Group buy: Cherry MX Blue PCB-mounted switches

[Half-Saint]

How many of you would be interested in buying PCB-mounted Cherry MX blue switches? I might have a source but there's a minimum order quantity of 1600 and I sure don't need so many

The price is 30 euro cents per switch plus shipping. I believe these should be MX1A-E1NW (someone correct me, if I'm wrong). You can also use these for keyboard w/ plate mounted switches, if you snip off the plastic pins.

Cheers
SainT

People interested:
1. symphonic1985 (? please specifiy quantity)
2. CeeSA (? please specify quantity)
3. NAVIWORLDINC (50 switches)
4. Findecanor (68 switches?)
5.
6.

[runeazn]

I can buy them for you with a minimum order of 1 :/
if you want them, since nobody is interested i think.
but they are like 79 eurocents each.

more you buy the cheaper, aka wholesale.

[sixty]

I'll trade you 100 switches for one of those numpads you sell :bored:

[elef]

I do not need an expensive keyboard

I think you may not be in the right forum.

[sixty]

I think you may not be in the right forum.

Its a paid spammer. We get these a alot.. usually can instantly point them out by their entirely unrelated signatures about car insurance, hotels, various pills..

[laden3]

@sixty, who has the largest keyboard collection in Europe?

[woody]

Good question. I just might donate a board.

[sixty]

@sixty, who has the largest keyboard collection in Europe?

webwit, no doubt.

[turbocharged]

[strike]The TG3 BL82 is a plated mounted keyboard, but does not use plate mounted switches. From what I have heard, a lot of plate mounted boards don't use the plate mounted switches.[/strike]

EDIT: This is incorrect...the TG3 does use plate mounted switches which do not have alignment pins.

However, to convert a pcb mounted switch into a plate mounted switch, all you have to do is take some side cutters and snip off the 2 extra plastic alignment pins.

[runeazn]

webwit, no doubt.

hmm,
I know his bank account *ninja*

[Half-Saint]

The TG3 BL82 is a plated mounted keyboard, but does not use plate mounted switches. From what I have heard, a lot of plate mounted boards don't use the plate mounted switches. However, to convert a plate mounted switch into a pcb mounted switch, all you have to do is take some side cutters and snip off the 2 extra plastic alignment pins.

Well, the one I have disassembled for cleanup definitely does use plate mounted switches...

Cheers

[symphonic1985]

If the plate mounted switches really can be easily converted to PCB mounted, then I may be interested. Actually a friend might be also.

I would be most interested in getting my hands on some MX brown switches though - any chance of that?

[CeeSA]

if is possible to convert them in PCB, than im interested too.

[Half-Saint]

I was under the impression that it was the other way around!

PCB-mounted: alignment pins
plate-mounted: no alignment pins

[NAVIWORLDINC]

I would be interested, but I live in the US... All I would want at most would be about 50 switches.

[turbocharged]

I was under the impression that it was the other way around!

PCB-mounted: alignment pins
plate-mounted: no alignment pins

Here is why I believe the plate mounted have the alignment pins.

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:7486

Whether it's PCB mount or plate mount (in this case the Kinesis is plate mount) the first step is to pop those keys.

Then all the pictures show switches with the alignment pins.

EDIT: It seems the companies use the pcb mount switches on their plate mount boards, not the other way around. The Deck Legend is the same way.

[Findecanor]

All Cherry switches can be plate-mounted. The ones without retaining pins have to be plate-mounted, because they will not be sturdy enough when mounted to a PCB.

Myself, I would be interested in around 68 switches at some time this year, but I have not yet decided which type ... If they are going to be Cherry at all.

[turbocharged]

Yep...here's the proof that the PCB mounted are indeed the ones with the pins and plate mounted are the ones without them....from Cherry's website.

[Half-Saint]

I will be making an official inquiry by the end of the week. I will be changing the order to PCB mounted instead of plate-mounted since PCB-to-plate conversion is possible.

Please PM me with how many you would like to order and I will compile a list and put it in the FIRST POST in this thread.

