[GB] PURPLE/CLEAR ZEALIO SWITCHES (Complete)

[wilarseny]

I've now done a second board with Zealios (65g this time, rather than the 67g of the first) and again have 0 problem keys. To be honest, the soldering is even worse this time - I somehow got worse at it, and I'd be ashamed if anyone else saw the bottom of this PCB.* It makes me really doubt that soldering is at issue unless people are jamming the iron all the way down under the pad and somehow touching the switch bottom, or at putting on so much solder that it's dripping through the hole and melting the area around the pin. Are the chattering keys showing up for people with PCB builds, or handwire? I could see a handwire build going a bit more awry heat-wise, but I've never done one so not sure.

Impressions - the 65g feel much closer to ergo clears than the 67g do. It's amazing that 2g of resistance can make this much difference. I think I overall prefer the 67g - they feel much snappier, there's a really nice bounceback after the keypress which is missing to some small degree in the 65g (though it's still present, just a bit less). I prefer heavier switches in general though so YMMV. The 67g are also a more "unique" switch to me - again, the 65g are pretty close to ergos to me, while the 67g don't feel like any other switch I've tried (including Topre, though I understand the comparison now). Hopefully the 62g tactile come back with round 2 so I can be financially irresponsible enough to build a 3rd Zealios board!

* A fully transparent case was a bad choice in this regard, as cool as it looks otherwise.

What type of soldering iron are you using? If you're using some cheapo without temp regulation that actually might be helping keep you from melting the base as it wouldn't be capable of holding a consistent temperature. The downside is sloppy soldering and cold joints.

Could be. It's a Weller WLC100, which runs about $40 on Amazon. It does have temp control but I've felt like anything below the highest setting is too low to melt the solder quick enough for my tastes. Does burn pretty hot especially after tinning - and I tin probably more than I need to given my noob-ness - but no idea to what extent the temps are dropping while on the pin. Why I say my soldering sucks is usually the opposite problem, really - I'm melting the solder pretty quickly and usually ending up with beading, but it doesn't look like a cold joint (from what I've seen). Most of my joints look like the furthest-to-the-right image in this pic: https://learn.adafruit.com/system/assets/assets/000/001/978/original/tools_Header_Joints.jpg?1396777967

[cjhard]

Has anyone been able to get QMX clips to clip to Zealios? My first attempts are looking like these products are incompatible.

EDIT: Tested with a Cherry MX switch, Zealio is only slightly harder to attach these things, but they do go on!

[dragon788]

Got my Zealios and lube, sadly no Binge cap. Now just waiting for the damn infinity Ergodox, or perhaps I'll build my own on the Dox PCB my friend ordered from Falbatech.

[techmattr]

I've now done a second board with Zealios (65g this time, rather than the 67g of the first) and again have 0 problem keys. To be honest, the soldering is even worse this time - I somehow got worse at it, and I'd be ashamed if anyone else saw the bottom of this PCB.* It makes me really doubt that soldering is at issue unless people are jamming the iron all the way down under the pad and somehow touching the switch bottom, or at putting on so much solder that it's dripping through the hole and melting the area around the pin. Are the chattering keys showing up for people with PCB builds, or handwire? I could see a handwire build going a bit more awry heat-wise, but I've never done one so not sure.

Impressions - the 65g feel much closer to ergo clears than the 67g do. It's amazing that 2g of resistance can make this much difference. I think I overall prefer the 67g - they feel much snappier, there's a really nice bounceback after the keypress which is missing to some small degree in the 65g (though it's still present, just a bit less). I prefer heavier switches in general though so YMMV. The 67g are also a more "unique" switch to me - again, the 65g are pretty close to ergos to me, while the 67g don't feel like any other switch I've tried (including Topre, though I understand the comparison now). Hopefully the 62g tactile come back with round 2 so I can be financially irresponsible enough to build a 3rd Zealios board!

* A fully transparent case was a bad choice in this regard, as cool as it looks otherwise.

