAINT]

Ok here is round 2. I do not have time to go through all the steps and logistics of a GB, so I'm paying for these first. Here is the preorder list so far, based on people that have posted or PM me. I will send out PMs soonish when I free up some time. Once I receive them, the remaining ones will just be sold at a mark up.

Tai92
Chase5delta
Dreamre
bazemk1979
dadgh
remmeh
do_Og@n
OneshotshifT
lightsout714
csimi
Photoelectric

This is for aluminum or steel? I already have aluminum. If steel, I may be interested.

[Rendom]

Ok here is round 2. I do not have time to go through all the steps and logistics of a GB, so I'm paying for these first. Here is the preorder list so far, based on people that have posted or PM me. I will send out PMs soonish when I free up some time. Once I receive them, the remaining ones will just be sold at a mark up.

Tai92
Chase5delta
Dreamre
bazemk1979
dadgh
remmeh
do_Og@n
OneshotshifT
lightsout714
csimi
Photoelectric

Oh, can I still get in on the round 2?

[WhiteFireDragon]

This is for aluminum or steel? I already have aluminum. If steel, I may be interested.

Steel. Other changes on this revision were posted on the previous page.

[gnubag]

nice.
put me on the list for 2 plates plz. (depending on the price)

btw. the plate does need a little modification for the KBT ONI. I will post pictures of my plate if you want.

[kekkon]

Please put me on the list for 1 plates. Thanks

[VesperSAINT]

This is for aluminum or steel? I already have aluminum. If steel, I may be interested.

Steel. Other changes on this revision were posted on the previous page.

I couldn't find anything on that last page but I did read about you dremeling parts off for the Costar stabilizers so they'd fit properly? You did that for me on the aluminum one too I'm just going to assume that these SS ones are going to be identical to my aluminum one (with the dremel job done) but just stainless steel.

Man... I am only finally getting around to my ergo-clear mod on my Filco this week... if I had known I was going to take this long to do it, I should've just waited for this hahaahahah. Oh well, maybe I'll just get this stainless steel one too and mod/install this into my QFR.

How much are these going to cost shipped and what's the expected ETA??? I'm sorry if this information was already posted somewhere but I couldn't find it and I looked through every page. Please feel free to PM me too.

[WhiteFireDragon]

Left and right edges will widen ~0.01", top slit for costar stabs increased by 0.02" (to account for plate thickness), and spacebar wire slit added.

Don't count on these being shipped in a few weeks though. I'll take names on the preorder list, but I'm not going to process payment yet. I should get these in 2 weeks, but won't be able to ship out until I get settled at my new place sometimes early July.

They'll cost more than aluminum. I did the round 1 batches at $35 shipped, even for international orders. I think shipping international alone was around $18 + paypal fees + currency conversion fees, so those ones were done at a loss.

[VesperSAINT]

Well I paid the mark up price for the aluminum one in CONUS but that was because I bought after group buy was over

I'd be grateful if you'd add me to the list for the Stainless Steel one for now Thank you ~

[noobandroid]

I'll have one also tqvm

[jdcarpe]

I would like to get on the preorder list for one as well.

Thanks!

[lightsout714]

Can we get an estimate on price or is it too early?

[remmeh]

I was able to get one off a GH member here, so I am no longer interested. Thanks.

[bazemk1979]

Hey WFD, I left you PM regarding resistors and LED's, you probably are busy but when you decide to send me PM regarding payment for the steel plate please answer my questions if you can, thanks

[xavierblak]

I'll probably be in for 2, once we hear back about pricing.

[danielucf]

Is it the plates or the shipping that will be more expensive? I was under the impression that steel was cheaper since the Phantom plates were I think $20 a piece.

[MJ45]

I would also like to get on the TKL preorder list. (PM sent too) MJ

[kelbear]

Good luck with the GB!