Cheers,
SainT

[Half-Saint]

I'm surprised at the lack of response. These are new switches guys and at half the price of Mouser! If I don't get orders for at least 800 switches I'm not going through with this.

Cheers

[bpiphany]

Mouser gives free shipping on orders above 75€ (i think), if something goes wrong in shipping or any parts are faulty dealing directly with a vendor is easier, it's probably quicker to buy directly from mouser, mouser supplies any number of a range of different switches as well as other components at their price.

I like the initiative, I just think there are a lot of reasons to pay the small extra buying from a place like mouser instead.

[Half-Saint]

Mouser gives free shipping on orders above 75€ (i think), if something goes wrong in shipping or any parts are faulty dealing directly with a vendor is easier, it's probably quicker to buy directly from mouser, mouser supplies any number of a range of different switches as well as other components at their price.

I like the initiative, I just think there are a lot of reasons to pay the small extra buying from a place like mouser instead.

I went to de.mouser.com only to find out this:

SWEDEN:
0 € - 75 € (EUR) - 20€ shipping
75 €+ (EUR) - free shipping

SLOVENIA:
0 € - 150 € (EUR) - 40€ shipping
150 €+ (EUR) - free shipping

All I can say to this is "WTF?!??"

Quick math:
100 MX1A-E1NW switches = 65,8€
shipping = 40€
total = 105,8€

I'm sorry but for me, it would be cheaper to buy a brand new G80-3000 and cannibalise it for switches!

The group buy (if it happens) will go through TIPRO (www.tipro.si) which also happens to be a Cherry dealer for Slovenia. They don't normally sell switches but I asked politely

Cheers
SainT

[bugfix]

What exactly can you do with the switches? Build your own keyboard?

[Half-Saint]

What exactly can you do with the switches? Build your own keyboard?

Yes, to build your own keyboard you definitely need the switches

I believe most people buy them for two purposes: to replace any broken switches and to do complete switch swaps.

[Soarer]

I could well be interested in 300 to 400 of them!

More so if we could get the version with diodes in (MX1A-E1DW)...?

Even at that quantity it's notably cheaper than Mouser!

[Half-Saint]

More so if we could get the version with diodes in (MX1A-E1DW)...?

We probably could but min. order quantity stands for every type of switch because TIPRO only has blacks in stock for their production needs.

I'd stick with default MX1A-E1NW as I believe it's the most widely used.

[sixty]

If Tipro only has blacks instock, what is their delivery time for these? Cherry is increasing their delivery times this year and new orders should expect about 6 months until delivery.

[Half-Saint]

If Tipro only has blacks instock, what is their delivery time for these? Cherry is increasing their delivery times this year and new orders should expect about 6 months until delivery.

I think I could get a couple of hundred MX Blacks in a matter of days. Let me know how many you want and I'll ask.

Cheers

[Soarer]

We probably could but min. order quantity stands for every type of switch because TIPRO only has blacks in stock for their production needs.

I'd stick with default MX1A-E1NW as I believe it's the most widely used.

A lot of PCB mounted 'boards use MX1A-E1JW, with the wire jumper in place of the diode, so that might be a good choice. (-E1NW has neither diode or jumper). It's easier to remove the diodes or jumpers than it is to fit them!

[Half-Saint]

You're not making my job any easier

[7bit]

Just some damn-stupid noob questions:

If I get MX switches, would it be possible to drill holes into a plate made of wood and stick the keys into the holes?

Is it sufficient to solder 2 wires to each key and then solder those wires to a controler?

Are there Cherry browns for sale in Europe, by any chance?

[bugfix]

Are you trying to build your own keyboard by any chance? ^^

[7bit]

Are you trying to build your own keyboard by any chance? ^^

I will get my own keycaps soon,
so I need my own keyboard to place them at;-)

Wood-mounting the keys would dampen them better than a flexing PCB.

[bugfix]

Could you document the building process so that others (ie noobs like me) have a manual for this?

