Plasti Dip those Shiny Keys!

[rdjack21]

I have always wondered what a rubber coated key cap would feel like verses the hard plastic that all keyboards come with. After ripster posted his sand blasting key mod I decided that it was time that I really look into the rubber option a little harder than I had in the past. After digging around some this is what I found



As you can see from the image above it comes in both a dip can and a spray can. If you dig around the Plasti Dip site you can also find that they also have a design your own colour kit as well that along with a thiner you can use to make your own colours that can be sprayed as well. I don't have a air spray gun so I went with the spray can. Currently the spray is offered in six colours (white, black, clear, yellow, red and blue) locally (Home depot) I could only find black so that is what I have used here. But I have ordered the other colours from here garage-toys.

I first tested this on some of the keys off a cheap rubber dome board I had laying around (sorry no pictures of the test). From these test keys I decided that I kind of liked the feel of the keys so decided to do a full set of home row keys on a board that I use every day so that I could have a better feel of how they would feel in actual use.

For my test board I decided to use my 86U I have at work. For keys I used some of the dye rejects I got from megarat (I just knew those would come in handy to have around).

Before I get to the actual pictures though I would like to say that I don't have a good camera so the pictures are not all that great but should be OK. Also I'm not sure how I did it but the close ups of the keys after I sprayed them with plasti dip were taken in some kind of grey level mode. But I think they came out ok.

So here is what the keys looked like after being sprayed with plasti dip:

As you can see the key has a pretty good texture to it. According to the can you should use 3-5 coats. This key has 3 coats and on the last coat I used a light coat in the hopes that it would give the key a little more texture. It seems to have worked.

Here is another shot of the same key but from the side


Some notes on the above pictures. These are taken with the key sitting on the box I used to spray them on. As you can see I just sat them on the box and started spraying them.

I bagged them up along with a key puller and took them to work so I could use them through out the day to see what I thought of them. When I went to install these keys though I ran into some issues. Because of the way I sprayed them I got some over spray on the key stems and the Tolerances on the Topre switches would not let me install them take a look at this picture to see what I mean

Even that little bit of over spray would not let me install the keys on the 86U. So ended up waiting another day to actually install them. Ended up using a little steel wool to remove the over spray.

So here they are finally installed on the 86U


And a close up


After using these for a few days I can say they do feel different that your standard keys. But is it a pleasant feeling? I'm not really sure. I like them but I'm not commited to them either. I think what I really need to do is spray a full set and see how that feels. I think I have enough of megarat's dye rejects to do that so I'm going to do as many as I can over the weekend and see what I think after using a full set. But my initial reaction is that I'm going to end up liking them. But will I like them enough to leave them on? Only time will tell.

[wellington1869]

fascinating.

I actually have a can of clear plastidip. (not the spray).  I was meaning to "dip" some keys into it to see how they'd feel. I never got around to doing it though.

I'm constantly looking for something to coat the tops of my keys with, they can never be grippy enough for me. I've tried all kinds of things (vinyl tape, clearcoat nailpolish, etc). Eventually I forgot about the plastidip idea. Thanks for reminding me

So does it feel grippy? Do they feel smooth and unobtrusive or is it distracting? I wonder how long the coat will last.

Has it affected the sound of the keys?

[rdjack21]

Just some notes:

If you decide you want to try this you may want to protect the key stems from over spray. Also the Plasti Dip comes out with more force than a normal spray paint can so back off a little or you will blow the keys away. I did that on my original test keys.

Also if you spray a key with raised print on them the lettering will be coated but you can still see the letter on the key after words.

Some notes on feel

The more coats you do affects the feel of the key. A single coat leaves a very nice texture on the key and a really nice feel as well. The three coats I used on the last batch though created a completely different feel to the key. I'm not sure which I prefer most so when I coat the rest of the keys I will very the number of coats to see what I like best.

[rdjack21]

fascinating.

I actually have a can of clear plastidip. (not the spray).  I was meaning to "dip" some keys into it to see how they'd feel. I never got around to doing it though.

