Simple Questions, Simple Answers (FAQ in the OP)

[metalliqaz]

Heat guns are meant for melting solder paste,  not desoldering normal solder.

[iri]

hmmm, i can desolder a 104 in an hour or so. qfr is a tkl board, isn't it?

Try heat gun, it should help clear pcb of switches in few minutes.

may a welder be even faster?

hmmm, i can desolder a 104 in an hour or so. qfr is a tkl board, isn't it?

Try heat gun, it should help clear pcb of switches in few minutes.

Terrible advice, unless you'd rather have melted switches.

do you use the same desoldering iron tip to desolder bigger and smaller joints? i found that my desoldering iron removes bigger joints very effectively, but isn't that good on smaller ones; sometimes applying wick is required. or is there a technique to desolder all sizes of joints with the same tip?

also -- do you plan to upload your lubing videos? i really look forward to know why proper lubing takes 1.5 hours.

[CPTBadAss]

Rofl iri. You're right, a welder is sure to speed the process up   

[IvanIvanovich]

Ha. Yes it will be great if you only want to disassemble and not use anything at all afterwards.

[iri]

sure. who needs those damn switches and pcb's.

[jdcarpe]

I recently desoldered a complete 101-key board in only 15 minutes. Oh yeah, forgot to mention I was using my Hakko 808 desoldering gun.

I use the same tip for all solder joints. I usually have to add solder to smaller joints, such as LEDs, etc., to remove the solder effectively. I have never been able to use braid.

[iri]

I recently desoldered a complete 101-key board in only 15 minutes. Oh yeah, forgot to mention I was using my Hakko 808 desoldering gun.

uh huh. i can buy a $170 desoldering station any day.

[Melvang]

I have been using the radio shack desoldering gun working so far for me just a novice on it.  the mistakes i have made with it was all operator error not equipment malfunction.  Speaking of which any suggestions on cleaning it if it needs it??

[iri]

use a wire brush, luke.

[CPTBadAss]

When the tip gets dirty while you're soldering, you can also try wiping on a sponge that's wetted with water.

[jdcarpe]

Also, buy out Radio Shack of all the replacement tips they have. Before I got my Hakko, I would do this every time I went into Radio Shack. The tips wear out after about a keyboard-and-a-half, even with cleaning. I have some that have a hole worn through the side of the tip.

[The_Beast]

Also, buy out Radio Shack of all the replacement tips they have. Before I got my Hakko, I would do this every time I went into Radio Shack. The tips wear out after about a keyboard-and-a-half, even with cleaning. I have some that have a hole worn through the side of the tip.

Then you're getting cheap tips. I've soldered at least 3 pokers and haven't replaced a tip and this was a soldering iron in a lab, so I'm sure I wasn't the only one using it

[jdcarpe]

Also, buy out Radio Shack of all the replacement tips they have. Before I got my Hakko, I would do this every time I went into Radio Shack. The tips wear out after about a keyboard-and-a-half, even with cleaning. I have some that have a hole worn through the side of the tip.

Then you're getting cheap tips. I've soldered at least 3 pokers and haven't replaced a tip and this was a soldering iron in a lab, so I'm sure I wasn't the only one using it

You were using the Radio Shack iron with bulb? There is only one option for tips for those...

[IvanIvanovich]

The Radioshack desolder tips suck, they are made out of poor brass alloy and get all melted and deformed by the hot solder. Especially old lead free solder, will destroy them really fast.

[The_Beast]

Also, buy out Radio Shack of all the replacement tips they have. Before I got my Hakko, I would do this every time I went into Radio Shack. The tips wear out after about a keyboard-and-a-half, even with cleaning. I have some that have a hole worn through the side of the tip.

Then you're getting cheap tips. I've soldered at least 3 pokers and haven't replaced a tip and this was a soldering iron in a lab, so I'm sure I wasn't the only one using it

You were using the Radio Shack iron with bulb? There is only one option for tips for those...

Nope, a decentish Weller. It's the station with coiled iron holder, the sponge underneath and a temp dial

[boost]

Need the standoff height on the poker case. This is where the PCB screws into th case

[nubbinator]

Anyone know where you can buy MX Whites or what the Chinese word is for them (I know they call them Milks) so I can find them on Taobao?  I'm thinking of getting the GH60 and putting whites on it.

Also, any recommendations on dremel tips for modding a plate so that the Cherry housing can be removed without desoldering?

[Jocelyn]

Anyone know where you can buy MX Whites or what the Chinese word is for them (I know they call them Milks) so I can find them on Taobao?  I'm thinking of getting the GH60 and putting whites on it.

I've searched high and low on Taobao, and have not found any MX White (Milk) Switches.

[Dubsgalore]

Mx whites were on QWERkeys...not sure if they still are

[nubbinator]

Mx whites were on QWERkeys...not sure if they still are

Just checked and they are, but it would be obscenely expensive.  It would be cheaper to buy a Pure with whites from MechanicalKeyboards.com and harvest the switches from that than to buy the switches from Qwerkeys.  I'd almost rather just go with some cheap used Clears again, buy some used Blues and experiment with ways of muffling the click, or toss my Clear springs in Reds and use those.

[IvanIvanovich]

Best source for switches is through 7bit, but you might have to wait awhile for certain types.

[nubbinator]

Best source for switches is through 7bit, but you might have to wait awhile for certain types.

Is he on here too or just DT? And the GH60 is still a little while out, so waiting a little while shouldn't be too much of an issue unless we're talking 6 months to a year.

