Cherry MX Trampoline Mod!

[Canut]

Not sure whether this helps: How about cutting lengths from a long rubber cord rather than chopping up circular O-rings?
Google gives numerous hits for stretchy elastic cord (used to make necklaces, etc). But we need something that works in compression rather than tension.

Apparentl,y O-ring material comes in cord form.
Radio Shack (UK):
"RS Nitrile Rubber O-Ring Cord, 2mm Diam. , 8.5m Long"
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/o-ring-cords/6830765/

Not sure whether there are any hardness options out there, but 8500 mm for ~8.5 British pounds would do a lot of switches. And one might rig-up a "bacon slicer / craft knife" type thing to quickly feed through the cord and cut lots of pieces to the same length.

[Melvang]

What about trimming the bottom of the stem a bit and putting a small magnet at the bottom of the housing and one at the bottom of the stem?

[n0rvig]

What about trimming the bottom of the stem a bit and putting a small magnet at the bottom of the housing and one at the bottom of the stem?

Mag-lev switches?! Hell yeah!

[Oobly]

Not sure whether this helps: How about cutting lengths from a long rubber cord rather than chopping up circular O-rings?
Google gives numerous hits for stretchy elastic cord (used to make necklaces, etc). But we need something that works in compression rather than tension.

Apparentl,y O-ring material comes in cord form.
Radio Shack (UK):
"RS Nitrile Rubber O-Ring Cord, 2mm Diam. , 8.5m Long"
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/o-ring-cords/6830765/

Not sure whether there are any hardness options out there, but 8500 mm for ~8.5 British pounds would do a lot of switches. And one might rig-up a "bacon slicer / craft knife" type thing to quickly feed through the cord and cut lots of pieces to the same length.

That's a good option. I just used what I had to hand, and I suspect a lot of keyboard modders out there already have orings, so it's easy to test with pieces of those. If you do get some cord, it should be slightly smaller diameter than the hole (which is 2mm) since it needs some "squish" area to expand into when compressed. If you fill the diameter of the tube, then it will make for quite a hard bottoming out, since the rubber piece cannot compress much without the chance to deform.

Each shape actually feels a little different. The balls use up their "squish" space fairly quickly, whereas the hourglass shapes and curved oring pieces have a bit more room to deform into and provide a more progressive increase in force. It's quite subtle, but it's noticeable.

I think 1.5mm cord of the right durometer would do the job beautifully! It is very hard to cut orings consistently into the same size pieces.

What about trimming the bottom of the stem a bit and putting a small magnet at the bottom of the housing and one at the bottom of the stem?

While that will provide extra cushioning as you get closer to then end of the switch travel, it may not prevent bottoming out or the sound of bottoming out unless you use really strong magnets. It's an interesting idea, though, particularly because you can adjust the force profile by changing magnet and spring strengths. Springs have a constant rate of force increase, whereas magnets have a parabolic increase.

If anyone tries this, please give us feedback! You may even be able to do away with the spring entirely with strong enough magnets and linear stems.

[Melvang]

Not sure whether this helps: How about cutting lengths from a long rubber cord rather than chopping up circular O-rings?
Google gives numerous hits for stretchy elastic cord (used to make necklaces, etc). But we need something that works in compression rather than tension.

Apparentl,y O-ring material comes in cord form.
Radio Shack (UK):
"RS Nitrile Rubber O-Ring Cord, 2mm Diam. , 8.5m Long"
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/o-ring-cords/6830765/

Not sure whether there are any hardness options out there, but 8500 mm for ~8.5 British pounds would do a lot of switches. And one might rig-up a "bacon slicer / craft knife" type thing to quickly feed through the cord and cut lots of pieces to the same length.

That's a good option. I just used what I had to hand, and I suspect a lot of keyboard modders out there already have orings, so it's easy to test with pieces of those. If you do get some cord, it should be slightly smaller diameter than the hole (which is 2mm) since it needs some "squish" area to expand into when compressed. If you fill the diameter of the tube, then it will make for quite a hard bottoming out, since the rubber piece cannot compress much without the chance to deform.