I did not want to use the dip because I thought it would put on to thick of a coat.

I'm constantly looking for something to coat the tops of my keys with, they can never be grippy enough for me. I've tried all kinds of things (vinyl tape, clearcoat nailpolish, etc). Eventually I forgot about the plastidip idea. Thanks for reminding me

So does it feel grippy? Do they feel smooth and unobtrusive or is it distracting? I wonder how long the coat will last.

Has it affected the sound of the keys?

The three coated keys are very grippy and is the main reason why I really want to try a full set. I'm wondering if that will affect my typing. Other words do I slide my fingers over the keys or do I pick them up as I move from key to key. I had really not thought about that until I had those keys on the board. If I'm more of a slider the grip of the keys may hinder my typing but on the other hand if I pick my fingers up then no problem.

With a single coat they feel very similar to the texture on my HHKB but with a little grip. A very nice feel. Now on those three coated keys they have less of the fine texture and more of a rough texture which is not bad either. I'm just not sure which I prefer. I think that the way you spray the keys has a big impact on the texture of the key. On those three coat keys I pulled the can back a bit  on the last coat so that the keys were not as heavely coated kinda of like a splater coat.

The 86U I used for the test is already very quite on the down stroke where something like this may help with noise. So I did not really notice a change in the noise/sound comming from the board.

As far as how long it will last. Who knows but as easy as it is to do even if it does peal off after a year or so you can always just re-coat them.

[rdjack21]

I've used quite a bit of truckbed liner on speakers and have found that texture varies by distance - usually a light spray from a good distance gave a grainier finer texture.  I think temperature made a difference too - hotter gave a smoother texture.  Something else to experiment with.

Hmm did not think about how heat would affect it. When I sprayed them it was probably around 100 in the garage.

[wellington1869]

I did not want to use the dip because I thought it would put on to thick of a coat.

true, it would be thick, altho supposedly there is a way to 'thin' it. i think the instructions for that are on the label of the can, tho i havent looked at it in a while.

As far as how long it will last. Who knows but as easy as it is to do even if it does peal off after a year or so you can always just re-coat them.

well, clearcoat nailpolish only lasted about 6 weeks, same with vinyl tape which is fairly thick.

The more coats you do affects the feel of the key. A single coat leaves a very nice texture on the key and a really nice feel as well. The three coats I used on the last batch though created a completely different feel to the key. I'm not sure which I prefer most so when I coat the rest of the keys I will very the number of coats to see what I like best.

i'd definitely be interested in hearing your thoughts on which you prefer and why.

My gut feeling is that one coat wont last very long (maybe about 4-6 weeks?). Three coats may last much longer but as you say the grip level needs to be right since most people probably do a bit of "sliding" too as they type.

[rdjack21]

true, it would be thick, altho supposedly there is a way to 'thin' it. i think the instructions for that are on the label of the can, tho i havent looked at it in a while.

Yes they sell a thiner for the can version that you can use. But the application they state it is for is thinning for use in a spray gun.

well, clearcoat nailpolish only lasted about 6 weeks, same with vinyl tape which is fairly thick.

Yea getting anything to stick to plastic is tough. Maybe it needs to be etched first. I took one of my original test keys and pulled it off on the sides it came off fairly easily but on the top where there is some texture it was harder to get off.

i'd definitely be interested in hearing your thoughts on which you prefer and why.

My gut feeling is that one coat wont last very long (maybe about 4-6 weeks?). Three coats may last much longer but as you say the grip level needs to be right since most people probably do a bit of "sliding" too as they type.

Yea I was thinking the same thing about the single coat but in all reality if the first coat does not adhere well then it will come off no matter how many coats you put on it. So I'm thinking I need to try some type of cleaner or etcher on the key before doing a coat. I'll look into that.

[rdjack21]

I took one of my original test keys and pulled it off on the sides it came off fairly easily but on the top where there is some texture it was harder to get off.

