Author Topic: Stab shrinks ...  (Read 3968 times)

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Offline Eszett

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Stab shrinks ...
« on: Sun, 18 July 2021, 10:29:43 »
Didn't know that this exists ... but ok makes sense as alternative to lube, "for stabilizers to decrease the sound of the wire hitting the surface of the housing. ". Now, my question, isn't that easily done the DIY way, by wrapping a tiny bit of masking tape around the wires ends that enter the stab housings? Should be the same effect, or even better, since masking tape is thinner and by the number of wrappings you can adjust the feel and sound, right.
« Last Edit: Sun, 18 July 2021, 10:53:31 by Eszett »

Offline Volny

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 22 July 2021, 19:30:21 »
You'll have to do a really clean job, and you'll probably need to use something with less friction than masking tape. Otherwise you might end up with jamming/sluggish stabs.

I haven't tried wrapping the wires as you suggest, but I've tried the "holee" mod, where you you wrap the inside of the housing with thin foam or bandaid, to achieve a similar effect. It was a tedious process, and even when I thought I'd done it immaculately, it still made the stabs jam. Never trying that again!

Wrapping the wire itself sounds like a potentially less painful approach though.

Offline Eszett

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 22 July 2021, 19:36:11 »
Good mention with the friction, so simple scotch tape should have less friction than masking tape.
« Last Edit: Fri, 23 July 2021, 13:19:15 by Eszett »

Offline Leopard223

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 23 July 2021, 13:18:01 »
Best method I've found so far without going crazy with modding like using is getting a switch with minimal wobble, one great example is the Boba U4T, I've used Everglide plate mount stabs on the NK65 and the stock KBDfans PC stabs on the KBD67 Lite and on both boards there was zero rattle, with only lubing the housing with 3404 and lubing the wire with dielectric grease.

Offline Eszett

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 23 July 2021, 13:23:03 »
Understood, Leopard, but tell me did you mean 3204? Since I can't find a reference for 3404 ...

Offline Leopard223

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 23 July 2021, 13:38:38 »
Understood, Leopard, but tell me did you mean 3204? Since I can't find a reference for 3404 ...
Oh in that case, since I assume your board isn't hotswap, is to get a syringe and a needlestick and carefully inject lube into the stabilizer stem (NOT into the space between the stem and the housing), you might get weird looks for getting a syringe and a needlestick but it will be worth it, if you didn't get the explanation here's a great video explaining it.

BTW by 3204 I've meant Trybosis 3204, which is a plastic lube meant to lube switches and also can be used for the stabilzier housing, I've used 3204 becuase using something like dielectric grease will make them sluggish.

Offline Eszett

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 23 July 2021, 21:12:30 »
Actually my keyboard is hotswap but I guess that doesn't help regarding the stabs, they aren't hot swap.

You say dielectric grease makes stabs sluggish, that's interesting, because some sources explicitely recommend dielectric grease for lubing the wires of stabs.

I luckily found a video of "keybored" who compiles several different mods against stab rattling,
he says he hasn't tried the heatshrink mod for stab wires. But he covers several other alternative mods and that pretty much answers my original question.
« Last Edit: Sat, 24 July 2021, 11:29:03 by Eszett »

Offline Leopard223

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #7 on: Sat, 24 July 2021, 15:49:02 »
Actually my keyboard is hotswap but I guess that doesn't help regarding the stabs, they aren't hot swap.

You say dielectric grease makes stabs sluggish, that's interesting, because some sources explicitely recommend dielectric grease for lubing the wires of stabs.

I luckily found a video of "keybored" who compiles several different mods against stab rattling,
he says he hasn't tried the heatshrink mod for stab wires. But he covers several other alternative mods and that pretty much answers my original question.
If your keyboard is hotswap then you can easily mod the stabs, stabilizers aren't permanent, if they're plate mount you can easily clip them off the plate, if they're PCB mount then you'll need to remove all switches before you would be able to remove them off the PCB.

When I said dielectric grease make the stabs sluggish I've meant when using it as lube for the housing, not for the wires that goes into the stem, since dielectric grease is thick and sticky and not meant for lubrication, it will cause drag between the stabilizer stem and the housing, therfore most of the sources you found probably lubed the housing with 205g0 or something else. 

Offline Eszett

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 24 July 2021, 17:07:36 »
Right, if you was referring to the housing of the stabs, then it makes sense (that dielectric grease makes them sluggish)


Offline zookb

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #9 on: Sun, 25 July 2021, 12:51:31 »
What about wrapping the wire in teflon tape? Like plumbers use on threads? Dunno how you would secure it on there though.

Offline CarnageHimura

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 10 August 2021, 15:51:15 »
I've tried with like 5 diferent brand srinks and no one fits smoothly on the stem, I really can recommend the Holee mod for the stabs, give it a try.

Offline Eszett

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 10 August 2021, 15:53:45 »
Ye, now I think shrinks probably aren't the neatest solution. I plan to apply the Epsi mod, or Holee..

Offline Riverman

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Re: Stab shrinks ...
« Reply #12 on: Tue, 10 August 2021, 18:41:52 »
I tried heat shrink tubing on the stabilizer wire ends on my Filco, and even the thinnest stuff (1.5mm?) was too thick to fit in the inserts on the keycaps.  It might work on stabilizers with thinner wires, though.  I just put a bunch of Super Lube silicone grease (same stuff as dielectric grease) in the holes in the inserts, and now the stabilizers are very quiet, and not sluggish at all.  I've also caked that same grease in Cherry stabilizers and it works great there, too.