Simple Questions, Simple Answers (FAQ in the OP)

[CPTBadAss]

I'm a fan of the 2x3x4mm LEDs.

Is there any particular reason? I ordered flangeless ones off eBay and it's been 4 weeks...so I'm trying to buy from someone else. I need these for my DS2! I even got my Clear switches before these came and I ordered them last week ...My ergo clear DS2 is waiting for me!

They fit? I don't have to do anything to the LEDs. Just put em in the right way, solder them up, done. The other shapes you might have issues with fitment with the caps and have to sand them down.

[nubbinator]

It's easy.  Don't even bother with the oxyclean and whatnot, just do hydrogen peroxide.  You can go to a beauty supply store and either get a liquid or a cream.  I did a liquid last time I did it and I had to toss acrylic on top of the caps so they wouldn't float on top, so the cream and saran wrap may be better.  Use gloves and a brush, then just leave it outside.

And if you're worried about the plastic being brittle at all, don't retrobrite since it does degrade the plastic a little.

[Dreamre]

I'm a fan of the 2x3x4mm LEDs.

Is there any particular reason? I ordered flangeless ones off eBay and it's been 4 weeks...so I'm trying to buy from someone else. I need these for my DS2! I even got my Clear switches before these came and I ordered them last week ...My ergo clear DS2 is waiting for me!

They fit? I don't have to do anything to the LEDs. Just put em in the right way, solder them up, done. The other shapes you might have issues with fitment with the caps and have to sand them down.

The ones without the flanges are somewhere stuck in between Hong Kong and Canada. My keyboard is currently LED less and I'm itching to try my ergo clears . So does the majority of GHers use these types?

[CPTBadAss]

Anyone have experience with retrobrite? how easy is it to make? expensive to make?

going to need it for an incoming board

It's easy.  Don't even bother with the oxyclean and whatnot, just do hydrogen peroxide.  You can go to a beauty supply store and either get a liquid or a cream.  I did a liquid last time I did it and I had to toss acrylic on top of the caps so they wouldn't float on top, so the cream and saran wrap may be better.  Use gloves and a brush, then just leave it outside.

And if you're worried about the plastic being brittle at all, don't retrobrite since it does degrade the plastic a little.

Dubsgalore also asked this in IRC, OO2 was commenting so I thought I'd post here. Yes I asked him for permission to quote him:
<OO2> the gel was made to 'go a long way' because it was invented by guys who wanted to do their whole computers
<OO2> if you can afford it, I'd just get the H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) alone, and some Oxyclean
<OO2> soak the case
<OO2> in sunlight, or a UV light if you have one
<OO2> I used 6% H2O2 and it was fine
<OO2> 8% H2O2 would be good I think
<OO2> check it every 2 hours or so
Then he recommended checking this out

<CommunistWitchDr> My mix was just h2o2, oxiclean, and corn starch for gelifying the main case

[Dubsgalore]

yepp^^ thanks anyway nubbs

I'm going to go with 5L of Water, 1/4 tsp of Oxy, and 300 mL of H202, and let it soak for 12 hours, probably on a sunday, in good sunlight

[nubbinator]

yepp^^ thanks anyway nubbs

I'm going to go with 5L of Water, 1/4 tsp of Oxy, and 300 mL of H202, and let it soak for 12 hours, probably on a sunday, in good sunlight

Unless you're getting a super high concentration of peroxide (which you can't find in stores) do no dilute it with the water.  You'd be talking a lab grade peroxide if you're going to dilute it.  Just go to a beauty supply store and get the 6-8% peroxide and do that alone.  And the reason I say that Oxy isn't necessary is that it doesn't make it any whiter.  In fact, some people say it makes things worse and is the source of the"blooming" that retrobrighting sometimes causes.

[Melvang]

Has anyone ever made a clicky rubber dome keyboard?

[dustinhxc]

Ive seen people reply to photos with Potato. What do they mean?

[SpAmRaY]

Ive seen people reply to photos with Potato. What do they mean?

The picture is so bad they must have used a potato.....usually a cell phone camera...

[dustinhxc]

Ive seen people reply to photos with Potato. What do they mean?

The picture is so bad they must have used a potato.....usually a cell phone camera...

Haha ohhhh thanks!

[Melvang]

Ive seen people reply to photos with Potato. What do they mean?

The picture is so bad they must have used a potato.....usually a cell phone camera...

Haha ohhhh thanks!

I concur.  I would even still call pics with the new Nokia Windows phone with the 41 megapixel camera potatoes pics due to the size of the CMOS sensor.  Now where the term potato comes from I have no idea.

[jdcarpe]

Now where the term potato comes from I have no idea.

YouTube, apparently. http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/recorded-with-a-potato

[McWilloughby]

What does un-dyed ABS look like?