Thought I should restate what I said above or I should say be more accurate in my statement. The way this stuff works is that the rubber shrinks as it dries. So what I did to remove it was cut the surface with my finger nail on the side. By doing this it reduced the pressure (from the shrinkage) that is part of what holds the plasti dip on the key. After I had cut/broke the material I could remove it with my finger by basically rolling it up. When I had the stuff off it was stretchy like rubber should be and it did not break like a plastic it just stretched until it could not take it any longer then broke into two strands and bounced back into shape.

I also tried to remove it by just using my finger tip by sliding my finger over it with as much force as I could apply. No matter how I tried I could not get it to come off that way. I'm hopping this means that it will hold up well to normal typing.

I also found that Plasti Dip sales a primer that you can use but it only comes in a paint can for air spraying or brushing. Here is what they have to say about priming your parts:

Most items being dip coated do not require priming because the coating is shrinking around the item as it dries. However, in extreme conditions or when adding protective coating to a large metal surface, primer is recommended. Use Plasti Dip® Primer or a high quality acrylic autobody-type primer. Do not use Rust-Oleum® primer as it is not compatible.

So I think I'm going to see how the ones without primer hold up first and if they don't I will try to find some acrylic autobody primer and see if that helps.

I'm finding that the more I type on the three coated ones the more I like them. But I still want to do a full set before I really commit to them.

[rdjack21]

In my opinion it's hard to improve the texture/look of the Topres.  Not as sandpapery as the IBMs.  Not smooth matte like the Filco/Das.

So true. I do like the feel of the Topre key tops.

I found sandblasting the Unicomp blank blacks was almost perfect since it turned them into that Topre texture and got rid of the gloss.  The Logitech sandblasting was an improvement but turned them more into Filcos.

Kinda depends on what you are trying to achieve.

I guess what I'm trying to achieve is the Topre texture but with the key having a slightly softer touch and having a little grip to it. The one coated keys are almost perfect. The three coated keys are rougher than I wanted. I think they are rougher because of the way I sprayed them so on the next set I'm going to move a little closer in and see if I can maintain the fine texture I'm looking for but get that slightly softer feel to the key top. The material it self makes them a little more grippy so all I really need to figure out is how to get the texture I want.

[wellington1869]

I also tried to remove it by just using my finger tip by sliding my finger over it with as much force as I could apply. No matter how I tried I could not get it to come off that way. I'm hopping this means that it will hold up well to normal typing.

i think it will hold on, but I wonder about "wear". For instance, in the case of both vinyl tape and clearcoat nailpolish, after a month, basically I "wore thru" it. Just from typing, there were circular areas on tops of the keys where the finger basically just wore thru the coating right down to the key's plastic. So then I had to try to peel off the remaining material.

I'm finding that the more I type on the three coated ones the more I like them

i might try this on my endurapro keys. I have a feeling I'd like it too. (As ripster said my topre keys arent too bad (I think they have a steep enough curvature that I dont slip on them too much)). I do slip on my endurapro keys though.

[rdjack21]

i think it will hold on, but I wonder about "wear". For instance, in the case of both vinyl tape and clearcoat nailpolish, after a month, basically I "wore thru" it. Just from typing, there were circular areas on tops of the keys where the finger basically just wore thru the coating right down to the key's plastic. So then I had to try to peel off the remaining material.

Only time will tell if it will actually hold up to the abuse of being on a key. But at the same time I think that because it is a rubber product and I've seen this stuff on tools where it has lasted a long time my hopes are kinda of high that it will last.

i might try this on my endurapro keys. I have a feeling I'd like it too. (As ripster said my topre keys arent too bad (I think they have a steep enough curvature that I dont slip on them too much)). I do slip on my endurapro keys though.

If you do just watch out for over spray on the key stems. I'm also thinking that spraying a little on the underside may help with keeping it on the keys longer. Just a light coat on the underside to let the rubber get a better grip on the key as it shrinks. I'm thinking a little painters tape on the key stem spray the bottom flip and do the sides and top. Let dry for 30 min. or so then apply another coat but just do the sides and top for follow up coats.

