Simple Questions, Simple Answers (FAQ in the OP)

[Melvang]

Anyone know the output voltage for the indicator LEDs on the xwhatsit controller?

[CPTBadAss]

How would one go about getting an OTD keyboard? Are there any people who proxy them? I am extremely interested in finding one of these keyboards and I'm willing to pay the price.

Seems like Signature was helping people find OTD boards. Bro Caps, photekq, and billnye also seem to know. I've never really hunted for any myself so I'm not sure off the top of my head.

Anyone know the output voltage for the indicator LEDs on the xwhatsit controller?

Try PMing xwhatsit. Really helpful and friendly guy. He'd definitely know.

[rockhawksam]

How would one go about getting an OTD keyboard? Are there any people who proxy them? I am extremely interested in finding one of these keyboards and I'm willing to pay the price.

Seems like Signature was helping people find OTD boards. Bro Caps, photekq, and billnye also seem to know. I've never really hunted for any myself so I'm not sure off the top of my head.

Anyone know the output voltage for the indicator LEDs on the xwhatsit controller?

Try PMing xwhatsit. Really helpful and friendly guy. He'd definitely know.

Thanks!

[Tetriswizard]

Does Gons Universal Frame/Plate for 60% support switchtop pulling?

[CPTBadAss]

Does Gons Universal Frame/Plate for 60% support switchtop pulling?

No it doesn't. You can tell because the holes are just squares. The switchtop pulling holes look oddly shaped. Check it out:


GON's plate - no removal


BossBorot's The_Beast 60% plate - allows for removal


I think the reasoning is because the extra slots could allow for some play. The squares ensure the switches sit in with maximum amount of rigidity.

[slickmamba]

OO first time

If I take the mx sliders off of my novatouch and want to put them on my type-s hhkb.  Would it be as easy as:

• popping out 60 switches from the hhkb and novatouch
• swapping the landing pads
• popping them back in?

[oledome]

Are Cherry switches manufactured in Germany?

[Moralless]

Are Cherry switches manufactured in Germany?

Yeah, cherry MX switches are made in Germany. Here's a pretty interesting video on it

OO first time

If I take the mx sliders off of my novatouch and want to put them on my type-s hhkb.  Would it be as easy as:

• popping out 60 switches from the hhkb and novatouch
• swapping the landing pads
• popping them back in?

If you want to make a complete switch to the novatouch sliders on your HHKB, you're going to also have to drill some holes into the plate for the longer keys (only for the ones that need stabs which IIRC is only the left shift and enter key) to let the two side MX stems through, since the plate is too high to let the key actuate if you don't do it. Also I think that the type - s sliders are a bit longer than the novatouch slider since it accommodates for the thickness of the landing pads so if you decide to swap the landing pads aswell the keys might have a shorter travel distance since they would be depressed more.

[oledome]

Yeah, cherry MX switches are made in Germany. Here's a pretty interesting video on it

Thanks for that, good to know.

[SpAmRaY]

Does topre slider orientation matter?

[sethk_]

Show Image

Does topre slider orientation matter?

I have noticed in my HHKB it doesn't matter

[Ludovician]

I want to do a silencing mod on my HHKB. Does it matter what material you use for the landing pads? If so, what should I use?

As for creating the rings, is it advised to trim the edges regardless, or just leave them square unless they are problematic?

Thanks.

[CPTBadAss]

I want to do a silencing mod on my HHKB. Does it matter what material you use for the landing pads? If so, what should I use?

As for creating the rings, is it advised to trim the edges regardless, or just leave them square unless they are problematic?

Thanks.

Do you use landing pads for a silence mod? I wasn't aware that the mod worked like that. AFAIK, you either use dental bands, punched rubber, or o-rings.

[Ludovician]

Guess I'm getting my terminology mixed up, sorry. I'm planning on doing the punched rubber method.

[CPTBadAss]

I want to do a silencing mod on my HHKB. Does it matter what material you use for the landing pads? If so, what should I use?

As for creating the rings, is it advised to trim the edges regardless, or just leave them square unless they are problematic?

Thanks.

Do you use landing pads for a silence mod? I wasn't aware that the mod worked like that. AFAIK, you either use rubber bands, punched rubber, or o-rings.

Guess I'm getting my terminology mixed up, sorry. I'm planning on doing the punched rubber method.

Check out o2dazone's thread. I think it's very comprehensive. It doesn't look he or anyone else trimmed anything. Apparently they're calling it rubber gaskets? I'm going to stick with punched rubber 'cause it's concise.

[Ludovician]

Yeah, I'd been thinking of a slightly different mod for the Realforce using Elitekeyboards' soft landing pads: http://imgur.com/a/JUwMi

Either way, I'll take a look at o2dazone's thread. Thanks.

