Very nice write up. lots of great info. thank you!
i prefer pcb mounted switches over plate mounted but have never seen it done so well with alps. kudos. love all the tricks you used in your build (the comb, the half plate & spacers, etc...) all very smart, excellent ideas.
would love to pick your brain on the lube vs. pinging sound.
have you tried skcc? what are your thoughts on them?
Amazing build log, it'd be a fantastic experience to type on something you dedicated so much time and effort. Great job documenting all of this!
I'd like to know more about your method of PTFE and isopropyl alcohol. How do you do it step by step? Did you sonicate or clean your switches beforehand? Is it just the slider and the bottom that gets the PTFE/IPA? What is the dilution ratio for powder to alcohol? Did you use a brush to apply, or in the case of the sliders, did you just put them in a bag or container and shook them so it'd stick everywhere? I have a few packs of PTFE that I can use, but the methodology still escapes me.
ALPS are still a switch I'd like to understand better.
Amazing build log, it'd be a fantastic experience to type on something you dedicated so much time and effort. Great job documenting all of this!
I'd like to know more about your method of PTFE and isopropyl alcohol. How do you do it step by step? Did you sonicate or clean your switches beforehand? Is it just the slider and the bottom that gets the PTFE/IPA? What is the dilution ratio for powder to alcohol? Did you use a brush to apply, or in the case of the sliders, did you just put them in a bag or container and shook them so it'd stick everywhere? I have a few packs of PTFE that I can use, but the methodology still escapes me.
ALPS are still a switch I'd like to understand better.
Thank you.
The powder is crumbly in general, it doesnt attach to itself but to different material, this is the best thing about powder lube, it makes powder the most consistent lube out there. You can apply the powder directly onto the stems but it's easier to use some sort of liquid as the medium for applying due to stronger adhesion force and surface tension. IPA is the ideal choice of liquid because it is readily available everywhere and dries up quickly.
Here is my method:
1. Ultra sonic the stems and housing
2. Mix ptfe and IPA in a container, I start with about 1/3 of a teaspoon of PTFE, then add about 8-10 times the amount IPA. The solution should be somewhat milky.
3. Submerge the stems in the solution, the powder doesnt attach to itself, so it is okay to overlube, you can always come back at a later stage to get rid of excessive lube
4. Put the stems into the top housings, I would wait for about 30s for the IPA to evaporate somewhat and then put the stems inside the top housings while they are still wet. Doing so will rub the powder onto the top housings, effectively lubing them as well.
5. Wait for fully dry
6. Get rid of the excessive powder I use a small brush to get rid of some at the opening like in the build log, then once I reassemble the switches, I put them in a bowl and throw them around a little bit to shake off more powder
Ultimately the mixing ratio does not matter, you can do more IPA vs. powder if you want lighter coat of powder or you could do it like me, overlube then get rid of the lube at later stage. If you start with decent switches, about 7/10, after adding powder lube it should get rid of 95% of all the bindings. The switches will be so smooth while retain all the characteristic of alps, you can use them up to 2.75u without stabs.
https://imgur.com/YfhWANl
after adding powder lube it should get rid of 95% of all the bindings. The switches will be so smooth while retain all the characteristic of alps, you can use them up to 2.75u without stabs.
Are you able to share any of the plate files? I'm looking to outfit my TX87 with some alps and I love this project.
Holy man this is complex. What are all the cutouts around the spacebar for?
Also, do you happen to have the comb thing you used for positioning the switches in DXF form or something?
Holy man this is complex. What are all the cutouts around the spacebar for?
Also, do you happen to have the comb thing you used for positioning the switches in DXF form or something?Show Image(https://i.imgur.com/zNnzdcF.jpg)
RED = sound reliefs, to normalize the downstroke sound a little bit, doesnt do anything with feel at all
YELLOW = alps wire is about 1.1-1.2mm which is very thin and could be warped easily, I like to use these for extra plate hooks to keep the wire straight. Cherry wire is about 1.5mm and doesnt have this warping problemShow Image(https://i.imgur.com/IUEGaOm.jpg)
So there are 2 types of wires:
-Bottom: Alps electric made wire, which bends outward, usually found in Bigfoot boards or Leading edge. Then you use the GREEN holes
-Top: Other manufacturers, which bends inward, usually found in Focus or Omnikey or clones. Then you use the BLUE holes.
Holy man this is complex. What are all the cutouts around the spacebar for?
Also, do you happen to have the comb thing you used for positioning the switches in DXF form or something?Show Image(https://i.imgur.com/zNnzdcF.jpg)
RED = sound reliefs, to normalize the downstroke sound a little bit, doesnt do anything with feel at all
YELLOW = alps wire is about 1.1-1.2mm which is very thin and could be warped easily, I like to use these for extra plate hooks to keep the wire straight. Cherry wire is about 1.5mm and doesnt have this warping problemShow Image(https://i.imgur.com/IUEGaOm.jpg)
So there are 2 types of wires:
-Bottom: Alps electric made wire, which bends outward, usually found in Bigfoot boards or Leading edge. Then you use the GREEN holes
-Top: Other manufacturers, which bends inward, usually found in Focus or Omnikey or clones. Then you use the BLUE holes.
Awesome. Thanks for all the info. One last question - do you still have the files for a full plate (with the winkey, I have a TX87), and if so, would you mind linking them? I've got my own green alps ready to go :)
What a thorough job!
On the dry lubing, how much PTFE powder did you use? And is there any specific concentration of isopropyl required, or do you just need enough to dissolve the powder?