Talk some sense into me: cutting up Ducky

[dotancohen]

I usually type on a split MS Natural 4000, but today I spend a few minutes on a regular straight keyboard. Ouch, right away my forearms grew tired. I tried forging a makeshift handrest from towels, but it was no use. I just don't get along with straight keyboards...
...which is not good as I just ordered (have not yet received) a Ducky 1008.

Here is a picture of the 1008's PCB from the seller's website:
[ Guests cannot view attachments ] 18083[/ATTACH]

Those wiser than myself, please tell me not to get any wild ideas about cutting the PCB in half, soldering wires to the two halves (or three thirds) and mounting them in the MSN4K body. I'm no electrical engineer but I love to tinker. Tell me how difficult it is to cut between those mazes of printed circuit, and how no one has successfully ever done such a thing. Tell me that the boards cannot be simply cut and have their electrical pathways mended with solder and wire. Tell me it's doomed for failure.

[dotancohen]

What advantage would I get from using some monster cable as opposed to just scrap wire from an old extension cord? I'm no EE, so I could use all the advice I could get.

No, I mean all the discouragement that I could get!

[dotancohen]

It's a Ducky.  It's made to be cut up.

 
In what sense? Because it is inexpensive, or is the PCB somewhat flimsier (easier to cut physically), or is the printed circuit maze somewhat simpler (implying easier to engineer a soldering solution between the halves)?

[wanabe]

here check this guy's mod out...

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:10510

[dotancohen]

sheathing a bulk of wires (not familiar with the casing you're looking at) might be a pain.  if it's a split casing, the VGA cable is a good route.  If the casing you're talking about using is a single body, then you've got more options.

 there's someone doing a VERY similar mod in the wiki.  just re-read your post, this is definitely do-able.


Peking mx Blues?!

Browns on the alphanumeric section, blues on the numpad. The donor case is this engineering wonder:
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/p/natural-ergonomic-keyboard-4000/B2M-00012

[dotancohen]

here check this guy's mod out...

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:10510

 
Nice! I was also thinking about hacking off the numpad. Actually, I'll probably just cut off half the spacebar (My right thunb doesn't work) and place the arrow keys where it was. I could then move the numpad in a bit closer, or maybe even off to the left. I'll leave both the MS controller in there, though (I love the media keys) along with the Ducky controller, I don't mind plugging in two USB cables if it give me the extra functionality.

Would a dremel be sufficient to cut that PCB? Any particular disc to recommend?

[alaricljs]

In order to not breath the resins in the PCB I recommend a thin-kerf high tooth count hacksaw blade.  Go slow, and do it in a completely still (wind wise) area.  Then use a HEPA vacuum.

[Findecanor]

It is doable, but the layout of the PCB defines how difficult this will be. Not only will you have to connect a cable between the two halves, you will also have to add wires between points on each half for each of the connections that used to go on the other half ... or used to go where you had made your cut.

[dotancohen]

I've sucked PCB resins and lead solder fumes for YEARS and I am...

amm....

Uh.  What was I saying?

Oh yeah, Ducky's kinda sucky.  I'm waiting for Gen 5.

 
Ducky may be sucky
But Rip is rather lucky
'Cause expensive Filcos are too mucky
When the seller wants to **** me

Sucking PCB resin was no good for his gourd
Now he's pinning for the fjords
He pays too much for a keyboard
Now I know I struck a chord!

[dotancohen]

It is doable, but the layout of the PCB defines how difficult this will be. Not only will you have to connect a cable between the two halves, you will also have to add wires between points on each half for each of the connections that used to go on the other half ... or used to go where you had made your cut.

 
I thing that once the board is halved, the work consists _only_ of adding wires between points on each half for each of the connections that used to go on the other half. What cable will I need to connect between the two halves? They will be separated by no more than 10 cm, in a single housing.