[CPTBadAss]

Yeah, I'd been thinking of a slightly different mod for the Realforce using Elitekeyboards' soft landing pads: http://imgur.com/a/JUwMi

Cool! Never seen that before. Those landing-pads are a bit pricey though iirc. I wonder if o2dazone's method is a bit cheaper. And I can't imagine trimming all those pads is very fun. But still really cool. Thank you for sharing that .

[Ludovician]

Yeah, that's EK for you. I'm hoping it won't be too difficult to find something local so I'm not paying double the price to get it delivered.

Then I'll have to try not to screw it up too badly.

[CPTBadAss]

Yeah, that's EK for you. I'm hoping it won't be too difficult to find something local so I'm not paying double the price to get it delivered.

Then I'll have to try not to screw it up too badly.

I mean if I were to do the mod, I'd go with o2dazone's method 'cause I think it's a cool mod. And it looks fun to do. But if you're concerned about simplicity or price, it seems like the dental bands/rubber bands are the cheapest and easiest way to go.

[SpAmRaY]

Yeah, I'd been thinking of a slightly different mod for the Realforce using Elitekeyboards' soft landing pads: http://imgur.com/a/JUwMi

Cool! Never seen that before. Those landing-pads are a bit pricey though iirc. I wonder if o2dazone's method is a bit cheaper. And I can't imagine trimming all those pads is very fun. But still really cool. Thank you for sharing that .

The original ironed landing pads idea came from spicebar -> https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49046.0 , there are some updates along the way in the thread that aren't reflected in the OP also.

And you don't have to trim the corners as you can rotate the pads so there are no clearance issues, I actually did this mod last night for the second time.

I also plan on trying o2dazone's method in the future.

[Ludovician]

Do you know which method works better? I think the Realforce I'm on now has landing pads (I bought it pre-modded from kudos_and_godspeed) and I'm liking it.

[SpAmRaY]

Do you know which method works better? I think the Realforce I'm on now has landing pads (I bought it pre-modded from kudos_and_godspeed) and I'm liking it.

My least favorite is dental bands, after using a Type-S I don't care for the feel of the dental bands.

My 87U has the o2dazone mod done by a previous owner and I like it very much.

For me the landing pad is kind of an in between, I'm still experimenting with it.

All of the mods make topre quieter however they all require different amounts of time and effort to achieve. I also should mention I'm using thick krytox lube as well.

Dental bands by far is easiest then I think landing pads and/or using punches both take longer and both require a certain level of detail whether it is making sure the pad thickness is correct when ironing or punching the proper sized ring.

For me the landing pads were fairly simple, the hardest part was trying to get even thickness when ironing but I was being impatient and trying to iron too many pads at once.

Like I said I want to try punching the rings out of a rubber sheet (o2dazone's mod) but that will be a future project for me.

I don't know that there is a 'best' method as a lot of it will come down to personal preference on the feel and also it will depend on which mod you think you could perform properly.

[Ludovician]

I think I'd be least likely to make mistakes with the dental bands, but that has such a bad reputation for altering the feel of the keys too much that I don't want to do it. Instead, I think I'll go for the o2dazone method.

[Lain1911]

What are some keycaps that can be used on a QFR?

[jdcarpe]

What are some keycaps that can be used on a QFR?

QFR is standard ANSI TKL, so pretty much any modern set will work fine.

[Lain1911]

Quickfire Rapid :^)

[Lain1911]

Anything with Costar stabilizers ya?

[jdcarpe]

Anything with Costar stabilizers ya?

You can swap the Costar inserts into any MX compatible caps.

[RoflCopter4]

I know there are a million and one threads on this so I won't make a new thread and just ask it here instead:

I've been meaning to try out dental banding my HHKB for little while now, but considering I'd have to get the things from China and shipping takes forever I've been putting it off. That and the fact that I'm a bit worried by the idea of reducing the travel too much. I've seen conflicting things on this. To anyone who's done the dental band mod: how noticeable is the reduced travel? Is it annoying? Does it decrease the tactility a lot? Do you like it or did it dive you to go back to stock?

I feel like I've read every thread I could find on this and couldn't find a satisfactory answer.

[asgeirtj]

I have GH spring lube, its a thick lube, of all the videos I've seen, the guys have such a thinlike lube (oily) that they can just "dip" the spring, however this spring lube is too thick to do that, how does one apply this properly?  When I lube the springs with this lube the three outmost rings in the spring (the condensed ones, ones right next to each other) get "muddled" with the lube.  Also does one need to lube every bit of the spring or only the top/bottom, and if you need to only lube one ends is that because the lube becomes spread when the spring is depressed?  Lastly, does the spring become completely depressed when used in a keyswitch?