[wellington1869]

I'm thinking a little painters tape on the key stem spray the bottom flip and do the sides and top. Let dry for 30 min. or so then apply another coat but just do the sides and top for follow up coats.

good idea.
if the dip isnt overly thick, if its at all workable, then dipping it by holding the stem could accomplish this "overlap to the underside" too. I'll try it...

another thing you can do with the dip is brush it on with a soft paintbrush. I'll try that too. (actually i'll try that first, might be the easiest way if it works).

[Hak Foo]

I'd like to see the case plastic-dipped.

Years ago, I painted my 1391401 black, and it rubbed through in a few months as I centre myself against the side of the board.

[itlnstln]

I think the spray method would work the best, especially if you want to paint the caps en masse.  I would set up a mildly adhesive template similar to what Filco does with their blank key cap sets. That way, the caps would be held down as I sprayed, and I can hit them all at once while keeping them in the same order so I know where they go when I'm done.

[wellington1869]

Ok, I've got my plastidip and a paintbrush and my endurapro in front of me. I'll paint the numpad keys within the next few hours the next time I take a break from work. Lets see how that feels.

I'll try 1 to 3 coats on the different keys.

[rdjack21]

I think the spray method would work the best, especially if you want to paint the caps en masse.  I would set up a mildly adhesive template similar to what Filco does with their blank key cap sets. That way, the caps would be held down as I sprayed, and I can hit them all at once while keeping them in the same order so I know where they go when I'm done.

Yes spraying is very easy and fast. Also you can easily control the amount of material applied on a pass.

[rdjack21]

Ok, I've got my plastidip and a paintbrush and my endurapro in front of me. I'll paint the numpad keys within the next few hours the next time I take a break from work. Lets see how that feels.

I'll try 1 to 3 coats on the different keys.

It'll be interesting to see how the dip verses spray works. It would be cool if the dip works because then you can get the "Create your own color kit" and make any color you want.

I have the Red, Yellow, White and Blue spray colors coming but their are other colors that I think would look good on a keyboard.

[rdjack21]

Double stick carpet tape would work.

For IBMs unfortunately I think it will take a drill bit (see the number row wooden holder mod).

The issue with sticking them down is will the Plasti Dip also stick to the tape? And how hard will it be to remove the keys if it has. This stuff forms a solid rubber coat that shrinks when it dries such that it grips the key. Now if it also forms this with the tape you will have to cut the keys off to keep from stretching and or tearing the part that is on the key.

[wellington1869]

It'll be interesting to see how the dip verses spray works. It would be cool if the dip works because then you can get the "Create your own color kit" and make any color you want.

I have the Red, Yellow, White and Blue spray colors coming but their are other colors that I think would look good on a keyboard.

ya, i forgot about that -- colors! :-D

[rdjack21]

This is getting too complicated.  Just dunk the whole keyboard in.

Show Image

Hey thats not fair it come in Hunter green as well as the other colors. But at $269 for that 5 gallon can I will just buy another Topre instead.

[wellington1869]

I love the smell of plastidip in the morning.



Can barely see it on white or gray keys. I only painted the top of the keys since this is mainly a test for "finger-feel".






I've put one coat on so far. I'm giving it a 1/2 hour between coats. I'll coat 4 5 6 with a second coat, and 1 2 3 with a third coat.

[rdjack21]

Did you try dipping them or are you just painting them with the brush. From the pictures the surface does not look to be smooth and inconsistent thickness. Yea I know I'm nit picking but I am really just wondering.

You can get the clear in spray form as well. I did not order that one though. I may just have to now if for no other reason than to protect those really nice dyed keys I got from megarat with my HHKB Pro.