What type of soldering iron are you using? If you're using some cheapo without temp regulation that actually might be helping keep you from melting the base as it wouldn't be capable of holding a consistent temperature. The downside is sloppy soldering and cold joints.

Could be. It's a Weller WLC100, which runs about $40 on Amazon. It does have temp control but I've felt like anything below the highest setting is too low to melt the solder quick enough for my tastes. Does burn pretty hot especially after tinning - and I tin probably more than I need to given my noob-ness - but no idea to what extent the temps are dropping while on the pin. Why I say my soldering sucks is usually the opposite problem, really - I'm melting the solder pretty quickly and usually ending up with beading, but it doesn't look like a cold joint (from what I've seen). Most of my joints look like the furthest-to-the-right image in this pic: https://learn.adafruit.com/system/assets/assets/000/001/978/original/tools_Header_Joints.jpg?1396777967

Yeah the WLC100 has temp control but not regulated at the tip. Though from your description your probably melting the solder onto the pin rather than using heat to flow the solder onto both contact points. It may not look like it but that is creating a cold joint. If you gobbing a bunch of solder on there though it may never be an issue. Typically cold joints cause an issue by cracking and separating under pressure or stress. Since these parts shouldn't really endure any of that they could very well be fine.

I've found that any amount of heat required to flow the solder against the pins causes the base to start melting. The issues comes in when as others have mentioned... you apply pressure to the pin causing the leaf to move out of position. If you melt the base enough then it'll just move on it's own due to the pressure from the contact.

[Steezus]

I've found that any amount of heat required to flow the solder against the pins causes the base to start melting. The issues comes in when as others have mentioned... you apply pressure to the pin causing the leaf to move out of position. If you melt the base enough then it'll just move on it's own due to the pressure from the contact.

I used 290C on my Weller WESD51 and had absolutely no problems. I only ended up having one cold joint for my ESC LED but that was an easy fix. Other than that all my switches are no with no chattering or double register issues. Obviously since the switches are soldered on I can't really get a good look at them to see whether or not the base has melted but I highly doubt it. I was pretty quick with my soldering and have had quite a bit of practice over the years.

[ika]

I wonder if instead of the actual plastic melting, people are just pushing the middlemost contact towards the leaf as they solder (pushing the pin towards the center -> smaller gap in the contacts = earlier activation). I use a conical tip and when I solder my pins, I do add a little bit of leverage in order to apply heat to both the PCB trace and the pin at the same time. For those of you who have had a lot of chattering switches, do you push the pins when you solder?

[breitling]

Just fixed all my chattering keys using the method illustrated above. I noticed the keys that had the issue were ones that the key was engaging when you just tapped the key really lightly, so it occasionally resulted in a double-press when pushed a certain way. This made it easy to diagnose which keys were having the issue as I would tap the key really lightly a few times and see if it would register a click.

I also did not want to desolder my key switches and realized I could reach that contact without removing the key switch and just push the stem down all the way and insert a very thin jewelers screwdriver into the space between the stem and the case and it is just enough room to bend that contact back.. it definitely works 100% for me so far on about 4 switches. Some of the function and lock keys its harder to tell if its chattering.

Thanks guys for all the help in this thread, very useful.

For the record, I soldered at 450 degrees using a small chisel tip.. not sure the measurement.

Can you further detail exactly how you did it through the top? I attempted to do strict's fix using your instructions. From the stem hole I found I was only able to affect the front "half" of leaf bend (the bend facing towards the stem), and wasn't able to do what strict said he did. I tried both pulling and pushing that leaf and couldn't fix the chattering. I did, however, kill the bump a little bit . Are you levering the switch leaf from the back towards the middle/stem, or pushing it towards the back, away from the stem?

Sorry I missed this until now.. If you haven't solved the problem yet, here is how I did it, I don't really have photos though. If I understand what you're saying, you had trouble reaching the front of the switch leaf in order to pull it back towards the plastic stem, correct? You are only able to reach the back side of the switch leaf and push it away from the stem, which does not solve this problem.