[bpiphany]

The holes would have to be square and the plate 1.5mm thick for it to work properly. But otherwise yes, building from wood of course is possible =)

[Findecanor]

If I get MX switches, would it be possible to drill holes into a plate made of wood and stick the keys into the holes?

The plate needs to be a specific thickness. The holes need to be quite precisely cut and square. I don't think that you will be able to get enough precision and durability with wood.

I would recommend sheet plastic instead, if you can get hold of it.

Is it sufficient to solder 2 wires to each key and then solder those wires to a controler?

That it is. You can often see four soldering points per switch, but two of these are for either a diode, a LED or a jumper. I suppose that the extra soldering points would add some stability to PCB-mounted switches.

[7bit]

The plate needs to be a specific thickness. The holes need to be quite precisely cut and square. I don't think that you will be able to get enough precision and durability with wood.

I would recommend sheet plastic instead, if you can get hold of it.


That it is. You can often see four soldering points per switch, but two of these are for either a diode, a LED or a jumper. I suppose that the extra soldering points would add some stability to PCB-mounted switches.

Thanks for the info.

I thought it might be possible to sqeeze the switch into the hole, fixing it with some gule.

Maybe I should find some switches for testing.

[Lucien]

I might be interested in about 20-30 switches... How difficult is it to snip off the alignment pins?

Also, any chance your supplier could hook us up with red cherrys? :tongue:

[Pylon]

I would recommend sheet plastic instead, if you can get hold of it.

I don't that plastic sheet is particularly solid at 1.5mm.

[Lanx]

dear lord, drilling 5 holes per keyswitch drove me crazy. ok the 2 contact points were easy since i could bend the pins to fit, but the 3 mounting holes had to be so exact. Honestly if i was just a tinge .1mm off, my keys would mash together. Really the spacing and fit is NOT forgiving. i think it might be easier with just the one big mounting hole. (snipping off the 2 on the sides) but i think these add to stability, unless you plan on glueing the switches down.

[bpiphany]

dear lord, drilling 5 holes per keyswitch drove me crazy. ok the 2 contact points were easy since i could bend the pins to fit, but the 3 mounting holes had to be so exact. Honestly if i was just a tinge .1mm off, my keys would mash together. Really the spacing and fit is NOT forgiving. i think it might be easier with just the one big mounting hole. (snipping off the 2 on the sides) but i think these add to stability, unless you plan on glueing the switches down.

Yeah, I'm thinking the easy way out (probably cheaper too if one values his time...) is to have a mounting plate laser cut to mount the switches in. Then the holes in the pcb can be a tad oversized to allow for some sloppiness... (And no stabilizer pins does away with half of the drilling.) There isn't a lot of clearance between key caps =P

Ordering custom PCB's should include drilling I guess. I'm planning on cooking some together myself though. I have a bunch of plate mount switches to play with. I'm thinking they will be held in place pretty good if I put the diodes inside them and their solders helping in holding the switch down. If I end up making something pretty I might get a plate cut and resolder all the switches... Prototyping will have to be done the cheap way whithout plates...

[Half-Saint]

REgarding the group order: Cherry blue MX with stabilizer pins and a jumper?

[bpiphany]

I'm not ordering but, how much more are the ones with diodes compared to jumpers? A diode would work as well as a jumper to keep things in place. A jumper would perform poorly as a diode...

[Soarer]

REgarding the group order: Cherry blue MX with stabilizer pins and a jumper?

I'm not ordering but, how much more are the ones with diodes compared to jumpers? A diode would work as well as a jumper to keep things in place. A jumper would perform poorly as a diode...

I think we could do with a poll on the matter! (If there's any choice...). Not a forum poll though, because it should be by quantity wanted - as in, if you're not ordering you don't get a vote etc :-p

If a PCB expects a wire link, a diode will not always work ;-)

If it came out evens though, jumpers should be chosen, because it's easier to fit diodes than to fit wires. (Even though I personally would prefer diodes).

So... I'd like 330+, preference: diode > jumper > neither :-)