[IvanIvanovich]

They have an account here, but I am not sure if they visit here as often. I think they are working on supplying switches along with the GH60 pcbs and such also.

[mushupork]

Can anyone link to a photo or diagram of a Poker and a Pure keyboard side by side to show the difference in key layout?  (Single picture)

[CPTBadAss]

Mx whites were on QWERkeys...not sure if they still are

Just checked and they are, but it would be obscenely expensive.  It would be cheaper to buy a Pure with whites from MechanicalKeyboards.com and harvest the switches from that than to buy the switches from Qwerkeys.  I'd almost rather just go with some cheap used Clears again, buy some used Blues and experiment with ways of muffling the click, or toss my Clear springs in Reds and use those.

Are you sure the Pure has whites? They said that the new Ducky had whites and it was a mistranslation. The switches turned out to be clears. They said the same might happen with the Pures and were waiting on the shipment to verify.

Can anyone link to a photo or diagram of a Poker and a Pure keyboard side by side to show the difference in key layout?  (Single picture)

I'm at work so I can't make a single picture for you but try these links:

Pure
Poker

Pure has a shoft right shift and I think Smallfry said the top row of keys had a weird profile.

[esoomenona]

.

[jdcarpe]

Only difference between Poker and Pure is the right shift / tilde key.

[nubbinator]

Are you sure the Pure has whites? They said that the new Ducky had whites and it was a mistranslation. The switches turned out to be clears. They said the same might happen with the Pures and were waiting on the shipment to verify.

Nope, I'm not sure.  I know the whole Clear/White thing makes for fun with Chinese orders.  I'd love some Whites, but I really don't want to spend more than $50, $60 on the high end, for them for the GH60.  If I can't find them, I'll just toss my Clear springs in the Reds I have and toss them on the GH60.  That will be free.

[Binge]

Why is it Alps keyboards feel better to type on when they're in your lap?

[remedyhalopc]

does anyone know what type of LEDs I should be buying for my QFR? I want to get a less bright or less harsh color. Maybe Amber or blue.

[IvanIvanovich]

I like these personally for LED. The 'blue lagoon' color is pretty nice.

[mushupork]

Thanks anonemoose!  I thought there was more difference.  Maybe in the function layers?

[jdcarpe]

Thanks anonemoose!  I thought there was more difference.  Maybe in the function layers?

Yes, the function layers are different. But the only difference in physical layout is what moose pictured.

[CPTBadAss]

Why is it Alps keyboards feel better to type on when they're in your lap?

Binge, what you like to do in your lap is not really anyone's business on GH but your own

[Permeability]

What keyboards allow you modify the switches without desoldering? (Besides the Poker)

[CPTBadAss]

What keyboards allow you modify the switches without desoldering? (Besides the Poker)

I believe that it depends on the plate in the keyboard. I'm not sure a stock poker allows you to mod the switches.

[The_Beast]

What keyboards allow you modify the switches without desoldering? (Besides the Poker)

Most cherry boards are PCB mount

[Jocelyn]

Anything that doesn't have a plate or LEDs. Sorry for not having a list

[The_Beast]

What keyboards allow you modify the switches without desoldering? (Besides the Poker)

I believe that it depends on the plate in the keyboard. I'm not sure a stock poker allows you to mod the switches.

It does except for the 7 keys that have LEDs

Caps, ~, spacebar, Rwin, menu, Rctrl, Rshift

[IvanIvanovich]

You can change switch internals easily on
PCB mount:
Vortex Poker, Pure, Race
Cherry G80-XXXX
Plum 96, Neo Zelia

Kit boards

[Halverson]

I'm lazy and on my phone. So I'm just going to quickly ask. Looks like the plate with ergodox is capable of switch swapping. True or false.

[tp4tissue]

I'm lazy and on my phone. So I'm just going to quickly ask. Looks like the plate with ergodox is capable of switch swapping. True or false.

true.. says so on the massdrop page

[Halverson]

I'm lazy and on my phone. So I'm just going to quickly ask. Looks like the plate with ergodox is capable of switch swapping. True or false.

true.. says so on the massdrop page

danke mein fraulein

[esoomenona]

Boards with modified plates, a la WFD's Universal plate.

[Joxx]

Very noobish question, is it possible to buy a keycaps set and rearrange the letters around? (I own an azerty keyboard).

[tjcaustin]

Very noobish question, is it possible to buy a keycaps set and rearrange the letters around? (I own an azerty keyboard).

yes, but the profile of the keys can be different and lead to an uneven typing surface.

[Joxx]

So basically, it's pointless for me to buy a set of keycaps since I'll have a high chance of not having an even typing surface or am I misunderstanding?

[CPTBadAss]

The profile of the a and the q caps are different. So if you swap them they'll be slightly off when you type. You can do it. But it won't be even. I had cherry alphas with OEM mods and the differences in keycap heights annoyed me so much I sold my alpha caps. You might not be bothered though.

[Joxx]

I most likely will be bothered by it lol. Anyway thanks for the replies, I guess I won't be able to custom my keys besides the F's and the esc button lol.

[Jocelyn]

The profile of the a and the q caps are different. So if you swap them they'll be slightly off when you type. You can do it. But it won't be even. I had cherry alphas with OEM mods and the differences in keycap heights annoyed me so much I sold my alpha caps. You might not be bothered though.

This OMG this^

I would just but a second set of blanks if possible and use those for any "off keys". You could always go with all blanks as well