[wellington1869]

Did you try dipping them or are you just painting them with the brush. From the pictures the surface does not look to be smooth and inconsistent thickness. Yea I know I'm nit picking but I am really just wondering.

painted them.  if it works its easy cuz you dont even need to take the keys off.
The unevenness smooths out a bit as it dries. Cant really feel it on the finger, at least not with one coat. I just applied the second coat to keys 4 5 6 7 8 9.

So far the keys with one coat feel grippier than without plastidip of course, but I can still slide my finger a bit as well. Its  grippier than either clearcoat nailpolish or vinyl tape. Its not bad. But I wonder about how long it would last before wearing thru to the plastic. Also plastidip has a tendency to "roll off" like semi-dried elmers glue (or, a booger unless there is a real thick coat on there. So lets see what 2 and 3 coats feel like.

You can get the clear in spray form as well.

Ya, clear is really clear. what was the color you used? I thought it was clear, is it white?

[rdjack21]

So far the keys with one coat feel grippier than without plastidip of course, but I can still slide my finger a bit as well. Its  grippier than either clearcoat nailpolish or vinyl tape. Its not bad.

Yes it has some grip but not a bunch. On the three coated ones I have you can still slide your finger on them but it does supply a little resistance.

Also plastidip has a tendency to "roll off" like semi-dried elmers glue (or, a booger unless there is a real thick coat on there. So lets see what 2 and 3 coats feel like.

Not to surprised by that seeing that you are only applying it to the top of the key. The majority of the adhesion is caused when it shrinks as it dries. With just the top coated it has no sides to grip to. I can't make mine come off with out cutting it that is. If cut thus releasing the pressure you can roll it off. But even then if you only cut the side the top will still stick on very good.

Ya, clear is really clear. what was the color you used? I thought it was clear, is it white?

I used black those first pictures I messed up and took in some kind of gray scale mode so the color is not right. The picture of the keyboard though shows the home row correctly (black keys).

[rdjack21]

Some interesting things from there FAQ

How thick can I apply Plasti Dip®?

                              When following the directions, you can apply as many coats of Plasti Dip® protective coating as you like. In most uses 10-12 mils thickness is adequate (2 dip coats, 3-4 brush coats, 4-5 spray coats). Only in extreme cases or for aesthetic reasons is more thickness necessary.
             

Can Plasti Dip® be applied to PVC?

                              Rub acetone or finger nail polish remover in an inconspicuous area and apply Plasti Dip® to test for success.

Why is the Plasti Dip® sagging or dripping?

                              Removing an item being dipped too quickly usually causes this. Remove at a rate of 1” every 5 seconds. If experiencing runs or sags when spraying, move can further away from the surface and apply a lighter coat. Sagging and dripping can also be caused by high humidity, high temperatures, windy conditions, and/or direct sun light. Ideal conditions are low humidity, 70 degrees, little to no air movement in a well ventilated area.

Is Plasti Dip® safe to use on children's toys, animal containment, and/or on kitchen utensils?

                              Plasti Dip® does not contain any heavy metals, and when completely dry, is considered harmless. However, it is not recommended that it be used on items that may be chewed or inserted into the mouth as it may present a choking hazard.

[wellington1869]

good info in the faq. Sounds like I need to put at least 3 coats on for it to stay (and possibly paint all the way down the sides).

In terms of feel, the second coat has dried and basically its a bit grippier. Not as slidey. Not sure yet if its too grippy.  I assume with some usage tho, from the oils on my fingers, it's grippiness will be slightly reduced and maybe it'll find a good medium grippiness. Right now, with a fresh second coat, I'd say its slightly more grippy than i'd like.  But as I say I think that may be reduced with usage.

I do like it. I'm tempted to just go ahead and paint the tops of the entire alphabet cluster on the endurapro.  I'll wait till I try out the third coat though.  I have visions of myself improving my WPM by 5 or so.  Typeracer will tell.

[itlnstln]

If you decide to take it off I'd try something other than nailpolish remover (acetone). There was a nasty looking Filco key pic here recently.

