Instructions: removing alps switch ("gray alps")

[wellington1869]

Personally, I think that if anyone ever manages to get fired over their keyboard obsession, it should qualify them for instant "Senior Member" status on geekhack

agreed, plus a geekhack coffee cup for your trouble.

[wellington1869]

Ok, so these last few days of ALPS-related threads have gotten me a bit confused - just to clarify and make sure I have all this recent info sorted out in my head - the gray alps DON'T have rubber dampers in the sliders - that was an entirely separate issue, correct?

correct

The grays are quieter just due to a different leaf  spring, right?

right

 So would I be correct in assuming that their bottoming/topping out noise is just as loud as whites, it's only the click that's quieter?

technically, yes. ("technically" only because I cant verify this until my white alps comes and its taking forever and i'm waiting ever-so-patiently for it but it isnt here yet but once it is I can do side by side comparisons).

Which boards/switches DO have the rubber dampers in them?

AEKII is the magic word. (Apple extended keyboard II (model m3501, usually)), for about $30 to $35 shipped on ebay.
You'll need not only the rubber dampers from them, but their sliders too (which have a notch in the side where the dampers go; other alps sliders dont have that notch so wont accept dampers)
[update: SGI keyboards (part no 9500900) also apparently have alps with dampers. These might be even cheaper on ebay]

And is it now the consensus that the previous consensus on black alps ("rough and gritty") was just due to a dirty batch from one particular ebay seller, that black alps are not necesarily rough?

correct. (tho I'm personally still convinced grays will be lighter in resistance than blacks, but once again I cant test this yet cuz my black alps board is still in the mail and hasnt gotten here and i'm waiting oh-so-patiently for it so I can do a side-by-side comparison...)

[xsphat]

Usually when people at work see my keyboards or hear me talking about them they just act as if nothing is going on (like I'm bragging about my colon health or something).

[itlnstln]

(like I'm bragging about my colon health or something).

My blog: bound up

It doesn't sound like your colon health is that great.

[poonsmjj]

wow this is a great thread thanks!! Just wondering though, any tips on how to get the spring back on that little bump after removing the switch? it's such a pain to put back in each time

[wellington1869]

wow this is a great thread thanks!! Just wondering though, any tips on how to get the spring back on that little bump after removing the switch? it's such a pain to put back in each time

Thanks. Re: the spring, what I do is:
-I make sure keyb is absolutely level and not shaking, then
-I use one of those jewellers screwdrivers (very thin and somewhat long) and "thread' the spring onto it and then put the tip of the screwdriver onto the "little bump" and let the spring slide down onto the bump. Then I hold the screwdriver vertically and lift it up. It works quite reliably, but all this assumes the board is more or less level and not shaking.

Something else you could try is putting a touch of grease on the bottom of the spring so it 'sticks' to the little bump and stays up.

[chimera15]

innteresting.  I'm getting a smk85.  Hope it doesn't have these greys.