If that's the case, you may need something thinner than what you are using.. I have a thin jewelers screwdriver which I used to get in there and get in front of the switch leaf and pull it back towards the plastic stem. Its quite deep in there but I have solved all my keys 100% and I am loving these switches now.

[ika]

Just fixed all my chattering keys using the method illustrated above. I noticed the keys that had the issue were ones that the key was engaging when you just tapped the key really lightly, so it occasionally resulted in a double-press when pushed a certain way. This made it easy to diagnose which keys were having the issue as I would tap the key really lightly a few times and see if it would register a click.

I also did not want to desolder my key switches and realized I could reach that contact without removing the key switch and just push the stem down all the way and insert a very thin jewelers screwdriver into the space between the stem and the case and it is just enough room to bend that contact back.. it definitely works 100% for me so far on about 4 switches. Some of the function and lock keys its harder to tell if its chattering.

Thanks guys for all the help in this thread, very useful.

For the record, I soldered at 450 degrees using a small chisel tip.. not sure the measurement.

Can you further detail exactly how you did it through the top? I attempted to do strict's fix using your instructions. From the stem hole I found I was only able to affect the front "half" of leaf bend (the bend facing towards the stem), and wasn't able to do what strict said he did. I tried both pulling and pushing that leaf and couldn't fix the chattering. I did, however, kill the bump a little bit . Are you levering the switch leaf from the back towards the middle/stem, or pushing it towards the back, away from the stem?

Sorry I missed this until now.. If you haven't solved the problem yet, here is how I did it, I don't really have photos though. If I understand what you're saying, you had trouble reaching the front of the switch leaf in order to pull it back towards the plastic stem, correct? You are only able to reach the back side of the switch leaf and push it away from the stem, which does not solve this problem.

If that's the case, you may need something thinner than what you are using.. I have a thin jewelers screwdriver which I used to get in there and get in front of the switch leaf and pull it back towards the plastic stem. Its quite deep in there but I have solved all my keys 100% and I am loving these switches now.

Were you pulling the small contact (the one closer to the middle) or the bent leaf itself?

[breitling]

Sorry I missed this until now.. If you haven't solved the problem yet, here is how I did it, I don't really have photos though. If I understand what you're saying, you had trouble reaching the front of the switch leaf in order to pull it back towards the plastic stem, correct? You are only able to reach the back side of the switch leaf and push it away from the stem, which does not solve this problem.

If that's the case, you may need something thinner than what you are using.. I have a thin jewelers screwdriver which I used to get in there and get in front of the switch leaf and pull it back towards the plastic stem. Its quite deep in there but I have solved all my keys 100% and I am loving these switches now.

Were you pulling the small contact (the one closer to the middle) or the bent leaf itself?

Yes - I was pulling the Blue circled contact towards the centre plastic stem which was circled in red, in essence nudging the two metal contacts further apart. This is the post pic I was referring to:
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=74807.msg1923515#msg1923515

[tofgerl]

You guys know you can solder without so much as touching copper, right? Put the solder between the tip and the contact.

[HoffmanMyster]

You guys know you can solder without so much as touching copper, right? Put the solder between the tip and the contact.

You can get it to stick, but it won't really be the best joint without giving it sufficient time to heat the contact anyway, at which point why bother?

[tofgerl]

Of course it will heat the contact, but I'm talking about the suggestion that people are bending it.

[ideus]

My order for Zealios has arrived, they were soldered in my new GON and there was no chattering, at all. I had no special precautions, I just use the same basic procedure with the same cheapo soldering station.


They feel smooth and the sound is very silence.



Thank you Zeal.

[myotherteeshirt]

I'm snipping the legs off more Zealios to put in another keyboard and I noticed that the pin under the G in gate Ron when viewed from the top is wobbling. It would seem that there is too much clearance in the bottom casing for the contact.

I checked the green razers I just pulled out, and there's no give on either pin.

Could the actuation problems be from that?

[trenzafeeds]

My order for Zealios has arrived, they were soldered in my new GON and there was no chattering, at all. I had no special precautions, I just use the same basic procedure with the same cheapo soldering station.