Each shape actually feels a little different. The balls use up their "squish" space fairly quickly, whereas the hourglass shapes and curved oring pieces have a bit more room to deform into and provide a more progressive increase in force. It's quite subtle, but it's noticeable.

I think 1.5mm cord of the right durometer would do the job beautifully! It is very hard to cut orings consistently into the same size pieces.

What about trimming the bottom of the stem a bit and putting a small magnet at the bottom of the housing and one at the bottom of the stem?

While that will provide extra cushioning as you get closer to then end of the switch travel, it may not prevent bottoming out or the sound of bottoming out unless you use really strong magnets. It's an interesting idea, though, particularly because you can adjust the force profile by changing magnet and spring strengths. Springs have a constant rate of force increase, whereas magnets have a parabolic increase.

If anyone tries this, please give us feedback! You may even be able to do away with the spring entirely with strong enough magnets and linear stems.

That is what I am actually looking for.  While you can get a parabolic increase in spring rate with traditional springs, I would be willing to bet these would be pretty expensive at the size we are looking for.  They have been used in mountain biking shocks for a while know.  But those springs are in the multiple hundred pounds of spring rates.  I was thinking of using n52 grade neodymium magnets.  At this size they can be had for surprisingly cheap.

[strict]

Having been made aware that there could be longevity issues with using liquid latex (in this thread: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=57881.0 ), I remembered that there are some synthetic liquid rubbers available which could possibly do the job and may even be easier to get hold of, too.

This stuff could be a good product to use instead of latex: http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip

Im very interested in quieting down the upstroke clack on my Phantom and was planning on using liquid latex, but PlastiDip is much easier for me to get ahold of. Has anyone tried it yet? If not, I'm willing to be a guinea pig and test it out on a few switches (god knows I've got enough extra switch tops laying around lol).

[strict]

Having been made aware that there could be longevity issues with using liquid latex (in this thread: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=57881.0 ), I remembered that there are some synthetic liquid rubbers available which could possibly do the job and may even be easier to get hold of, too.

This stuff could be a good product to use instead of latex: http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip

Im very interested in quieting down the upstroke clack on my Phantom and was planning on using liquid latex, but PlastiDip is much easier for me to get ahold of. Has anyone tried it yet? If not, I'm willing to be a guinea pig and test it out on a few switches (god knows I've got enough extra switch tops laying around lol).

So I tested some black plastidip tonight with red switches and was thoroughly unimpressed. Its very hard to apply because it seems to have an appreciable capillary action where it sucks the entire way up the channels for the stem. I tried a few different methods of applying the plastidip and they all had so little affect on the sound so as to be almost imperceptible. I tried a light single coat, thick single coat, light double coat, and a thick double coat. None of it made the switch any quieter. The thick double coat actually made the initial press of the switch feel kind of "gummy". The 4 switch tops I tested with, in my opinion, are now ruined.

Personally I'm going to say PlastiDip is worthless for this purpose but I would welcome others to test and share their results.

[Oobly]

Having been made aware that there could be longevity issues with using liquid latex (in this thread: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=57881.0 ), I remembered that there are some synthetic liquid rubbers available which could possibly do the job and may even be easier to get hold of, too.

This stuff could be a good product to use instead of latex: http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip

Im very interested in quieting down the upstroke clack on my Phantom and was planning on using liquid latex, but PlastiDip is much easier for me to get ahold of. Has anyone tried it yet? If not, I'm willing to be a guinea pig and test it out on a few switches (god knows I've got enough extra switch tops laying around lol).

So I tested some black plastidip tonight with red switches and was thoroughly unimpressed. Its very hard to apply because it seems to have an appreciable capillary action where it sucks the entire way up the channels for the stem. I tried a few different methods of applying the plastidip and they all had so little affect on the sound so as to be almost imperceptible. I tried a light single coat, thick single coat, light double coat, and a thick double coat. None of it made the switch any quieter. The thick double coat actually made the initial press of the switch feel kind of "gummy". The 4 switch tops I tested with, in my opinion, are now ruined.

