Spacebar Switches

[mashby]

I know it's common to use a switch with a heavier spring for the spacebar. In addition, when I look at some of the Ducky Hybrid keyboards, they also extend this to the modifiers as well. At some point though, you run out of options if you're using a clicky switch because there isn't a heavier version beyond Green. Or am I missing something?

Here's how a breakdown of how I look at Cherry MX switches:
Linear
   - Red (light)
   - Black (medium)
   - Dark Grey (heavy)
   - Super Black (super heavy & no longer in production)

Tactile
   - Brown (light)
   - Clear (medium)
   - Grey (heavy)

Clicky
   - Blue (light)
   - Green (medium)
   - White (medium & softer click)

I suppose I could mod a White, or Green switch with the spring from a Grey, is that done and if so what is it called?

[Jocelyn]

Gray is tactile, while Dark Gray is linear. I'd use a gray w/clear spring if my board had browns.

Edit - I use a gray w/clear spring for my Poker w/ ergo clears

I suppose I could mod a White, or Green switch with the spring from a Grey, is that done and if so what is it called?

I don't think it has a name, but I totally missed the white mods in your photo. White switch w/ clear or gray switch sounds good

[mashby]

Corrected the Greys in the list. Thanks Jocelyn. 

[Larken]

The difference between greys and clears are miniscule - the spring in the greys are only slightly (and very very slightly at that) stiffer on the down stroke, but after actuation, I find it hard to tell a difference between the two. Certainly not enough to call clears medium and greys heavy. If anything, they are extremely close, and definitely heavier than blacks.

I don't have factory greens on hand unfortunately, so I don't know if you could actually go heavier with those.

[Loligagger]

The difference between greys and clears are miniscule - the spring in the greys are only slightly (and very very slightly at that) stiffer on the down stroke, but after actuation, I find it hard to tell a difference between the two. Certainly not enough to call clears medium and greys heavy. If anything, they are extremely close, and definitely heavier than blacks.

I don't have factory greens on hand unfortunately, so I don't know if you could actually go heavier with those.

Greys are quite a noticeable step up in stiffness from clears. I haven't done any real measurements but stuffing the two stems against each other results in the clears almost bottoming out before the grey gets past its bump.

[MKULTRA]

One of the reasons they use a different switch is because the spacebar can be so heavy.  Especially a thick PBT spacebar.

[IvanIvanovich]

There used to be clicky greys with 105cN known as grey36 part number MX1A-B1NW/N. I am not entirely sure when they were discontinued but I think it was around the same time the original whites were. There were also super blues with a deep navy blue color with around 180cN but the part number is unknown to me as I have never seen it mentioned in any catalog or data sheet and may have been a special order switch.

Cherry has the switches listed officially as brown at 55cN, clears at 65cN, while its grey39 counterpart is at 80cN. Similarly with red at 50cN, black at 60cN and grey37 at 80cN. Blue at 60cN with white and green both at 80cN.

[mashby]

As always, GeekHack is a fountain of information and I always learn something new. Thank you to everyone that's responded thus far.

If I opt to mod a switch by switching a spring, does anyone know where I can buy heavier springs? I always see people going lighter, but I don't recall seeing heavier springs.

[CPTBadAss]

Deepthawt's G80-5000 had some keys on the side that had super black switches in them. They were laughably heavy. Almost impossible to actuate. I couldn't imagine using that on a spacebar....my poor thumbs....

[mashby]

Deepthawt's G80-5000 had some keys on the side that had super black switches in them. They were laughably heavy. Almost impossible to actuate. I couldn't imagine using that on a spacebar....my poor thumbs....

Yeah, although I've never tried one (you lucky bastard, LOL), I think a Super Black is going way too far. And I may be over-thinking this whole thing.  )

I'm awaiting the arrival of MX-White, MX-Grey and MX-Green switches, so I suppose I should wait until then, but then again, I'm not known for my patience. 

[CPTBadAss]

You shouldve made the drive to Chicago with me! Next time

[mashby]

As I understand it, all of the following switches have approximately the same spring:

MX-White
MX-Green
MX-Dark Grey
MX-Grey
MX-Black

Is that correct?

[esoomenona]

I would imagine not. It wouldn't make any sense to have Blacks and Dark Greys with the same spring, would it?

Red, Brown, Blue
Green, Black
Clear
White, Grey, Dark Grey

[Larken]

I would agree with esoomenona's classification of weight. I don't have a huge sample of different springs to compare against, but here's a picture of a spring from an unused clear, and a spring from a grey I pulled from an old g80 8113.



The reason why I said I don't feel much of a difference between clears and greys (though I did mention that the grey felt stiffer overall), is because of the drastic increase in force in the clears after actuation. Yes, the greys are stiffer, and from the spring (singular) I have, it is perhaps because it seems to have been electroplated over with something else, judging by the color of the spring.

To my fingers, the force difference needed to actuate clears might be a little lesser compared to the greys, but after actuation, it's a different story - see the difference in the number of coils in each spring and the difference in overall height.

The more active coils, the less load you will have to apply in order to get it to move a certain distance.

But accounting for the unactuated starting height in the grey and the possible plating/material difference, it would fit with what the wikis are saying - 80cN for the greys over 65cN for clears.

But after actuation - the clears are said to rise up to 100cN in resistance, apparent in the design - shorter springs, lesser coils etc. It is something you can consider in creating your heavy greens.

I have no idea how much resistance the greys have after actuation, but they feel pretty similar to me at that point, though the greys are probably heavier prior to actuation.

[mashby]

Thank you guys. I knew I had to be off and you two helped set me straight.