There's always the chance that your soldering iron just couldn't get up to the temperature required to damage the zealios. Glad to hear you had no problems though! How are you enjoying the switches?

[asgeirtj]

Wish there was a 66g option

[Zeal]

My order for Zealios has arrived, they were soldered in my new GON and there was no chattering, at all. I had no special precautions, I just use the same basic procedure with the same cheapo soldering station.

There's always the chance that your soldering iron just couldn't get up to the temperature required to damage the zealios. Glad to hear you had no problems though! How are you enjoying the switches?

I desoldered a Zealio to mount my Viper's capslock key off-centre for a photo shoot, and I did not notice any melting "rings" around the pin as seen from a few pictures. My iron stays at 650F/343C with 0.02" 63/37 Kester 44. Just throwing that figure out there cause to this day, I have not experienced any issues with the Zealios.

Wish there was a 66g option

If you pull the coils apart ever so slightly, it'll become 66g.

[cjhard]

After swapping springs in my Alphas, my chattery T key is now my chattery G key. Maybe some of the plungers are a little extra roomy at that dip just before the tactile bump?

[E3E]

Just put in an order for some linear Zealios, the ones almost no one mentions! Mainly because I started on linears and still have a very dear affection for them, not to mention their quietness which is preferred for my daily driver. Secondly, because I wanted a fully clear switch that would diffuse light from bottom LEDs.

If I ever want to go tactile, I'll probably swap stems with vintage MX clear stems. :3 Happy to finally be part of the Zealio buy, even if it was more a Black Friday - Cyber Monday sale.

[ideus]

Did I get a good batch of switches? all of them worked well with no chattering at all. I am typing on them now, they feel great.

[ari]

Depending on how you soldered them in, not necessarily.  I need to get some better measurements made [under a microscope], but the physical difference between a chattering switch and a clean one is as little as 0.01mm, +/- 0.00025mm.

If this theory is right, this problem cannot be seen in linear switches; it will only present on tactiles, and even then, only on some tactiles.  The tolerences here are small enough that hamfisted soldering could introduce it - or just pressure at the right angle on the leg of the stationary contact.  But it can - and does - present these symptoms on never-soldered switches...

I gave Zeal a heads-up with the core details already, but I need some better measurements before I'm comfortable posting everything.  I'm hoping to have a full write-up late this weekend. 

(Also, hi, finally got off my arse and registered an account instead of lurking.)

[kekstee]

Used the 67g Variant in an ISO GON 60. And I'm very happy with the result, no issues to report.
I don't have switches that are quite like it, and given lighter 45g HHKB Topres I can't follow that analogy either.

It's probably the heaviest switch I see myself using and enjoying to use. So I guess I'm happy I went with 67g instead of the more ErgoClear like variants.

[E3E]

Depending on how you soldered them in, not necessarily.  I need to get some better measurements made [under a microscope], but the physical difference between a chattering switch and a clean one is as little as 0.01mm, +/- 0.00025mm.

If this theory is right, this problem cannot be seen in linear switches; it will only present on tactiles, and even then, only on some tactiles.  The tolerences here are small enough that hamfisted soldering could introduce it - or just pressure at the right angle on the leg of the stationary contact.  But it can - and does - present these symptoms on never-soldered switches...

I gave Zeal a heads-up with the core details already, but I need some better measurements before I'm comfortable posting everything.  I'm hoping to have a full write-up late this weekend. 

(Also, hi, finally got off my arse and registered an account instead of lurking.)

Glad to hear that it won't affect linear versions, as that's what I recently picked up! I did put together two boards for customers who provided purple Zealios and I had little issue there. One had two chattering switches prior to soldering. There were no issues post-soldering with any switches.

[iamtootallforthis]

I need to order more 67g switches. Bought another keyboard I want expecting.

[E3E]

I need to order more 67g switches. Bought another keyboard I want expecting.

It's comforting to know I'm not the only one, hahaha.

[ideus]

I love the plate mounted Zealios, as much as I do love Ergo Clears PCB mounted. The sound of the last while plate mounted is high in pitch, while Zealios sound deeper.