Personally I'm going to say PlastiDip is worthless for this purpose but I would welcome others to test and share their results.

Darn! That's disappointing. I was going to order some from the UK site, but when I saw the shipping quote to Finland for a little 250ml can I canceled it. I have managed to find a supplier in Finland, so I'll get some. I want to try it on some other projects I have. It appears to cure to a harder end product than the latex. Apparently some people even coat their cars with it!

I have to admit, the latex version of the mod isn't mindblowingly effective. The dampening isn't as effective as the dental band mod on Topre, but it does seem to make a big enough difference to me to be worth it. At least to my ears and for my personal use. I think the video shows quite well the difference between stock and modded. I don't mind having to redo the mod a couple of year down the line if the latex doesn't last, but would definitely prefer a more durable alternative, if just for the peace of mind.

[davkol]

Umm... it's supposed to be used on cars in the first place AFAIK.

[n0rvig]

I'll try out this plasti-dip stuff. Maybe it's good for more than cars.

[Tarzan]

Umm... it's supposed to be used on cars in the first place AFAIK.

Tool handles was the original application.  A replacement for the plastic-dipped handles on pliers, wrenches, etc.  The old-style packaging shows a pair of pliers being dipped in the can to re-coat the handles.

[Pacifist]

Anybody tried silicon? Or hard foam?

[Oobly]

Anybody tried silicon? Or hard foam?

On the switch tops? Not yet. If you can find a really thin sheet of self adhesive rubber or rubber foam of any kind, it's worth trying, IMHO. Everyone has different tastes and although I am happy with the latex on my switches, it may not be good enough for others.

I have a feeling I may actually like thick PlastiDip on Browns. It would reduce the travel a bit, perhaps enough to make the tactile bump start at the top of the press, like Clear stems do.

I'm still waiting for my order at IMSTO's shop to be processed..... It's been 11 days.

[n0rvig]

Anybody tried silicon? Or hard foam?

Not yet, but I'm going to try silicon next. I've tried out plastidip and crazy glue. They worked but I want something softer.

[Pacifist]

Anybody tried silicon? Or hard foam?

Not yet, but I'm going to try silicon next. I've tried out plastidip and crazy glue. They worked but I want something softer.

try changing the ratios when doing silicon to change hardness

[Oobly]

My silicone balls from IMSTO have arrived!



They are 2mm diameter, but not all are perfectly round, some have mold lines around them, but they're fine for this mod.

I tried them in a few loose switches I have and compared them to the oring pieces and punched hourglasses.

They start to have effect at a similar point, but feel different. Initially they are softer than both the oring pieces and hourglasses, but the resistance increases more quickly. They are perfectly acceptable for this mod and I quite like the way they feel. The oring pieces may still be my favourite in terms of feeling, though, despite the slight inconsistency between keys.

I will be using them in my next ergo board prototype and probably any new boards I make / use.

For someone wanting to try out this mod, they're great. Easier than cutting up orings (and more consistent size) or punching holes in a sheet.

Recommended.


I tried putting 2 into a Brown switch just to test and while it was still possible to actuate the switch, the force increased quite markedly before getting to the actuation point, so you lose the tactility of the switch and have to press quite hard to actuate it... Not a good idea.

[Polymer]

My silicone balls from IMSTO have arrived!

(Attachment Link)

They are 2mm diameter, but not all are perfectly round, some have mold lines around them, but they're fine for this mod.

I tried them in a few loose switches I have and compared them to the oring pieces and punched hourglasses.

They start to have effect at a similar point, but feel different. Initially they are softer than both the oring pieces and hourglasses, but the resistance increases more quickly. They are perfectly acceptable for this mod and I quite like the way they feel. The oring pieces may still be my favourite in terms of feeling, though, despite the slight inconsistency between keys.

I will be using them in my next ergo board prototype and probably any new boards I make / use.

For someone wanting to try out this mod, they're great. Easier than cutting up orings (and more consistent size) or punching holes in a sheet.

