Video HowTo: Change Cherry MX Switch w/o soldering

[CeeSA]

here is my first video try of a little demonstration.
this is the way i change cherry blacks in blue in my daily driver.

hope someone enjoy it.

after the first 3 changes you got the feeling and it is very easy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GivKt63dLvA

thanks to keyb_gr for tip!

[urlwolf]

This is a great video, very useful...
I started doing this, but I have a problem with the switches that are mounted with stabilizers. Looks like the metal is protecting the clips that attach the top to the bottom, they don't come out easily.

Any worarounds?

[CeeSA]

pic plz

[elef]

Here is a question to experienced modders: does this work on plate mounted switches, specifically Filco boards? How about keys with stabilizers?

Would this be a feasible method of switching a board from brown to blue switches by just changing the guts without desoldering the switches? Any possible difficulties/problems/failure modes? Is this considered a safe method?

I have a brown Filco that I would like to switch over to blues, but I don't want to buy switches and open it up until I know this is going to work - the board is still well under warranty so I don't want to void the warranty and get stuck immediately.

[turbocharged]

Here is a question to experienced modders: does this work on plate mounted switches, specifically Filco boards?

Some people claim that it can be done...I still do not see how it is even remotely possible. Desoldering is the only way I know how.

[Lanx]

Some people claim that it can be done...I still do not see how it is even remotely possible. Desoldering is the only way I know how.

I saw it on an asian site i believe the person made some slim shim and was able to do it, much like breaking into a car. This was before i ever took apart a cherry switch so i don't have the link or understood what he/she was doing back then.

[nanu]

does this work on plate mounted switches

Nope, not really.

[elef]

Thanks for the info, I'll forget about this then... it was a nice dream, though.

[CeeSA]

our hope is a tool
follow here:
http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=13251&page=3

[Half-Saint]

Well after watching the video and going through my toolbox I realised that I didn't have anything that would let me do it that way. That's when I noticed the  holes above each latch so I gave it a prod with my letter opener. It worked great, as you can see. If you push just hard enough, you can pop two latches simulatenously and the remaining two individually. It's quite fast when you get some practice.

[CeeSA]

nice technique

[db_Iodine]

Would that technique work for plate mounted switches? It would seem like you could access the same spots with a plate mounted switch, so it might work..

[keyb_gr]

Brilliant idea. I used a jeweler's screwdriver (2.0 mm) instead of the letter opener (mine's too blunt) on my half-problematic clear Caps Lock, and lo and behold, it worked. I guess it's not the very best method ever, and it was a bit fussy (very good lighting recommended, too), but now it's cotton swabs and silicone spray time. Thanks!

EDIT: After I was done with Caps Lock, I treated Tab as well, which was sticking a bit on top. Top case and stem washed in water with hand soap, same used for swabbing off smelly brownish remains on bottom case (that's the bopard which I think saw a Coke spill before I got it) and getting the guides on top and bottom clean. Finally some silicone spray on the other side of the swab to lube stem and guides. Seems to have worked a treat.

This opening method is best suited for switches with a bit of room around them I think. Sure makes it easier.

[keyb_gr]

Oh well, now i've turned a non-clicking blue switch into a non-working one. ;-/ Don't mess with the metal parts if you don't see what you're doing. Guess it's time for a new one then...

At least the cause of the non-clicking was related to both stem and metal parts, as swapping the stem only gave a switch with some rattle at best. Thus I would have needed a new one anyway.

Incidentally, it is possible to get by with little more than one screwdriver: Push down stem when opening one side, then the top case should come up far enough to hold it by hand while working on the other one. i would also recommend to mainly unsnap the rear tabs (on the side opposite the LED opening), seems to work better.

[Half-Saint]

Would that technique work for plate mounted switches? It would seem like you could access the same spots with a plate mounted switch, so it might work..

Probably not but who knows...

[Oqsy]

Wow you guys are all way more delicate with these things than I am.  I just get a screwdriver and pry the "seam" where they click together.  It's always worked and I've never had a problem with damaging anything in the mechanism.  It goes very quickly, and I can do a spring / stem swap on a 101 key cherry in about 30 minutes.

[Half-Saint]

This opening method is best suited for switches with a bit of room around them I think. Sure makes it easier.

I had absolutely no problem using this method on keys with stabilizers regardless of stabilizer orientation. Removing stabilizers isn't difficult but it's completely unneccessary in this case. I was able to mod the whole board in about an hour.

[keyboardlover]

SO, I got curious, tried this mod and this happened.



Ow. Ow. Owwwwwww!

I used a nail pick scraper...I did it with the case on because I couldn't figure out how to take it apart. I'm guessing I broke the solder.

[keyboardlover]

Yea...I wasn't about to attempt it on one of my G80-3494's until I tried on this beast first

At least it's in the top row of programmable buttons I'd never use. It also seems to be the only switch on the board without a diode...interesting. Maybe I should put this in its place.



Edit: Figured out what I did wrong. I pulled on the completely wrong parts of the switch. I feel like a noob.

At least I know how the F*&% it works now.



Can someone advise me on removing the case from my Cherry G80-8113HRBUS-2?

Edit #2: It wasn't a total loss! I was able to fashion a correct tool from a paper clip, then pulled the red space bar switch from my G80-3494 using this method and replaced it with the clear switch. That's exactly what I wanted to do =)

Space bar feels MUCH better now =)




This mod is great. I have more ideas in the works! =)

[Carefoot]

Cool beans.  I wish I knew this before I sold my old blue and brown boards oh well, I assume I can just buy straight up switches? (ie. maybe some reds...)

[db_Iodine]

SO, I got curious, tried this mod and this happened.

Show Image

Ow. Ow. Owwwwwww!