[iamtootallforthis]

I need to order more 67g switches. Bought another keyboard I want expecting.

It's comforting to know I'm not the only one, hahaha.

Leeku's 1800 buy got to me  )

[inanis]

I soldered up my 67g Zealios on a GON 60 and didn't have any issues with chattering switches. I am not a soldering expert by any stretch of the imagination. I was expecting issues, but was happily surprised to find none.

Great switches. Thanks, Zeal!

[edel781]

I'm having no issues with my 62g linears. Thanks Zeal

[E3E]

I'm having no issues with my 62g linears. Thanks Zeal

Show Image

Aww yeah, good to see another linear junkie!

[edel781]

Aww yeah, good to see another linear junkie!

#linears4life 

[ctm]

Any chance I can get a sampler kit in US? I would like to get a few Zealio tactile switches to have a try, but 15 dollars shipping from ZealPC is too expensive for a 5 dollars purchase.

[Zustiur]

So I'm pretty confident I found a very painless fix for the key chattering issue. You need to take a flat jewelers screwdriver and ever-so-lightly bend the inner-most contact toward the center post of the housing. When you are tweaking the contact, you just need to give it 3 or 4 light pushes in the direction of the center post. You should NOT feel like you're bending anything and it should NOT look like you've bent it once you're done if you did it right. The tolerances here are incredibly tight so you just need a very fine adjustment and that should fix it. I was able to fix all 12 of the chattering switches on my Phantom doing this and I didn't have to solder/desolder a single thing. From my testing this does not alter the feel or performance of the switch in any way other than fixing the chattering and early actuation.

I drew a very crude diagram to try to help explain my technique. Basically you take the contact highlighted in blue and lightly nudge it a couple of times towards the center post of the housing in red.

Show Image

I have also fixed 9 keys this way. One was stubborn but it worked eventually.

Just fixed all my chattering keys using the method illustrated above. I noticed the keys that had the issue were ones that the key was engaging when you just tapped the key really lightly, so it occasionally resulted in a double-press when pushed a certain way. This made it easy to diagnose which keys were having the issue as I would tap the key really lightly a few times and see if it would register a click.

I also did not want to desolder my key switches and realized I could reach that contact without removing the key switch and just push the stem down all the way and insert a very thin jewelers screwdriver into the space between the stem and the case and it is just enough room to bend that contact back.. it definitely works 100% for me so far on about 4 switches. Some of the function and lock keys its harder to tell if its chattering.

Thanks guys for all the help in this thread, very useful.

For the record, I soldered at 450 degrees using a small chisel tip.. not sure the measurement.

Can you further detail exactly how you did it through the top? I attempted to do strict's fix using your instructions. From the stem hole I found I was only able to affect the front "half" of leaf bend (the bend facing towards the stem), and wasn't able to do what strict said he did. I tried both pulling and pushing that leaf and couldn't fix the chattering. I did, however, kill the bump a little bit :blank:. Are you levering the switch leaf from the back towards the middle/stem, or pushing it towards the back, away from the stem?

To clarify, I'm using 'precision screwdrivers' such as you'd use on a watch or on the arms of your glasses. They're tiny and cheap. Push the stem down with one of the larger screwdrivers, then  using the smallest flat head you've got in the set, push the clear plastic under the word 'Gateron' forward. As you do this, the thicker of the two pieces of copper should become visible. Push the screwdriver down a bit further, inserting it between the plastic and the copper. Tweak the copper towards yourself (assuming the word Gateron is the right way up!). Some will require a bit more pushing than others.

I'm convinced that this does tie into the melting issue. I do not have a variable temperature iron, and I suspect my iron is a bit hotter than some. Having made a really stupid error in building my keyboard I had to do a lot of desoldering and ended up melting quite a few of the switches to one degree or another. It became really apparent that if you put any pressure on the thicker leg of the copper while heating that it can melt the plastic just enough to move. Thankfully I only destroyed one switch completely but I can see how it happens. So here's an extreme example of what I'm talking about.