Recommended.


I tried putting 2 into a Brown switch just to test and while it was still possible to actuate the switch, the force increased quite markedly before getting to the actuation point, so you lose the tactility of the switch and have to press quite hard to actuate it... Not a good idea.

How much do the balls change the travel?  Does it work with the spacebar w/ Cherry stabilizers?  That tilting point ends up being an issue (same w/ putting just one o-ring....it allows you to pop off the spacebar by pressing on one side).

Seems like a pretty good solution...

[Oobly]

The travel is reduced very slightly with the balls, I'd say you start to feel it about 1mm from bottom out and you can squish it all the way to actual bottom out if you press hard enough, so in normal use the travel is reduced about half that I reckon, so 0.5mm.

They work great with Cherry stabilisers, they're the only type I use. The tabs on stock stabilisers (unclipped) act at about the same point, so the forces balance quite well and there is no "tilting". Haven't tried on clipped stabs, but I'm certain they'd still work fine unless the spacebar is REALLY loose on the stems.

[Polymer]

So if you compared them to o-ring travel reduction what would you think?

I do like that o-rings don't change the actual feel of the keys really..but it doesn't sound like it ramps up too too much w/ the balls...but it is always there though...I'd probably prefer these in linear but no way of knowing until I try I guess..

[ideus]

In your experience, how does this compare with the silicon balls mod?

[Oobly]

So if you compared them to o-ring travel reduction what would you think?

I do like that o-rings don't change the actual feel of the keys really..but it doesn't sound like it ramps up too too much w/ the balls...but it is always there though...I'd probably prefer these in linear but no way of knowing until I try I guess..

Depends on the oring and what type of cap it's on. About the same travel reduction as red orings from Amazon.com on Keycool 84 white PBT caps, but feels better, less mushy, more progressive. You can try it with a loose switch to get an idea of how it would feel or just a couple of switches on your board.

In your experience, how does this compare with the silicon balls mod?

Um... I guess this IS the silicone balls mod? You can read this post on how the 3 versions of the mod compare to each other: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=50632.msg1386120#msg1386120

[n0rvig]

So if you compared them to o-ring travel reduction what would you think?

I do like that o-rings don't change the actual feel of the keys really..but it doesn't sound like it ramps up too too much w/ the balls...but it is always there though...I'd probably prefer these in linear but no way of knowing until I try I guess..

Depends on the oring and what type of cap it's on. About the same travel reduction as red orings from Amazon.com on Keycool 84 white PBT caps, but feels better, less mushy, more progressive. You can try it with a loose switch to get an idea of how it would feel or just a couple of switches on your board.

I agree that they feel less mushy than o-rings. For comparison I've tried both the harder WASD o-rings and IMSTO red silicon. However, these balls affect the travel too much for me. I still love the idea. I guess I prefer to have as much travel as possible.

[ideus]

So if you compared them to o-ring travel reduction what would you think?

I do like that o-rings don't change the actual feel of the keys really..but it doesn't sound like it ramps up too too much w/ the balls...but it is always there though...I'd probably prefer these in linear but no way of knowing until I try I guess..

Depends on the oring and what type of cap it's on. About the same travel reduction as red orings from Amazon.com on Keycool 84 white PBT caps, but feels better, less mushy, more progressive. You can try it with a loose switch to get an idea of how it would feel or just a couple of switches on your board.

In your experience, how does this compare with the silicon balls mod?

Um... I guess this IS the silicone balls mod? You can read this post on how the 3 versions of the mod compare to each other: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=50632.msg1386120#msg1386120

Very informative, thank you.

[deltuhhh]

I never really did like how o-rings felt so this could be an alternative.

[swill]

I just got SA caps (which are great), but I do miss the orings I had on my cherrys. SA do not appear to be oring mod able, so I think this is my best bet. I actually feel (with oring testing) that a travel reduction of 0.5mm is perfect, so that's awesome.

Can you post the link to what you bought? Thx.