Yeah, that red Escape key ended up looking like a stewed tomato.  Yuck.

[rdjack21]

I take it the nailpolish remover (acetone) melted it. I must of missed that one.

[itlnstln]

I take it the nailpolish remover (acetone) melted it. I must of missed that one.

 
That's correct.  I don't know if it was the color, or what, but it looked pretty disturbing.  I mean, really, when was the last time melted plastic looked disturbing?  Well, this did.

[wellington1869]

I take it the nailpolish remover (acetone) melted it. I must of missed that one.

how about non-acetone nailpolish remover?

[wellington1869]

So I just tried the 3-coat keys.  on the one hand I like the grip and the softness-of-touch. On the other hand grip is probably too much for ordinary typing.   But you need at least 3 coats I think for it to last a while.

so i'm torn. I think it'll only be feasable for normal typing if the grippiness is reduced slightly. I still think some finger grime and oil can do that. Only way to know is to put it on the alpha keys and use it a while I guess.

But if grippiness can be reduced just a touch, I'd be inclined to leave it on I think.

[rdjack21]

On the set I sprayed they are not all that grippy with three coats. I currently have three coats on the entire home row I just sprayed a bunch more keys Here is how I have things setup:





It should be noted that this is one coat and they are still wet. I really think you should go down to Home depot and get a can of the spray and try that before brushing the Alpha keys. Just from looking at the pictures you posted I can tell they coat different with a brush and I bet considerably thicker.

[wellington1869]

On the set I sprayed they are not all that grippy with three coats.

ya, i bet the non-spray paint version is a bit thicker, thats prolly why mine is fairly grippy already with three coats. So maybe the spray version is really better suited for this.

I'll experiment to see if the grippiness fades a bit with use.

[rdjack21]

ya, i bet the non-spray paint version is a bit thicker, thats prolly why mine is fairly grippy already with three coats. So maybe the spray version is really better suited for this.

I'll experiment to see if the grippiness fades a bit with use.

FYI: The spray was only around $7 at Home Depot. If you go looking for it I found it in the paint department locked up with the rest of the spray paint.

[rdjack21]

I did a better job on this second set. The texture is finer really close to the Topre. For this set I shot two good coats then on the third a light coat close up but not heavy and only on the key tops. Now that I have them on most of my alpha keys I have to say I'm really liking them. I'm going to have to take this keyboard home this weekend just so I can type on it more. Oh I also did some of the bigger keys (shift, backspace, enter, ctrl, alt) as well but have not put them on yet. I don't have the tools here at work to pull them with out damaging them. So I will put those on when I get the keyboard home.

I'll try to post a picture of them later tonight when I get the keyboard home as well.

[wellington1869]

defintely let us know how long it lasts. If it lasts 6 months plus, I think its worth it.

[rdjack21]

:rofl:I was begging to wonder when you were going to drop that. I just knew when I started this you would tell me that.. But should not have to blast them to get it off. Cut an edge and pull it off like well rubber....

Really the only thing that holds it on is the force from it shrinking. It does adhere a little to the key but the majority of what holds it on is spring force. If you remember when wellington painted the top of his keys he noticed that it would roll off. If he had done the sides of the keys as well that should not have happened because it would have shrunk around the sides and top to create the force that holds it on.

On a side note. The more I use them the more I like them. I left a few keys uncoated and I can really tell the difference when typing. You really don't realize how slick those keys are until you have both sitting next to each other.

[wellington1869]

That's good - truckbed liner I think is stickier.  Here's the poor Filco key after a little fingernail polish so Welly doesn't try it.

dude, wtf happened there? OMG.  I've done clearcoat fingernail polish on unicomp and ibm keys with NO ill effects at all.

I've also used non-acetone nailpolish remover on them btw, again with no ill-effects.

what the hell is that key made out of? Bakelight?

[rdjack21]

That's good - truckbed liner I think is stickier.  Here's the poor Filco key after a little fingernail polish so Welly doesn't try it.