[Melvang]

ABS caps are colored with an additive in the plastic itself.  When the plastic goes into the machine that actually makes the caps in its raw material form it is already colored.  As far as what it looks like without any color additive I couldn't tell you that.  My guess would be some sort of off white.

[CPTBadAss]

What does un-dyed ABS look like?

From Makerbot's site


From the Richrap blog

In the future, if you're just looking for pictures you can Google Image Search "Un-dyed ABS" or "Natural ABS". Not to be mean but I'm trying not to be in the business of doing simple Google Searches for people.

[McWilloughby]

Ah my mistake, I had been googling un-dyed ABS but it didn't bring anything (relevant) up for me. To further my question, is the YCA SP colour ring http://www.flickr.com/photos/compactkey/9280304434/in/set-72157634628432952 likely to be un-dyed/natural?

edit - Just looked further into the SP website and it seems that it is listed as YCA GLOW there. Apologies for answering my own question there..

[CPTBadAss]

Is the YCA SP colour ring http://www.flickr.com/photos/compactkey/9280304434/in/set-72157634628432952 likely to be un-dyed/natural?

Yes, I would say that it looks like natural/un-dyed ABS.

[dorkvader]

I have some SP glow caps and it's got a slight greenish hue, likely due to the addition of glow dye to the mix.

[rowdy]

How hard do you need to press to correctly seat Topre keycap?

I pressed until I met reasonable resistance, but the keycaps were still taller than the surrounding ones.  So I pressed really hard, and the keycap popped down with a loud audible CLACK.  Seemed to require much more force than MX to get on.  This is HHKB Pro 2 and lavender WASD that came with it.

Thanks!

[babyface]

What units are the keys to the right of the space bar on poker ii? The bottom row.

[BlueBär]

What units are the keys to the right of the space bar on poker ii? The bottom row.

1x1.25

[Dreamre]

Before I purchase 55g springs from Sherryton, are they a bit heaver than the stock red/blue/brown springs? This actuation stuff has gotten me confused D:.

Edit-

Did some Googling and its a bit lighter than stock red/blue/brown springs.

[BlueBär]

Before I purchase 55g springs from Sherryton, are they a bit heaver than the stock red/blue/brown springs? This actuation stuff has gotten me confused D:.

They are actually lighter. Original light Cherry springs are about 60g (actually a bit heavier, but so are Sherrytons according to rknize's measurements).

[Dreamre]

Before I purchase 55g springs from Sherryton, are they a bit heaver than the stock red/blue/brown springs? This actuation stuff has gotten me confused D:.

They are actually lighter. Original light Cherry springs are about 60g (actually a bit heavier, but so are Sherrytons according to rknize's measurements).

Thanks for the reply! I just purchase 62g "limited" springs from Sherryton.

I'm disappointed as I did not know that stock MX springs from red/blue/brown switches stick in clear switches (even with lubricant!).

[CPTBadAss]

What units are the keys to the right of the space bar on poker ii? The bottom row.

Reference picture:

Borrowed from MK.com

Those keys are 1.25x. They keyboard is standard ANSI 1.25x so the bottom row is:

1.25x - 1.25x - 1.25x - 6.25x - 1.25x - 1.25x - 1.25x - 1.25x

Before I purchase 55g springs from Sherryton, are they a bit heaver than the stock red/blue/brown springs? This actuation stuff has gotten me confused D:.

Edit-

Did some Googling and its a bit lighter than stock red/blue/brown springs.

Just for future reference, check out this post which links to rkinze's post.

[catnipz0098]

Before I purchase 55g springs from Sherryton, are they a bit heaver than the stock red/blue/brown springs? This actuation stuff has gotten me confused D:.

They are actually lighter. Original light Cherry springs are about 60g (actually a bit heavier, but so are Sherrytons according to rknize's measurements).

Thanks for the reply! I just purchase 62g "limited" springs from Sherryton.

I'm disappointed as I did not know that stock MX springs from red/blue/brown switches stick in clear switches (even with lubricant!).

Why can't they stick without lubricant?

[CPTBadAss]

I'm disappointed as I did not know that stock MX springs from red/blue/brown switches stick in clear switches (even with lubricant!).

Why can't they stick without lubricant?

The spring is too light and causes the switches to be sticky or return slowly. Lubricant should help the issue but the stock Red/Blue/Brown spring has always felt sticky to me. It was only on mistakemistake's 55g (Korean gold spring) LZ-GH did I try modified light Clears that weren't sticky.

[moogle]

where would one find RGB modifier keys which fit a kingsaver?

[CPTBadAss]

where would one find RGB modifier keys which fit a kingsaver?