[Oobly]

I just got SA caps (which are great), but I do miss the orings I had on my cherrys. SA do not appear to be oring mod able, so I think this is my best bet. I actually feel (with oring testing) that a travel reduction of 0.5mm is perfect, so that's awesome.

Can you post the link to what you bought? Thx.

No problem, here you go: http://imsto.cn/index.php?route=product/product&path=61&product_id=88

Really good price, IMO, 3$ for about 200 balls.

[swill]

I just got SA caps (which are great), but I do miss the orings I had on my cherrys. SA do not appear to be oring mod able, so I think this is my best bet. I actually feel (with oring testing) that a travel reduction of 0.5mm is perfect, so that's awesome.

Can you post the link to what you bought? Thx.

No problem, here you go: http://imsto.cn/index.php?route=product/product&path=61&product_id=88

Really good price, IMO, 3$ for about 200 balls.

Great. Thx. Ordered.

[KHAANNN]

I only tested the trampoline mod on sample switches, yet on my limited trials, I experienced an o-ring/stem/pole jam, it's a micro-jam, it feels mostly like mushiness

On a full board that gets pressed a lot, it seems to me that this micro-jam might be an issue, have anyone used the trampoline-mod for prolonged times, more importantly, have anyone tested silicone balls for a long time?

These silicone balls seem like a much much better idea, but as I haven't ordered them yet, I have no idea how they compare or whether they are able to jam too or not, but unless one has the ability to glue these pieces into the pole, I guess silicone balls should be better than the o-rings

(How is the ordering experience from imsto.cn?)
(offtopic, It's also possible to stack multiple o-rings with D/SA keycaps, I've been using my keycaps with double o-rings, no issues up until now, but the trampoline mod is obviously superior, if it works consistently)

[Oobly]

I've never had a "jam". Was the piece pushed down right to the bottom properly before inserting the stem? If they're on clicky switches it could be due to having to use a thinner piece that's not settled properly flat to the bottom of the tube (it should stay in place at the bottom and not lift with the slider pole) and gets partially between the slider pole and tube sides. I don't use clicky switches, so I can't really test this. The balls may be a little too tall for clicky sliders so you may have to cut them in half (or trim the slider pole ends) to get a similar feeling to whole balls in tactile / linear switches.

I've been using oring piece trampolines for about 15 months and IMSTO silicone balls for about 9 months or so. No change in feel that I can tell.

I found ordering from IMSTO to be fine. It took a while to get an update on my order and I had no answer to my PM, but the items I ordered arrived without a problem and well packaged.

You can stack multiple orings, but it takes some playing around to find the right number / type to get the feel similar between rows on sculptured SA.

[KHAANNN]

I might also be using very thin o-ring pieces, the pieces I cut are probably around a millimeter

I'm also thinking of inserting some glue into the pole with a syringe and inserting the o-ring piece inside to be glued in place, but it's probably an unnecessary addition, it's also hard to find a glue that's optimal for the job

[neverused]

The arc length of a cut ring may influence behavior, allowing the inherent curve to introduce deflection within the recess.

[E3E]

I apologize for necroing this thread, but are the silicone balls removable once placed? I would imagine that they are not.

[KHAANNN]

I apologize for necroing this thread, but are the silicone balls removable once placed? I would imagine that they are not.

99% they should be, unless you are living in 45C and they sort of get mushed in over time with excess heat
Otherwise they are just bouncy balls, there is no reason why they shouldn't be removed

Just keep in mind that the trampoline mod can get a bit annoying, it's mushy, I was interested in o-rings and trampoline mods in the beginning, but now I enjoy a free bottoming out experience, when I return to a keyboard with a trampoline modded spacebar I'm pretty irritated

[E3E]

Yeah, that's my position right now--I'm not sure if I want to o-ring my incoming Korean keyboard or use silicone balls, or keep the caps as they are. I'm going to be using some sculptured SA caps for them, and so with o-rings, that means a lot of stacking. That would be $35 on the sale on MassDrop right now, for everything I need, versus $13 on IMSTO for the balls.