[Ludovician]

I know there are a million and one threads on this so I won't make a new thread and just ask it here instead:

I've been meaning to try out dental banding my HHKB for little while now, but considering I'd have to get the things from China and shipping takes forever I've been putting it off. That and the fact that I'm a bit worried by the idea of reducing the travel too much. I've seen conflicting things on this. To anyone who's done the dental band mod: how noticeable is the reduced travel? Is it annoying? Does it decrease the tactility a lot? Do you like it or did it dive you to go back to stock?

I feel like I've read every thread I could find on this and couldn't find a satisfactory answer.

I can't tell you from personal experience, but there are two alternate methods that I know of (discussed earlier in the same page on this thread).

o2dazone's method
spiceBar's method
spiceBar's method in more detail

[jonathanyu]

What keyboard should I look for if I want to try Hall Effect switch?

[rowdy]

Anything with Costar stabilizers ya?

Maybe to clarify, the keyboard comes with Costar stabilisers, including the stabiliser inserts on the stock keycaps.

When you swap keycaps you need to remove the stabiliser inserts from the longer keys (e.g. Shift, Enter, Backspace) and put them into the corresponding new keycaps.

[jdcarpe]

What keyboard should I look for if I want to try Hall Effect switch?

Maybe HaaTa can tell you. I think he bought them all.

[HoffmanMyster]

What keyboard should I look for if I want to try Hall Effect switch?

Maybe HaaTa can tell you. I think he bought them all.

dorkvader has a few too!  )

[jonathanyu]

What keyboard should I look for if I want to try Hall Effect switch?

Maybe HaaTa can tell you. I think he bought them all.

dorkvader has a few too!  )

 ) Thanks.  Will ask them for more information

[whentheclouds]

I have GH spring lube, its a thick lube, of all the videos I've seen, the guys have such a thinlike lube (oily) that they can just "dip" the spring, however this spring lube is too thick to do that, how does one apply this properly?  When I lube the springs with this lube the three outmost rings in the spring (the condensed ones, ones right next to each other) get "muddled" with the lube.  Also does one need to lube every bit of the spring or only the top/bottom, and if you need to only lube one ends is that because the lube becomes spread when the spring is depressed?  Lastly, does the spring become completely depressed when used in a keyswitch?

good question, anyone has an answer?

p.s. where is BluBar, he used to be one of the most prolific posters in this thread

man that is some of the pettiest drama ever

[CommonCurt]

I have GH spring lube, its a thick lube, of all the videos I've seen, the guys have such a thinlike lube (oily) that they can just "dip" the spring, however this spring lube is too thick to do that, how does one apply this properly?  When I lube the springs with this lube the three outmost rings in the spring (the condensed ones, ones right next to each other) get "muddled" with the lube.  Also does one need to lube every bit of the spring or only the top/bottom, and if you need to only lube one ends is that because the lube becomes spread when the spring is depressed?  Lastly, does the spring become completely depressed when used in a keyswitch?

I can't say about the GH spring lube, but I think most of the people you see in videos dipping their springs in the thinner lube are using Victorinox Oil.

[CPTBadAss]

I know there are a million and one threads on this so I won't make a new thread and just ask it here instead:

I've been meaning to try out dental banding my HHKB for little while now, but considering I'd have to get the things from China and shipping takes forever I've been putting it off. That and the fact that I'm a bit worried by the idea of reducing the travel too much. I've seen conflicting things on this. To anyone who's done the dental band mod: how noticeable is the reduced travel? Is it annoying? Does it decrease the tactility a lot? Do you like it or did it dive you to go back to stock?

I feel like I've read every thread I could find on this and couldn't find a satisfactory answer.

I can't tell you from personal experience, but there are two alternate methods that I know of (discussed earlier in the same page on this thread).

o2dazone's method
spiceBar's method
spiceBar's method in more detail

Since it's a personal preference thing, you won't get a nice concise answer here either. Luckily, the dental bands are reversible. I suggest trying them first and seeing how you like them. If it doesn't work for you, try another method such as the ones above.

1) I have GH spring lube, its a thick lube, of all the videos I've seen, the guys have such a thinlike lube (oily) that they can just "dip" the spring, however this spring lube is too thick to do that, how does one apply this properly?  When I lube the springs with this lube the three outmost rings in the spring (the condensed ones, ones right next to each other) get "muddled" with the lube. 
2) Also does one need to lube every bit of the spring or only the top/bottom, and if you need to only lube one ends is that because the lube becomes spread when the spring is depressed? 
3) Lastly, does the spring become completely depressed when used in a keyswitch?

1) Get thinner lube? Or just live with it being a little more viscious. Should work fine.
2) Doesn't matter tbh. If i were to lube my springs, I'd dump in in a bag, dump some lube in there, then shake/roll it around so everything is covered. Then use springs. Easy.
3) Check out this video by BlueBar.

