Re-bending Alps Stabilizers for use with Cruciform Stabilizer InsertsTools Necessary:- Two pairs of pliers (I used a small locking pliers and a needle nose pliers)
- Heavy duty wire cutter (I used the pair on my needle nose pliers)
- Alps stabilizers for the < 2.75u keys, and an extra spacebar stabilizer
Step 1 - Bend the 'C' into a 'U'
Place one plier just below the bend and one right above (I found that the locking plier underneath the bend was easiest for control) and straighten each side of the stabilizer. Perfection is not necessary here, you're looking for "good" not "ammaaaaaazing".
Step 2 - Mark the new bends
Grab a spacebar stabilizer (which just so happens to use cruciform inserts) to mark where your new bend will go. Use a dark colored sharpie and mark both sides of the stabilizer.
Step 3 - Bend it Like Beckham!
Repeat your plier maneuver you did for straightening, simply in reverse. Be careful to bend the wire into the same plane as the bottom. Again, it doesn't have to be perfect, but you want it pretty good. Repeat for the other side.
Step 4 - Test insert on keycap
Put the insert into the keycap to ensure that it's long enough. If you didn't mess up the height too badly you should be pretty good.
Step 5 - Fit Gap to Switch
Now you need to put the stabilizer onto the board and ensure that the gap is large enough to go over the switch when mounted in the clips. If it isn't large enough simply take out your wire cutters and give the ends a little trim. (I found if you add just a liiiitle height to the sides you don't have to trim).
Step 6 - Mount Stabilizer
Now you can clip the stabilizer to the clips, hook the inserts, and mount the keycap! Depending upon the height of the ends it may be easier to clip the stabilizer after you have mounted the keycap.
Step 7 - Drink a Beer and Admire Your Work
You deserve it champ!
The 2.75u ProblemThe only tricky key was the 2.75u right-shift on ANSI boards. If you're rocking ISO you have nothing to worry about all your stabilizers should be good (except maybe your ISO Enter).
The issue is that the cruciform inserts on the 2.75u shift key are inset a good deal more than their alps counterparts so re-bending the alps 2.75u stabilizer wire isn't going to cut it. So you need an extra wire. I used a spacebar stabilizer, but you could also grab some piano wire and start from there as well.
The process is near identical except you have to straighten the entire wire and measure the keycap to see the desired length of the inset. Follow around bending the 'C' one angle at a time using the spacebar stabilizer for the ends, and the 2.75u stabilizer for the bottom.
When you've made your last corner you should have quite a bit left:
Cut it, and proceed to switch-gap testing.
Other Stabilized KeysIf you have other stabilized keys (say a 6u spacebar) that need new stabilizers this method should work there as well -- assuming you don't want to mess with adding angles to the wire to reduce the length of a 6.25u or 7u stabilizer.
Happy Bending!