I'm honestly not sure if it's worth it. I use o-rings on my current boards, but I kind of find the clack of mechanicals charming. I'm really on the fence of where to go.

Can you, at the very least tell me if there's a noticeable difference with o-rings versus the silicone balls? Is it worth spending so much just for all those 50a o rings? If the difference is negligible, I might cancel the order on MassDrop. Do silicone balls also dampen the sound in the way that proper o-ringing does? Sorry for all the questions!

[ideus]

I apologize for necroing this thread, but are the silicone balls removable once placed? I would imagine that they are not.

99% they should be, unless you are living in 45C and they sort of get mushed in over time with excess heat
Otherwise they are just bouncy balls, there is no reason why they shouldn't be removed

Just keep in mind that the trampoline mod can get a bit annoying, it's mushy, I was interested in o-rings and trampoline mods in the beginning, but now I enjoy a free bottoming out experience, when I return to a keyboard with a trampoline modded spacebar I'm pretty irritated

I do like also the mechanical noise unmoded switches do, that is why I just cannot tolerate o-rings, and this mod may suffer from the same mushiness.

[E3E]

Sounds good to me. I think I might cancel the o-ring sillyness and just go without any rubber additions to my incoming board. I've already got two boards with o-rings, I think it'd be good for some variation. Look at me rationalizing! I do think the clacking that is unique to mechanicals is a nice sound. 

[KHAANNN]

Definitely avoid silicone balls or in-switch-pole modifications if you can, they are 10 times more mushy then most o-rings, comparatively o-rings aren't mushy at all

If you're not going to use non-travel-limited keycaps like SA/DSA, o-rings are a nice option, you can always remove them easily

For non-clicky switches, indeed the clack is very enjoyable, but for clicky switches, the additional clack just increases the headache, so if your switches are clicky, your decision should me more challenging :)

I was also pretty confused about o-rings and silicone balls a while ago, now things are pretty simple for me, no o-rings, only switch lubing and tactile/linear switches for regular usage - haven't had any issues or change-urges for months

[davkol]

30A o-rings are pretty mushy, 70A o-rings are not. It really depends what you use as the trampoline too.

[E3E]

Yeah, I think I actually prefer the firmer o-rings if I had to choose. I'm definitely not a fan of mushyness, but I have used 70A and have enjoyed the feeling. I like a more firm feedback over one that is too cushioned. I think I can manage with the clacks, since this board will be non-clicky.

The temptation for the rings on MassDrop was heavy because of their relatively good price (compared to some recent sales by Lpwl). Still, they're 50A, which I'm not familiar with.

I found some o-rings on eBay for much less, but they aren't clear like MD's, and I'd imagine are a bit more firm, which is fine by me. The only thing I'd worry about is how they'd obstruct light, but then again, I'm not using shine-through legend caps, and the SAs are so thick, I don't think any light would shine through anyway.

Thanks for all the responses here, guys. If you have any more thoughts to add, I'd love to hear.

I think in the end, I'll probably go with no o-rings, but the rings on eBay were only a few dollars, so we'll see how those feel!

[davkol]

You can always get 70A o-rings and cut them like OP.

[Oobly]

Well... I'd say keep it stock with the SA keycaps on for a bit first.

Then, if you really do want to soften the bottom-out a little I highly recommend doing the trampoline mod using the eBay orings. The feeling is different from orings partly due to the fact that when the rubber is compressed enough to fill the tube section it stops compressing, so it's more progressive.

You can tune the "mushiness" and amount of travel with this mod far more than you can with orings. I guess I should write a proper "tuning" table to put in the OP, explaining how to get a particular feel. In your case you may like having around 1mm or so hard piece in the tube first with a really thin soft piece. This will give just a slight damping of the shock on bottom out, while retaining the firmness. It's good to experiment on one or two switches first to find what you like best.

Using orings on contoured / sculptured SA caps gives inconsistent results across rows due to the stacking of different numbers of orings and inability to get them to exactly the same height, not to mention the different compression between the top and bottom areas on the angled caps.