This switch is dead, the stem wouldn't even go down at all, but the keys I've fixed had all moved that thicker leg in the same sort of way.

[swimmingbird]

So I'm pretty confident I found a very painless fix for the key chattering issue. You need to take a flat jewelers screwdriver and ever-so-lightly bend the inner-most contact toward the center post of the housing. When you are tweaking the contact, you just need to give it 3 or 4 light pushes in the direction of the center post. You should NOT feel like you're bending anything and it should NOT look like you've bent it once you're done if you did it right. The tolerances here are incredibly tight so you just need a very fine adjustment and that should fix it. I was able to fix all 12 of the chattering switches on my Phantom doing this and I didn't have to solder/desolder a single thing. From my testing this does not alter the feel or performance of the switch in any way other than fixing the chattering and early actuation.

I drew a very crude diagram to try to help explain my technique. Basically you take the contact highlighted in blue and lightly nudge it a couple of times towards the center post of the housing in red.

Show Image

I have also fixed 9 keys this way. One was stubborn but it worked eventually.

Just fixed all my chattering keys using the method illustrated above. I noticed the keys that had the issue were ones that the key was engaging when you just tapped the key really lightly, so it occasionally resulted in a double-press when pushed a certain way. This made it easy to diagnose which keys were having the issue as I would tap the key really lightly a few times and see if it would register a click.

I also did not want to desolder my key switches and realized I could reach that contact without removing the key switch and just push the stem down all the way and insert a very thin jewelers screwdriver into the space between the stem and the case and it is just enough room to bend that contact back.. it definitely works 100% for me so far on about 4 switches. Some of the function and lock keys its harder to tell if its chattering.

Thanks guys for all the help in this thread, very useful.

For the record, I soldered at 450 degrees using a small chisel tip.. not sure the measurement.

Can you further detail exactly how you did it through the top? I attempted to do strict's fix using your instructions. From the stem hole I found I was only able to affect the front "half" of leaf bend (the bend facing towards the stem), and wasn't able to do what strict said he did. I tried both pulling and pushing that leaf and couldn't fix the chattering. I did, however, kill the bump a little bit :blank:. Are you levering the switch leaf from the back towards the middle/stem, or pushing it towards the back, away from the stem?

To clarify, I'm using 'precision screwdrivers' such as you'd use on a watch or on the arms of your glasses. They're tiny and cheap. Push the stem down with one of the larger screwdrivers, then  using the smallest flat head you've got in the set, push the clear plastic under the word 'Gateron' forward. As you do this, the thicker of the two pieces of copper should become visible. Push the screwdriver down a bit further, inserting it between the plastic and the copper. Tweak the copper towards yourself (assuming the word Gateron is the right way up!). Some will require a bit more pushing than others.

I'm convinced that this does tie into the melting issue. I do not have a variable temperature iron, and I suspect my iron is a bit hotter than some. Having made a really stupid error in building my keyboard I had to do a lot of desoldering and ended up melting quite a few of the switches to one degree or another. It became really apparent that if you put any pressure on the thicker leg of the copper while heating that it can melt the plastic just enough to move. Thankfully I only destroyed one switch completely but I can see how it happens. So here's an extreme example of what I'm talking about.

Show Image

Show Image

This switch is dead, the stem wouldn't even go down at all, but the keys I've fixed had all moved that thicker leg in the same sort of way.

Man that is painful to look at

[myotherteeshirt]

After weeks of attempts, I present: razer chroma feat: zealios!





No problems with ek switch hitter so far!

Interestingly, it seems that some LEDs affect the others - some LEDs didn't display some colours until I had all the LEDs soldered in.

[E3E]

After weeks of attempts, I present: razer chroma feat: zealios!

(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)

No problems with ek switch hitter so far!

Interestingly, it seems that some LEDs affect the others - some LEDs didn't display some colours until I had all the LEDs soldered in.

Wow, excellent use of the 4 pin RGB LEDs. It's a great way to really show what the Zealios were intended for.  So awesome. If you could put it in a more low key case, it'd be one of the neatest full-size boards ever.

