Topre board modding questions

[kelske]

Hey rockstars,

So I'm really intrigued by dirty-dome-swapping and I'm thinking about swapping out the domes in my FC660C with 55g domes, using a new RF as a donor - and I've got a couple of questions:

1. What resources would you recommend to help guide me through this fun exercise? I've dug around and found these:
- White Fire Dragon's FC660C teardown video:

what a beauty this is! Awesome video thanks WFD should prove very helpful. Any gotchas I should look out for while dismantling this? My main concern at the moment is the top half of the plastic case. That looks pretty flims-dogg and held on with tabs rather than screws. Additionally, check out the 5s after this bit right here...

t=894 it's arousing.
- Khaangaaroo's RF "Topre Dome Swapping" thread as found here: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=37248 and the corresponding lovely photos http://www.khangfixesit.com/2012/11/topre-keyboard-dome-swapping.html - Have also got in touch with Khaang directly too as he seems to be well versed in such a mod.
- Ekw808's HHKB 55g-S modding thread: http://65.111.241.205/index.php?topic=40185.0 Another gem

Any other helpful ones anyone can point me towards? muchos gracias amigos!


2. Would anyone be interested in me writing up a report/how-to on this mod? I'd take pics as I go and regurgitate as much of it in as much detail as I can into a thread. Will probably do this to some extent anyway, but if there's some really interested souls out there I'll put in a bit more effort.


If anyone has any other tips (even if it's just 'don't break anything') please feel free to chuck em up. The more educated I go into this mod the better I think

Thanks in advance for any info,
Cheers!

[CPTBadAss]

I would be interested in a writeup. I like reading about mods and this seems like a great one.

[Danule]

your going to destoy a realforce for a leopold? weird.

[SpAmRaY]

your going to destoy a realforce for a leopold? weird.

But it's keyboard science!! I too am interested in the outcome!

[CPTBadAss]

Also Kelske, if you have your Leopold open, you might want to try this mod that huttala did.

[___q]

I can vouch for the silencing mods being worthwhile, if you're opening the keyboard anyways and have any use for a quieter keyboard -- I use a 55g topre board at work which I did a similar mod to (using rings cut out of a thin sheet of rubber instead of orthodontic bands), and it reduced the sound significantly (which is nice for an office environment).

[daerid]

I've been tossing this idea around for a while now. I haven't really used my 55g boards at all since I got the FC660C (and to be completely honest I haven't really used any of my Topre boards much since I got the ErgoDox).

[jalaj]

I need clarification. Is it the rubber dome, the spring, or the topre switch that determines the weight?

[daerid]

It's the rubber dome. The capacitive spring adds at most 5g, but is really essentially negligible.

[kelske]

your going to destoy a realforce for a leopold? weird.

Think of it more like an organ transplant.. for organs that already work fine.. but transplanting in SUPERIOR ORGANS!

I'll likely reconstruct and thoroughly test the RF with 45g domes in place of any harvested ones and flick it off on the classifieds for a steal.

Also Kelske, if you have your Leopold open, you might want to try this mod that huttala did.

Thanks for the info on this CPTBadAss and ___q, think I might give this a go while I'm at it. I wonder where I can find orthodontic bands here in NZ..

I need clarification. Is it the rubber dome, the spring, or the topre switch that determines the weight?

Yep like Daerid said, just the domes. I believe the springs are exactly the same for whatever weight the switch is on a topre board.



Cheers for the feedback!

[WhiteFireDragon]

So I'm really intrigued by dirty-dome-swapping and I'm thinking about swapping out the domes in my FC660C with 55g domes, using a new RF as a donor

Any gotchas I should look out for while dismantling this?

If all you're doing is swapping out the 45g rubber cups with 55g ones, then it should pretty straight forward and simple. It's only when you start modding the electronics, then you'll have to ask around. Just do everything carefully. Use a proper size screw driver head so you don't strip any screws. There are over 20 screws, and if just 1 of them strips, then you won't be able to take it apart. Some of them are screwed in pretty tight, so that's why I'm warning you about it being stripped. Lastly, after you've taken off the over, don't just yank the plate/PCB from the case; it's still attached to the controller hooked onto the case.

I know you already linked my video, but in case you didn't watch the end, the disassembly steps starts HERE

[kelske]

Sweet! Thanks WFD, good call on the screws.

[kelske]

87u ordered! this is happening

When I do the write-up, what would be the most appropriate section to put it in?

Making stuff together?
Media?