[Ludovician]

Speaking of lube, I've heard that it would be a good idea to lube the stabilisers in my HHKB while doing the silence mod, so I'll look into that. Does anyone know what type of lube would be ideal?

[slickmamba]

Does switching the spring and top case of vintage black s affect the feeling? Thinking of getting gateron clear tops

[dustinhxc]

Speaking of lube, I've heard that it would be a good idea to lube the stabilisers in my HHKB while doing the silence mod, so I'll look into that. Does anyone know what type of lube would be ideal?

http://techkeys.us/collections/accessories/products/krytox-switch-lurbricant

Not sure the difference in feel thin vs thick for stabs. Personal preference I guess!

[Ludovician]

I was hoping to find something local (at least in the same country as me) so it doesn't cost an absurd amount. Basically what I need to know is what properties I need to look for. Viscosity seems to be a matter of preference, but what else is relevant? I saw someone saying I'd need to look for some sort of grease that's safe to use with plastic, but is there anything else I need to look out for?

thanks.

[dustinhxc]

I was told Krytox GPL 206/1506 mixed works best. I have tried it in my boards and I agree.
Not sure what else to look out for. You can probably find those.

[Ludovician]

I found an Australian store that sells Super Lube. Is that stuff a good option?

[asgeirtj]

1) I have GH spring lube, its a thick lube, of all the videos I've seen, the guys have such a thinlike lube (oily) that they can just "dip" the spring, however this spring lube is too thick to do that, how does one apply this properly?  When I lube the springs with this lube the three outmost rings in the spring (the condensed ones, ones right next to each other) get "muddled" with the lube. 
2) Also does one need to lube every bit of the spring or only the top/bottom, and if you need to only lube one ends is that because the lube becomes spread when the spring is depressed? 
3) Lastly, does the spring become completely depressed when used in a keyswitch?

1) Get thinner lube? Or just live with it being a little more viscious. Should work fine.
2) Doesn't matter tbh. If i were to lube my springs, I'd dump in in a bag, dump some lube in there, then shake/roll it around so everything is covered. Then use springs. Easy.
3) Check out this video by BlueBar.

I was thinking that maybe I should just do the middle of the spring, that is, everything else than the 3 tight circles on both ends, and use a pencil to distribute it.  My goal is to eliminate ping.  Hope this will work, thanks!

[Melvang]

1) I have GH spring lube, its a thick lube, of all the videos I've seen, the guys have such a thinlike lube (oily) that they can just "dip" the spring, however this spring lube is too thick to do that, how does one apply this properly?  When I lube the springs with this lube the three outmost rings in the spring (the condensed ones, ones right next to each other) get "muddled" with the lube. 
2) Also does one need to lube every bit of the spring or only the top/bottom, and if you need to only lube one ends is that because the lube becomes spread when the spring is depressed? 
3) Lastly, does the spring become completely depressed when used in a keyswitch?

1) Get thinner lube? Or just live with it being a little more viscious. Should work fine.
2) Doesn't matter tbh. If i were to lube my springs, I'd dump in in a bag, dump some lube in there, then shake/roll it around so everything is covered. Then use springs. Easy.
3) Check out this video by BlueBar.

I was thinking that maybe I should just do the middle of the spring, that is, everything else than the 3 tight circles on both ends, and use a pencil to distribute it.  My goal is to eliminate ping.  Hope this will work, thanks!

If eliminating ping is your goal, the only part that needs to be lubed is the ends of the spring.  The reason is as you type you induce high frequency vibrations into the plate, pcb, and case.  This in turn causes the springs to vibrate in the switch housing on the post at the bottom and on the bottom of the stem.   The lube here provides just enough stiction to stop the spring ends from vibrating against the housing and the stem.

On a side note for myself. 

1.Are old keyboards the only source for buzzers and solenoids to be used with xwhatsit controller? 

2.I know that xwhatsit has driver boards to use with them, but has anyone designed a new solenoid and or buzzer that can be made to use with them? 

3.If sourcing from old is required, which boards do I want to keep an eye out for?  Are these parts high failure components or do they usually have long fruitful lives?

Melvang

[asgeirtj]

If eliminating ping is your goal, the only part that needs to be lubed is the ends of the spring.  The reason is as you type you induce high frequency vibrations into the plate, pcb, and case.  This in turn causes the springs to vibrate in the switch housing on the post at the bottom and on the bottom of the stem.   The lube here provides just enough stiction to stop the spring ends from vibrating against the housing and the stem.


Melvang

Do i lube the inner or outer rings or both?

[CPTBadAss]

Do i lube the inner or outer rings or both?

If you're going to lube it you might as well do both.

[FoC_Tow]

Does the Nerd 60 PCB (v2) support a split (1x1 + 1x1) Backspace?

It kinda looks like it does and it's also seems possible in the Nerdy GUI keymapper...
Would be aesome if someone could clarify!