This mod is completely reversible unless you've used a thick lube inside the tube previously or you use large diameter oring pieces that can get stuck in the tube. Just turn the switch / board upside down and tap the base until the rubber pieces fall out.

I also find the latex mod to be a nice touch as a final mod on a board, when all the other factors are just right and you want to also dampen the release sound a little. It complements the trampoline mod very well and helps make the board feel really "premium".

[asgeirtj]

Is there a solution to shorten the travel distance only a little with the trampoline mod?  I know it's possible to just cut smaller parts of an o-ring but it's inconsistent.  The silicone balls from imsto shorten the travel distance a little bit too much for me. smaller silicone balls would probably be the solution but I'm not sure they exist.  The perfect shortening of the travel distance for me comes with 1mm o-rings (I need so small o-rings because I use cherry profile caps). 

[KHAANNN]

No offence to anyone but I have to say the trampoline mod kind of sucks, the o-ring landing is firm, while the trampoline mod is just pure mushiness

For pure travel reduction, maybe you could find/make small metal/plastic discs that gets inserted/glued into the stem-hole

Back when I was using o-rings and when I was interested in this mod, I applied it to a spacebar switch, now that I'm using that keyboard for testing purposes, every time I press the spacebar, I get the urge to just open things up and replace the switch with a decent/non-modded one

Again, it's everyone's own preference, but mechanicals are liked for several reasons, the travel distance and bottom up/down sounds are one of them, this mod replaces 2 of these with mushiness

[asgeirtj]

No offence to anyone but I have to say the trampoline mod kind of sucks, the o-ring landing is firm, while the trampoline mod is just pure mushiness

For pure travel reduction, maybe you could find/make small metal/plastic discs that gets inserted/glued into the stem-hole

Back when I was using o-rings and when I was interested in this mod, I applied it to a spacebar switch, now that I'm using that keyboard for testing purposes, every time I press the spacebar, I get the urge to just open things up and replace the switch with a decent/non-modded one

Again, it's everyone's own preference, but mechanicals are liked for several reasons, the travel distance and bottom up/down sounds are one of them, this mod replaces 2 of these with mushiness

Funny, I dislike the clack and the travel distance   I like mechs for the tactile feel though.  Looks like it's best for me to just keep the o-rings and don't bother with a trampoline mod.

[ideus]

To make a mechanical keyboard to feel mushy goes against its nature; in that case, just get a cheap rubber dome and forget you ever known that there are mechanical keyboards.

[asgeirtj]

To make a mechanical keyboard to feel mushy goes against its nature; in that case, just get a cheap rubber dome and forget you ever known that there are mechanical keyboards.

my o-rings are totally not mushy

[ideus]

To make a mechanical keyboard to feel mushy goes against its nature; in that case, just get a cheap rubber dome and forget you ever known that there are mechanical keyboards.

my o-rings are totally not mushy

Some are not that mushy; but, in general, to make o-rings actually work, they should interfere with the key travel; therefore, at some point the typist will feel the rubber getting mushy under her fingers.

[Oobly]

You can also use a thin rubber / plastic sheet and a hole punch to make more consistent "trampolines" in whatever thickness and material you like.

You can tweak this mod to give whatever balance of mushiness vs hardness you like, the main point is to reduce shock on bottom-out (and noise) and to be both adjustable and keycap-agnostic.

Each to their own.

[njbair]

I like the idea that you can use this with any cap. Particularly SA caps, which already feel like you're slamming them down. I'm sure it's just a matter of finding the right material to suit your mushiness preference.

And Khan, there are a dozen different ways you could have said that which wouldn't have required "no offense." Just saying.

[ideus]

I like the idea that you can use this with any cap. Particularly SA caps, which already feel like you're slamming them down. I'm sure it's just a matter of finding the right material to suit your mushiness preference.

And Khan, there are a dozen different ways you could have said that which wouldn't have required "no offense." Just saying.

My mushiness preference is no mushiness. After all, we all after mechanical keyboards, aren't we?