Show Image

You know that looks like the key had some kind of coating on it And that is what got destroyed. It looks kinda of like it is peeling off and melting at the same time. But if you look at the key itself it looks fine. Look at the front of the key nice and clean with the coating rolled up on either side.

EDIT: Filco key I bet don't they put a coating on there keys.

[rdjack21]

Are you sure? The plastic should not be coming off that way. Take a look at the lettering on the key. Filco prints their letters on but in that picture you have material coming up over the top and around the lettering. If it was the plastic itself coming off then the letters should be coming off as well but they are not. It does not even look as if the letters were damaged at all.

[rdjack21]

Don't get me wrong I agree that Acetone can and does eat plastics but just as your example above shows. It melts it and it kind of turns soft but that Esc key does not look like it did it is like a sheet of the plastic came off leaving what was underneath untouched. Oh and those white spots under the keys can be caused by all kinds of things not just a coating process. And if I understand correctly they coat the keys installed on the board for the normal keys so it makes since that they would spot. On the other hand for all we know the Esc key is coated uninstalled sitting flat on a carier which would protect the bottom of the key from the spoting issue. And yes I know majistouch indicated that they are not coated. But again take a look at that key man and play with that CD Case the plastic does not melt with Acetone the way that picture shows.

I guess I'm just going to have to sacrifice a key to prove it one way or the other.

EDIT: Not sure I will get the time to do it this weekend. I'm going to get that great looking burger I mentioned in the switch poll.

[wellington1869]

ya i wouldnt use acetone either, but my clearcoat nailpolish itself I dont think has acetone; AFAIK only acetone-based nailpolish REMOVERS have acetone.
And even those you can get NON-acetone versions.

I'm getting way too familiar with the cosmetics aisle at cvs

[rdjack21]

Yea what continues to bother me about that key is they way in which it looks like a layer came off. But I do agree NON-acetone nail polish remover is generally what I use because I have melted allot of stuff with acetone so I no longer even have any in the garage. The other problem with acetone is that it is absorbed by your skin and any chemicals it picks up along the way come with it. That is the main reason you don't really see it used as much any more. But you can still get it because for some things it is really the only thing that works. It continues to surprise me that acetone based nail polish remover is still on the market I will not let my wife use that stuff.

EDIT: Well I went and took a look at current data on acetone. It seems that acetone is not a problem even absorbed through the skin. What I can't find is data on the other chemicals that come with it. Back in the late 70's early 80's when I was working in a engine shop we had the stuff in bulk and used it all the time. But then one day all the safety people came in and we had a safety meeting on it and were told basically what I stated above and we were all issued these really thick gloves that came up to your elbow were told to use them any time we need to use Acetone. Today when I look I can't find any mention of this issue. So who knows maybe we found out that it really does not cary other stuff through your skin like what was thought back then. Oh well just thought I would update this before someone jumped on me for incorrect data.

[wellington1869]

by the way, after 24 hours of drying, the grippiness has subsided a lot. I could probably use the 3-coat keys just fine now. THey do feel better.

On regular ibm keycaps and on topre keycaps, i'm fine. (I swapped my regular ibm keycaps with my endurapro keycaps). But if I were to go back to the endurapro keycaps, I'd definitely put 3-coats of this goop on there. I like it.

Btw also the coat doesnt seem to be slipping off despite my not having painted all the way to the bottom of the key.  

I still wonder whether it will "wear down" fast though. I hope not. It feels great.

I bet my accuracy would improve too with the extra grip and confidence that comes with it.

[rdjack21]

Man I go to quote your first message about the dare and I get the above in the edit box.

Yep acetone will melt polystyrene really fast. It will also melt polycarbonate as well but not as fast. Which you think the Filco keys are made of (you said that in the post that vanished). I may have to test on those WSAD keys first I really don't want to destroy my Esc key. Besides I have no use for them other than maybe putting some Plasti dip on them.

I'm going to have to make a trip to Home Depot and get some first though. Then let the fun begin.