Show Image

I got your answer! But you should cite your sources, aka where you got the picture from, in the future. Just out of respect for whomever posted the info/picture/whatever and because it'll be easier for people to track down information for you. For anyone reading this later, the answer to the question can be found here

Where are those RGB sets from by the way? Does anyone know?

Hand made buddy!  The guy (creator of the Kingsaver) dye sublimated the RGB himself.  I am sorry for not putting this earlier.

I am not sure how imperfect they are.

[moogle]

thank you captain!

[techzen]

I want to make an 8x8, or more, square bank of mechanical switches.  I do not want any key staggering I just want a perfectly aligned set of keys.  edit: I'd also like to be able to hold down as many as I want and have them register, even if I might not ever need it.

I've been looking for days on a way to make something like this step by step but all the information seems to be for either everything I do not want to do or someone posts a hey look what I made and there's no way I can reproduce it.

Is there a step-by-step guide from start to finish on how to do something like this?  From what parts to buy, to how to make the housing, to what the code is, etc.  I hope to use a teensy 2.0, because it seems to be fairly popular and I could also use it to emulate a joystick if I end up having to do that.

It's honestly blowing my mind that nobody, from what I could find so far, has made just a ton of keys in a square configuration yet and then explained how to do it.   Maybe it's so easy it's not worth posting, but it would help me out.

[CPTBadAss]

It's honestly blowing my mind that nobody, from what I could find so far, has made just a ton of keys in a square configuration yet and then explained how to do it.   Maybe it's so easy it's not worth posting, but it would help me out.

It's honestly mindblowing you couldn't find the huge highlighted bolded, stickied threads (three of which I've linked below for you to read over to help you start) in Making Stuff Together. See, I can make sweeping generalizations that put people down too...If you want help, just ask. No need to make statements to put anyone down.

The reason there's not one central thread is because this isn't an easy process. And this isn't a simple question. I can point you in the right direction but your project will be very involved and not very easy.

Is there a step-by-step guide from start to finish on how to do something like this?  From what parts to buy, to how to make the housing, to what the code is, etc.  I hope to use a teensy 2.0, because it seems to be fairly popular and I could also use it to emulate a joystick if I end up having to do that.

No there is no step by step guide. You'll have to read a bunch of threads. I suggest these as a foundation:

Custom layout thread
CAD file hub
Controller/Converter information
Keyboard firmware code
Soldering Thread
From the GHPad Thread, you can get a glimpse as to the what parts you might need and the assembly process[/url].

Edit: BlueBar's Keyboard Modding topic might help too.

Edit 2: Soarer just came out with new firmware. Thread is here.

[swill]

^ good info here.  thanks for putting that together cpt...

[techzen]

Thanks for the help, I did go to all of those threads except the soldering one.  I didn't mean the fact that I couldn't believe there wasn't a tutorial to be an insult to anybody, I just meant that I thought a symmetrical keypad would be a very common thing.  I will continue to look around and see if anybody has done something similar enough that I can follow it.

Maybe I'll just buy four teensy 2.0 and combine 4x4 or 2x2 keypads or something.

Why does everything I think of trying have to be so borderline impossible or something.

[CPTBadAss]

I want to make an 8x8, or more, square bank of mechanical switches.  I do not want any key staggering I just want a perfectly aligned set of keys.  edit: I'd also like to be able to hold down as many as I want and have them register, even if I might not ever need it.

Does this help you at all?.

[techzen]

Thanks again, I will check out out.  I'm sure if I can manage to build one or more of those it would do just fine.

[noisyturtle]

Is it possible to do a triple shot print on a white cap with a blue base font and red font just askew of it to create a 3D effect? Not worried about cost, just curious if it's possible.

^like so^

[Melvang]

Is it possible to do a triple shot print on a white cap with a blue base font and red font just askew of it to create a 3D effect? Not worried about cost, just curious if it's possible.
(Attachment Link)
^like so^

This in a triple shot would be crazy expensive if even possible.  I have only heard of a very few select sets of vintage caps that were true triple shot.  My suggestion if you are going to have this made would be dye sub.  It would be much cheaper. 

Besides with the 3 colors in the font that would make these quadruple shot and I don't think anyone has done that.  Let alone with different colors in the font actually touching.

[vardhana]

What connector does SGI 9500801 have?
I know this can't use with PC/AT compatible. Just curious.

[CPTBadAss]

Is it possible to do a triple shot print on a white cap with a blue base font and red font just askew of it to create a 3D effect? Not worried about cost, just curious if it's possible.
(Attachment Link)
^like so^

Don't think it's possible. The way you have it shown, there's overlap and I don't think the legend would be crisp. I don't think the plastic would set right either. I'm not 100% sure though. Maybe PM BLJ Consulting? Or I can.

I think melvang is right with the dye-sub suggestion.

What connector does SGI 9500801 have?
I know this can't use with PC/AT compatible. Just curious.

