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So.. brand new... HI!

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Joxe:
Hi Everyone! Super new to the hobby.. but pretty excited to dip my toes in the water. Bought a few tools, plus some lube to start modding switches! Saving up for a Kit to sodder. I know there are hot swaps, but I feel comfortable giving a full send into this.

I know this is a little of pot stirrer, but....
EPBT OR GMK?! xD

spingo:
Similar story here. Just finished my first build with a solder board. Highly recommend taking your time step by step and make sure everything's right. Had to desolder a few switches due to bent pins I didn't notice at 2am. Built it with EPBT but did jump into a GMK GB and waiting for that to finish to know if it matters. So far the EPBTs are nice but I'm sure when I get my GMKs I'll be a snob about it afterwards and be like "EPBTs? Pah, has to be GMK".
After my build though I want to see if hot swap is just as nice and maybe do a hotswap board. The idea that you can just swap switches when you want is nice.

What switches are you gonna buy?

Joxe:

--- Quote from: spingo on Sat, 06 November 2021, 07:56:34 ---Similar story here. Just finished my first build with a solder board. Highly recommend taking your time step by step and make sure everything's right. Had to desolder a few switches due to bent pins I didn't notice at 2am. Built it with EPBT but did jump into a GMK GB and waiting for that to finish to know if it matters. So far the EPBTs are nice but I'm sure when I get my GMKs I'll be a snob about it afterwards and be like "EPBTs? Pah, has to be GMK".
After my build though I want to see if hot swap is just as nice and maybe do a hotswap board. The idea that you can just swap switches when you want is nice.

What switches are you gonna buy?

--- End quote ---

So I gotta say I ended up getting Halo Trues and just lubed them up this past weekend. It took maybe 6 hours for a 65%.. It wasnt fun the whole time, but let me tell you... when I put the last switch in and test the whole board its a HUGE difference.

Hotswap actually isnt bad at all because if I mess up buying one switch I dont like, I can always get the other!

spingo:

--- Quote from: Joxe on Mon, 08 November 2021, 16:01:43 ---
--- Quote from: spingo on Sat, 06 November 2021, 07:56:34 ---...After my build though I want to see if hot swap is just as nice and maybe do a hotswap board. The idea that you can just swap switches when you want is nice.

What switches are you gonna buy?

--- End quote ---

So I gotta say I ended up getting Halo Trues and just lubed them up this past weekend. It took maybe 6 hours for a 65%.. It wasnt fun the whole time, but let me tell you... when I put the last switch in and test the whole board its a HUGE difference.

Hotswap actually isnt bad at all because if I mess up buying one switch I dont like, I can always get the other!

--- End quote ---

Took me about 6+ hours to lube a 75% too. Wait until you find the joys of QMK and start googling "best keyboard macros".
Things I learned the hard way:
1. Make sure the switch housing is closed all the way before pressing into the PCB/tray mount.
2. Opened housings can actually make it difficult to install a switch onto the PCB
 2b. This will lead to numerous bent pins
3. Buy a switch puller
4. Buy a solder puller
5. Cheap key caps are definitely cheap for a reason
6. No one around you cares about keyboards the way you care about keyboards and if you find that one person and they end up liking clicky switches; it's ok, let them like clicky switches - you're not going to find another one.

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