For those who have been following the other threads, I've been trying to stop my Filco Majestouch-2 from ringing in B♭ every time I press a key.

In one of those threads, someone (I should really circle back and remember who) suggested using expanding insulation foam to fill the gap between the PCB and the metal plate, thus dampening the noise.

So I was at my local Lowe's home improvement store and ran across this stuff...



...with the intention of injecting it into my new $150 keyboard.


...


...





But yes, yes I did.




It was an interesting experience.  This stuff goes absolutely everywhere.

What a mess!



So I got to the office this morning after the foam had cured and...


The ****in thing works!!!  No ****, it actually worked.  I'm typing on it right now.  Apart from a slightly sticky W and F keys, which should loosen up with some lube, everything feels great.  All keys are operational, amazingly.  And the best part?

NO MORE RINGING!!

That being said, for anyone who is as crazy as I am to try such a thing, please learn from the mess I made of my keyboard before you begin.  Some observations:

1)  This stuff REALLY goes everywhere.  Initially I had not removed the keycaps because I never thought it would come through the front of the board, but it did, and went everywhere.  Luckily I have a brand spanking new set of Ducky PBC keys waiting the wings after I get the board cleaned up.

2) Did I mention this stuff goes everywhere?  It's a mess.  Prepare accordingly.

3) You'll need to splice a narrower tube onto the main tube to get it in between the metal plate and the PCB.  I used a narrow drinking straw.

4) Wear gloves.  My hands still have this stuff on them.  The can says the only way to get it off is "mechanically."  Heh.  Appropriate I suppose.

That's all for now, will post more pics when I have her cleaned up and the new keys on.

Oh, and how could I forget...



UPDATE:

Got her all cleaned up and new PBT Keycaps on!

[video=youtube;h44LIiaZhHE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h44LIiaZhHE[/video]

What. the-****.

I remember talking to someone about this on #geekhack a few days ago or a week back.

After seeing the goop on the keys, and knowing what that product is like, well thanks for taking the hit. Now we know what will happen

That's probably very good advice Surly.  Did I mention the yellow stuff goes everywhere and creates a mess?

Oh I'm not using acetone on the board.  Besides it's cured now anyway, wouldn't do any good.  Except hose the switches.

This btw reduces your chance of a successful RMA considerably.

True.  Although it can't be as bad as trying to return a used electric shaver or something.

seriously?  Id rather just deal with the ringing then have my keyboard look like a garbage pail kid.  I've used this stuff plenty of times, sealing holes, insulation yadda yadda and I wouldnt let this stuff within a mile of my keyboard,  I think the only way to remove large amounts is with a sawzaw or dremel.  You got balls lol

A bit extreme, but at least it worked.  Thanks for taking one for the team and you got a pretty nice signature pic if you decide to use it.

Hahaha I actually traded watercooling parts for video games with that guy. He's awesome

Dare I ask where your hood is?

Red pill - you are a nut!

Nice, now I can see the mess.

Try alpha-foam next time :happy:

It is without hazardous gas and doesn't leave black stains on the skin.

http://www.alpha-bauschaum.de/en/anwenderfreundlich.html
http://www.alpha-bauschaum.de/en/handwerker.html

Installation foams based on alpha-technology don't stain the skin and can easily be rubbed off again. It is recommended that gloves be worn, but it is not strictly necessary.

Products: http://www.alpha-bauschaum.de/en/hersteller.html

Headsets + 100% volume = what ringing?

That would be the ringing in your ears that never goes away... just give it time, you'll start to notice it after a while.

This is actually pretty awesome. Good work dude. Now to find a way to perform that mod without it going everywhere!

I used this same product last week to fill in a gap I had above one of my doors and it was a total mess, .  I underestimated how much this **** expands.  The only way I see removing this crap after it has cured is through sanding.  I should have warned you about that when I read your first post about going to try it out.

I just remove the excess with a utility knife. Or did you mean to clean up surface stains?  Yeah, they're pretty much permanent.

These are my wild formative keyboard years.  Like when Van Gogh drank absinthe and lived with Gauguin.  Well except before they went gay and Gauguin cut Van Gogh's ear off.

The absinthe part is good though.  I recommend Ridge Absinthe

You first.

 
Likely my xarmor has already one of the best sound feedback available, but I will surely do it on  one of my other keyboards as already planned.

Ripster, it's your turn to try resoldering next. Science advances through experimentation and verification by independent parties.

 
Obviously my xarmor has already a good sound because all the switches were soldered by me, and because the LEDs helps to couple the switches tightly with the pcb and the metal plate.

engrish?

wlkm 2 gh

wIcm 2 gh

Updated with final pics.

 
Nice decent keycaps and no more ring.

You catched two birds with one stone (or two piccions with one bean, which is the Italian version of the sentence)...

So I was at my local Lowe's home improvement store and ran across this stuff...

Dude, you have balls of steel!!!!!!!!
Some of those foams can create a lot of pressure. I guess it had enough room to expand without breaking anything.

Congratulations on your mods.

In Germany it is: "two flies with one flap"

I guess the holes, where the stuff reached the key caps functioned as  blow-off valve

In French it is "One stone, two hits"

Thanks for the compliment.

For a while there I was thinking you didn't like me.

 
No, I like a lot people used to accuse my of tricking results, of being liar, of stole images and so on.

Shouldn't I ? :becky:

So, I wonder if there are less risky ways of getting the same results....

Say, some high density foam used in hobby applications?  I have some stuff I bought with my gas powered RC car to wrap the receiver with to protect it from vibration.  It comes in sheets but I have no recollection any longer what it was called.  It might work well.   What about thin, closed cell weather stripping in the bottom shell of the case?  It will compress but provide firm support under the board.  Although I guess the problem we're trying to tackle is the gap between the PCB and metal plate so that's no good....  Hmmm

How do you disassamble the keyboard?

Is it possible to pull all key caps and then unmount the metal plate without soldering?
Then you could add rubber foam easily