EDIT: Looks like you changed your mind now it says you think the keys are polystyrene. Man make up your mind.

[rdjack21]

by the way, after 24 hours of drying, the grippiness has subsided a lot. I could probably use the 3-coat keys just fine now. THey do feel better.

I've been letting mine dry/sit over night before putting them on my board at work. On my spray can I think it states 4 hours before fully cured.  

Btw also the coat doesnt seem to be slipping off despite my not having painted all the way to the bottom of the key.  

Interesting all the ones that I have actually pulled the stuff off on had only been cured for maybe 5 hours. I will let them sit for another day and see how hard it is to get off. That means the Plasti dip will have been on for about 3 days.

I still wonder whether it will "wear down" fast though. I hope not. It feels great.

I with you there I really like the feel of it. And I'm leaning in the direction of 3 heavy coats myself. The lighter coats are not quite as grippy but still feel fine. Actually those last keys I did feel very close to what a normal Topre key feels like but not as slick just slightly grippy.

[rdjack21]

The keys on my 86U are still holding up quite well. One cool thing though instead of getting shiny they got dull so the keys I use the most are quite dull now. I'm going to bring my 86U home next week and one of the things I was planning on doing to it was to plasti-dip all the keys. Right now only most of the alpha keys are done. I will take a picture of it when I bring it home. The only wear I have on it is on the J key the nub broke through the plasti-dip but that was one of the first keys I did and I did not do a very good job of coating it. The F key is holding up just fine.

So the plan is to bring it home and:
1) see how hard the stuff is to remove
2) clean all the keys
3) apply a nice thick coat to all the keys and try out some of the other colors I have Red, Yellow and black. Still need to order some blue.
4) take it back to work and see how that holds up long term.

I have to say I'm really liking the feel of the diped keys. I'm also thinking of getting that custom color kit and see how hard it would be to dip them verses spray painting them.

[rdjack21]

Ok so I have had the Plasti-Dip on my keyboard for about 2 months now. I have to say it is holding up very well. The only wear I have is the nub on the J key broke through but the material did not tear or come away at that spot even though I continued to use the keyboard. I mostly attribute that to thin material as that was one of the first keys I did and I don't think I really did a good job on it.

I have not tried to remove it yet but I will be doing that in the next few days and will post something up on how that went as well.

Some notes:
1) The Plasti-Dip material attracts dust like crazy and you really can't get it all off. But you can't really see it either so no big deal until you start to take pictures of it.
2) The nice grippy feel has been maintained thought this time.

Now that I have done a trial run I'm ready to do an entire board to see how it holds up on say the space bar. I have also acquired all the colors except the clear so will be playing with that was well.

So the question now is which keyboard do I Plasti-Dip. I'm thinking I will do my MD01B00 this time around mostly because unlike new Topre boards this keyboard has very little to no texture on the keys.

Any ways here are a couple of shots of the board after about 2 months of every day use.



Close up of the nub on the J key that broke though. Oh man look at all that dust and junk on the keys. But you really only see that with the camera and then only when doing a close up.


And here are the colors I have to try out for the full keyboard job.

[o2dazone]

It attracts dust like crazy because it's a rubberized coating. Ever tried wiping dog hair off a rubber floor mat? I would imagine it's the same thing.

I really like Plastidip for a few options. If you're into modding Nerf guns, they make a great cover to turn those toy guns into something menacing. And because it's a textured surface, the paintjob looks professionally done (even when it's done sloppily).

I'm sure any of those non black colors will not show the dust quite as much. Good luck to you, and you never disappoint for posting pics so I won't even remind you

[rdjack21]

The dust really doesn't show up even on the black unless you put the keyboard up to your face and squint at it or take a picture of it

I have to do a review of the my little Topre first and a mod then I'm going to plasti-dip all the keys on it. I really think doing it on this particular board will make it even better than it currently is. I'm fine with the texture on the newer Topre's but this little guy needs some help. Besides those dipped keys really feel good.