Either way though, it looks fantastic. Kudos to your hard work.

[Zeal]

After weeks of attempts, I present: razer chroma feat: zealios!

(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)

No problems with ek switch hitter so far!

Interestingly, it seems that some LEDs affect the others - some LEDs didn't display some colours until I had all the LEDs soldered in.

This may be the first Razer Chroma board with Zealios

Great job, kudos on you desoldering 522 through whole joints...and then soldering them back!

[trenzafeeds]

Great job, kudos on you desoldering 522 through whole joints...and then soldering them back!

Ugh, I hate desoldering. You are right in saying that is quite an achievement.

[myotherteeshirt]

After weeks of attempts, I present: razer chroma feat: zealios!

(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)

No problems with ek switch hitter so far!

Interestingly, it seems that some LEDs affect the others - some LEDs didn't display some colours until I had all the LEDs soldered in.

Wow, excellent use of the 4 pin RGB LEDs. It's a great way to really show what the Zealios were intended for.  So awesome. If you could put it in a more low key case, it'd be one of the neatest full-size boards ever.

Either way though, it looks fantastic. Kudos to your hard work.

This may be the first Razer Chroma board with Zealios

Great job, kudos on you desoldering 522 through whole joints...and then soldering them back!

Ugh, I hate desoldering. You are right in saying that is quite an achievement.

Thanks! It was definitely an interesting experience.

I feel like the keyboard was built like a bloody tank - Getting to the pcb itself was an ordeal, and i think it had plated-through holes on a double sided pcb, which made it that much more of a pain! Looks like razer really doesn't want people getting into their keyboards.

Luckily, with advice from Zeal and you other guys on geekhack, i managed it!  So props to everyone! 

Anyway, now i'm feeling a bit sad that the light effect from the clear switches are hidden by stock razer keycaps - so any suggestions? I like the idea of jelly white POMs for diffusion but they seem hard to find.

P.S. I had two chattery keys this time - fixed them with strict's method, although now one seems to have less of a bump. The less-bumpy one has been relegated to the FN key.

[dragon788]

I think Max keyboards has some clear caps, or at least mostly transparent.

[PrinsPils]

Zeal, any plans for a second run? 

[Zeal]

Zeal, any plans for a second run? 

Very soon^tm

[PrinsPils]

Zeal, any plans for a second run? 

Very soon^tm

Awesome! do you have maybe 1 or 2 switches left over of the clicky switches. I checked your website but they are out of stock and would like to try some switches before i purchase 200.

[Zeal]

Zeal, any plans for a second run? 

Very soon^tm

Awesome! do you have maybe 1 or 2 switches left over of the clicky switches. I checked your website but they are out of stock and would like to try some switches before i purchase 200.

The clicky switch moulds haven't been made yet, it's still a concept phase.

[tofgerl]

I assume he meant tactile.
If you do mean tactile, PM me, I have a couple extras if you pay postage. But note that I live in Norway, so the postage fees will be steep, and the speed slow.

[Tuntematon]

What's the design plan for the clicky switch? 65g ultra-smooth, lower-pitched (than MX blue) blue Alps imitation? 

[asgeirtj]

For anyone wanting to change their 62/65's to 67 originative does offer 67 springs.  I did this.  As far I can tell the spring weight is the same even though the springs look very different.  It might be that originative's ones are a tad lighter but I can't be sure really, would be awesome if someone would be able to confirm or deny this though                                                                                             

[tofgerl]

So will the Original(tm) tactile Purple(tm) Zealios(tm) be getting a new order alongside the new ones?

I ordered 100, which was a weird choice, since I knew I would be using them for 60% keyboards... So now I have 30-ish left and nothing to do with them...

[potatowire]

It took me a while to gather everything, but here is my first Zealio build.





I love them.

[mashby]

It took me a while to gather everything, but here is my first Zealio build.

Show Image

Show Image

I love them.

Looks great! Love the Nerd60 peeking out. What plate and case is that?