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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: dacm on Tue, 07 December 2010, 10:06:49

Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: dacm on Tue, 07 December 2010, 10:06:49
Hi guys.

I bought a Filco with blue cherries a few months ago. Sadly a few of the keys (g & numpad-5) seem to have started chattering. (I believe chattering is when a single keypress registers as 2 or more.) I'd say it only happens about 2% of the time but it's still very annoying and disappointing for such a new and expensive keyboard.

I think I'm going to complain to the retailer (should still be in warranty after all). Is it common for these keyboards to have the odd chattering key? Is it not remarkably unlucky to get 2 on one board? Or is it common to get more once you already have one? Are there any other possible causes that would make a key appear to be chattering? Also, once a switch has started to chatter does it continue to degrade or does it stay at the same level of cruddiness?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 07 December 2010, 10:27:44
Seconded.  RMA, get a Topre, never worry about it again.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: kidchunks on Tue, 07 December 2010, 10:30:10
Can chattering be fixed by simply replacing the switch?
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 07 December 2010, 10:31:43
Turning on the heater helps, too.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: woody on Tue, 07 December 2010, 10:42:05
Or try to blow it.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: PRISONER 24601 on Tue, 07 December 2010, 11:17:17
You don't hear about chattering problems with MX switches very often. I'm surprised.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 07 December 2010, 13:26:38
Shame on your houses!!! Commit Hari Kari, now, thief!!!

Or some such nonsense.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: braben on Tue, 21 December 2010, 12:13:57
Quote from: woody;258703
Or try to blow it.


You saved my keyboard. Thank you.

I got two chattering keys on a blues Filco. It looks like bouncing has gone.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: woody on Tue, 21 December 2010, 12:22:51
Quote from: braben;266771
You saved my keyboard. Thank you.

I got two chattering keys on a blues Filco. It looks like bouncing has gone.

You're welcome. Small particles could've been between the contacts, most likely.
Next in order are PCB tracks and solder points, but you don't need to get that far with a new Filco.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: braben on Tue, 21 December 2010, 12:49:32
I have to admit you both are right. Too much life matter floating here I guess.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: woody on Tue, 21 December 2010, 13:58:28
Just a hair could cause enough fun.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: dacm on Fri, 06 May 2011, 16:24:34
Quote from: itlnstln;258697
Turning on the heater helps, too.

Sorry for bumping this after so long, but could you expand on this? Does the cold really increase chattering?

I ask because my problems started in the winter and now that I've finally got around to RMA'ing it the retailer is having trouble reproducing the problem. :-/ (The weather has been quite warm recently.)

I sent them logs of how I was able to reproduce the problem when I had the board, but it doesn't seem to be occurring for them... ...Starting to wish I'd filmed myself typing on the board or something...

Bit worried really, this wasn't a cheap purchase for me.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: sam113101 on Fri, 06 May 2011, 16:58:04
The caps lock on my unicomp space saver chatters.
So I'm using my das now.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: Arcanius on Fri, 06 May 2011, 17:39:31
This has happened to me as well. My problem was that the spring had come a bit loose, and hitting the key would cause it to register twice, sometimes. Sam, maybe try tightening the spring on the hammer? I tried this and broke two springs, so I'm not sure I really recommend it..... :/
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: woody on Fri, 06 May 2011, 18:30:37
Quote from: ripster;342695
A IBM buckling spring chattering?  Hmm.. that's kind of what the buckling spring was designed to prevent (according to the patent).
With the membrane doing the electrical contact, that's not that surprising.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: woody on Fri, 06 May 2011, 18:37:26
That, or something slipped between the membranes, conductive pads dirty/damaged, etc.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: The Solutor on Fri, 06 May 2011, 19:33:04
Quote from: ripster;258676
It happens.

 

Strange you haven't opened a new tread with "another filco bites the dust" as title :becky:
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: The Solutor on Fri, 06 May 2011, 19:42:51
So if a cherry switch fails , it happens (it's a cherry fault), if a led get dimmer is not a cree/lumileds/whatever fault, it's an Xarmor fault. Right ?
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: The Solutor on Fri, 06 May 2011, 20:00:00
Quote
Xarmor sucks. Get used to me posting whenever these come up at OCN over here.


Get used to me replying...

Quote
Just not the Topre.


Usually on a switchless keyboard hardly a switch will fail, as happen to the filco/das/ibm backlight
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: dacm on Mon, 16 May 2011, 08:51:18
Quote from: ripster;342670
Maybe all the bumping in shipping fixed it?


I guess. There were three keys that were chattering and had been for months. Is it likely that all three would be fixed by the bumping around.

Quote from: ripster;342670
I don't think it's temperature dependent.


Thinking about it I think maybe that comment about 'turning on the heater' refers to the cold making your teeth chatter! :-) Glad I'm not the only one who didn't get the joke.
Title: Chatteringg Cherry Blues on a Filco
Post by: DukeRobillard on Sun, 09 October 2011, 20:13:52
Quote from: woody;258703
Or try to blow it.

Oh, man, thanks.   My Filco Cherry MX Brown was chattering on a number of keys...and after popping them off and blowing out the cat fur, it's much better.....