I used a nail pick scraper...I did it with the case on because I couldn't figure out how to take it apart. I'm guessing I broke the solder. :(

Did that require a lot of force to crank it out like that?

[keyboardlover]

No, that was the scary thing...I applied pretty much the same amount of force as pulling it out the RIGHT way. Just didn't pull it out using the 4 tabs like you're supposed to (I lifted underneath the middle-side of the switch). Beware!

Edit: I've realized that the paper clip won't work the way I like for the switches that are close together. Now I'm thinking of a better tool to use to pop more switches. If you have any ideas, let me know!

[keyboardlover]

I'm going to buy an o-ring pick set - looks like it'll work well. If I can do what I'm planning to do, ill have a lot of MX red switch tops for sale

[turbocharged]

You can prevent pulling the switch off the board by holding down on the switch stem while prying from the side. The best tool for this would be a small aluminum tube (id bigger than stem, od small than switch hole) and mount a 1 cm x 1 cm plate to the top of it to act as a "finger pad."

Maybe I'll do this and make a how to.

[nanu]

Just didn't pull it out using the 4 tabs like you're supposed to (I lifted underneath the middle-side of the switch). Beware!

Edit: I've realized that the paper clip won't work the way I like for the switches that are close together. Now I'm thinking of a better tool to use to pop more switches. If you have any ideas, let me know!

I love how most discussion about videos is hard to find because the videos get embedded off-site. Surely you've read recent talk about MX disassembly, at deskthority, though.

[keyboardlover]

I'm going to try to fashion the paper clip like you mentioned on that post tonight nanu. Thanks for the tip!

[sixty]

Btw, for the 5 minute speed opening: I only open the switches on one side by following Half-Saints video, but hold down the stem. This way you don't even need to open the other side, as you can just slide the top open with just one side open + stem pressed down. Practice this a few times before though, you don't want to bend the spring...

[keyboardlover]

Paper clip bent with pliers worked a treat. Since I already fubared my G80 with clears, I decided to strip the tops of the clears off the entire thing (which I did successfully tonight). Going to mod my G80s with reds with some of them and create a couple "Kustom KL Keyboards".

Thanks for all the helpful info folks! This is fun =)

[SecrtAgentMan]

So has anybody accomplished this on a filco without having to unscrew the frame?

[The Solutor]

I use a completely different way to open the (soldered) switches.

I think an image is better than 1000 words

[ Guests cannot view attachments ] 19905[/ATTACH]

Not the orthodox way but is effective and really quick way

[CeeSA]

plz make a video, cant imagine how this works

[The Solutor]

plz make a video, cant imagine how this works

 
It's unhandy for me to make videos, I have just a smartphone and no stand.

BTW is not so hard to understand: just use an huge screwdriver as a lever and the base of the nearest switch as pivot point, then gently move the screwdriver in the direction shown in the picture.

It works because the plastic used on the switch's housing is not brittle and the two tabs are kindly enough to not break with this (theoretically wrong) maneuver.

Thanks god the real world sometimes  works better than the theoretical one.

[Oqsy]

I have used the same method as Solutor, and it works. Very quick, too.

[The Solutor]

Unlike Oqsy and The Solutor that voted for me in the Troll Poll I don't get pissed if proven wrong about technical issues.

 
As I wrote I took it as a joke (as it should be), but some people were not of the same idea.

P.S. I was worried for you, as I had seen the last episode of Stargate Atlantis (which end in the S. Francisco bay) then you stopped posting. I thought it was a  relation between the two events. :happy:

[kaiserreich]

Does this method loosen up the top cover?
I find that after modding my keyboard with the 'without desoldering" route, the keys tend to come up with the swtich top when I try to pull any key.

Is there anything I can do to get the swtich top to hold on other than using something to push on the swtiche top while pulling a key?

[keyb_gr]

I just posted my very first Youtube video - and guess what it's about.

So far I've had no problems with the top casing not wanting to stay on afterwards.

[woody]

Nice one, Comrade keyb_gr. The best (unintentional) video effect was the eyeglasses bending the keys view.
But vere's ze funny German akcent?

[keyb_gr]

Nice one, Comrade keyb_gr. The best (unintentional) video effect was the eyeglasses bending the keys view.
But vere's ze funny German akcent?

Our dear Mr Oettinger used a year's supply's worth, and the market still hasn't entirely recovered.

My glasses getting into the picture wasn't entirely avoidable, since I'm not exactly nicknamed Eagle-Eye Cherry.

Editing this one was FUN, I can tell you. Imagine a computer in the basement with a recently-deceased graphics card so all you get is 1024x768 on a historic ViRGE/DX job from the Vault (on a 5:4 SXGA monitor no less), searching for decent free video editing software that works on Win2k (not much out there), searching for the install CD of a program that my dad had bought years ago (nowhere to be found), and ending up doing it all in VirtualDub. That one may not even have a basic "play selection" function (which makes editing a PITA), but at least it imported the .mov material correctly with the help of some AviSynth scripts.

I noticed that I had missed one "camera off" moment after it was all done and rendered (geez, setting up XVid is complex), but at this point I said screw it.

To top it all off, the first version of this reply got eaten by forum software with a "token expired" remark. And of course, stuff in the quick reply textarea no longer seems to be cached since vB4.

[British]

To top it all off, the first version of this reply got eaten by forum software with a "token expired" remark. And of course, stuff in the quick reply textarea no longer seems to be cached since vB4.

I'm using Lazarus for that sole purpose.

[woody]

Our dear Mr Oettinger used a year's supply's worth, and the market still hasn't entirely recovered.

Oettinger!

[keyboardlover]

Heh...I drank that beer once in Lido. A lot of Germans and Austrians vacation there