I think this website has the right info. Looks to be a DB9 connector.

[BlueBär]

Is it possible to do a triple shot print on a white cap with a blue base font and red font just askew of it to create a 3D effect? Not worried about cost, just curious if it's possible.
(Attachment Link)

With dyesub you might only need two colors, as they should just mix - not sure though. Doing something like that with a tripleshot could be possible in theory, however I think you would have to use a bolder font, else the red part will get too small.

Maybe I'll just buy four teensy 2.0 and combine 4x4 or 2x2 keypads or something.

Why does everything I think of trying have to be so borderline impossible or something.

That project is far from "borderline impossible". You would actually just need 1 teensy as it should have enough pins to connect 8 rows and 8 columns. Apart from that you would need a custom plate, some diodes, some wires and that's it. For a basic plate you need cutouts of 0.55x0.55 inch and 0.2 inch between each cutout, use a 1.5mm thick aluminium plate. For the rest this thread and the links Catptain posted should help.

[Melvang]

Is it possible to do a triple shot print on a white cap with a blue base font and red font just askew of it to create a 3D effect? Not worried about cost, just curious if it's possible.
(Attachment Link)

With dyesub you might only need two colors, as they should just mix - not sure though. Doing something like that with a tripleshot could be possible in theory, however I think you would have to use a bolder font, else the red part will get too small.

Maybe I'll just buy four teensy 2.0 and combine 4x4 or 2x2 keypads or something.

Why does everything I think of trying have to be so borderline impossible or something.

That project is far from "borderline impossible". You would actually just need 1 teensy as it should have enough pins to connect 8 rows and 8 columns. Apart from that you would need a custom plate, some diodes, some wires and that's it. For a basic plate you need cutouts of 0.55x0.55 inch and 0.2 inch between each cutout, use a 1.5mm thick aluminium plate. For the rest this thread and the links Catptain posted should help.

I concur with this last remark.  According to Cherry spec sheets the switch holes are .551"x.551" +/-.002 with .75" from center to center on switch holes and a plate thickness according to Cherry would be .060" +/-.004.  16 gauge works well since it is supposed to be .0625" depending on manufacturer tolerances.

Couple questions for myself.

Is there a picture anywhere comparing switch springs for identifying by look?  I have a bunch of springs that I have sorted by how they look based on length and number of coils.  I was wondering if there is any pics available that I can look at to ID my rogue springs.

I know there is a video link for making your own cherry wires but does anyone know of a video for making your own costar wires?

[CPTBadAss]

1) Is there a picture anywhere comparing switch springs for identifying by look?

2) I know there is a video link for making your own cherry wires but does anyone know of a video for making your own costar wires?

1) Ripster has a nice album.

2) I've not seen one yet. It might exist, I'll take a look in a little while.

Edit: I got confused and can't read . I don't think I've seen a Cherry wire guide but the Costar stabilizer wire is more complex than the Cherry wire so this video will work great. This info is also in the OP. Thanks jdcarpe for making me realize my confusion.

... does anyone know of a video for making your own costar wires?

From Litster himself:

[Melvang]

1) Is there a picture anywhere comparing switch springs for identifying by look?

2) I know there is a video link for making your own cherry wires but does anyone know of a video for making your own costar wires?

1) Ripster has a nice album.

2) I've not seen one yet. It might exist, I'll take a look in a little while.

Amazing guide there Cpt.  If this is the link in the OP could a small note be added to that about the visual comparisons on the springs?

[jdcarpe]

... does anyone know of a video for making your own costar wires?

From Litster himself:

[CPTBadAss]

Amazing guide there Cpt.  If this is the link in the OP could a small note be added to that about the visual comparisons on the springs?

Done. Check out this post in the OP and let me know if that looks good.

[Melvang]

Amazing guide there Cpt.  If this is the link in the OP could a small note be added to that about the visual comparisons on the springs?

Done. Check out this post in the OP and let me know if that looks good.

Looks great Cpt. 

... does anyone know of a video for making your own costar wires?

From Litster himself:

Thanks Jd I forgot about that one.  Man I really need to be making a folder for just keyboard reference bookmarks.

[stancato9]

Is there a wyse replica set? If so, what is it called?

[jdcarpe]

Is there a wyse replica set? If so, what is it called?

The original WYSE replica set was a Korean GB set, called SoWaRe. Current market price seems to be about $160.

Round 4 had a "Retro" set, which was similar to WYSE or SoWaRe colors.

I believe Sherryton is making a SoWaRe replica set, made by GMK.

There have also been WYSE moogle and tsangan kits made, to make the originals compatible with modern boards.

[Melvang]

Is there a wyse replica set? If so, what is it called?

There is also this thread

Anyone know the distance from the plate to the bottom of the cap using DCS caps?