Author Topic: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod  (Read 11216 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline MJ45

  • HHKB Pro
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 530
  • Location: Chicagoland
Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
« on: Mon, 11 November 2013, 18:42:33 »
The only thing I don't like about Realforce keyboards is the fixed USB cable. So I decided to make mine removable and have it look like they should have been made. Sparkfun.com makes a nice mini-b usb breakout board that could be also used to mod other brands of keyboards as well and costs $1.95. The stock cable channel needs to be ground out to clear the mini pcb board and the usb mini-b cable with a Dremel tool. I cut off a piece of the stock cable with the header plug long enough to connect the breakout board to the keyboards header plug and soldered up. I filled the case with epoxy where it broke through from grinding and touched it up with black paint. Its mounted with a couple of 6-32 flathead screws and nylock nuts to secure it to the case. It is a simple but effective mod.

Offline dustinhxc

  • * Exalted Elder
  • Posts: 6739
  • Location: MN
  • IV
    • Gray Designs
Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 11 November 2013, 18:44:22 »
Whoa thats pretty cool man.. One thing I dont like about the Realforce is I cant add a custom USB. Nice.

Offline MJ45

  • HHKB Pro
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 530
  • Location: Chicagoland
Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 11 November 2013, 18:49:32 »
Whoa thats pretty cool man.. One thing I dont like about the Realforce is I cant add a custom USB. Nice.
Well the only other thing I don't like about Realforce and HHKB's are the ABS spacebars but I cant do anything about that.

Offline metalliqaz

  • * Maker
  • Posts: 4951
  • Location: the Making Stuff subforum
  • Leopold fanboy
Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 11 November 2013, 19:07:37 »
Nice job that looks awesome.

Offline SpAmRaY

  • NOT a Moderator
  • * Certified Spammer
  • Posts: 14667
  • Location: ¯\(°_o)/¯
  • because reasons.......
Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 11 November 2013, 19:13:38 »
This looks really good. Thanks for sharing.

Offline ShivaYash

  • Posts: 161
  • Location: Berlin, DE
Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 06 January 2015, 07:55:54 »
The only thing I don't like about Realforce keyboards is the fixed USB cable. So I decided to make mine removable and have it look like they should have been made. Sparkfun.com makes a nice mini-b usb breakout board that could be also used to mod other brands of keyboards as well and costs $1.95. The stock cable channel needs to be ground out to clear the mini pcb board and the usb mini-b cable with a Dremel tool. I cut off a piece of the stock cable with the header plug long enough to connect the breakout board to the keyboards header plug and soldered up. I filled the case with epoxy where it broke through from grinding and touched it up with black paint. Its mounted with a couple of 6-32 flathead screws and nylock nuts to secure it to the case. It is a simple but effective mod.

This is cool, but is there a version that avoids drilling holes in the bottom case?
IBM Model M SSK, HHKB Pro 2 BT and Realforce 104U HiPro

Offline False_Dmitry_II

  • Posts: 1107
Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 26 June 2015, 00:08:10 »
The only thing I don't like about Realforce keyboards is the fixed USB cable. So I decided to make mine removable and have it look like they should have been made. Sparkfun.com makes a nice mini-b usb breakout board that could be also used to mod other brands of keyboards as well and costs $1.95. The stock cable channel needs to be ground out to clear the mini pcb board and the usb mini-b cable with a Dremel tool. I cut off a piece of the stock cable with the header plug long enough to connect the breakout board to the keyboards header plug and soldered up. I filled the case with epoxy where it broke through from grinding and touched it up with black paint. Its mounted with a couple of 6-32 flathead screws and nylock nuts to secure it to the case. It is a simple but effective mod.

This is cool, but is there a version that avoids drilling holes in the bottom case?

Super late question, gets a super late answer. Sure there is, just hot glue it in place.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Ben Franklin (11 Nov. 1755)

Offline Dyto69

  • Posts: 95
  • Location: Germany
  • 420 blaze it but dont forget 69
Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 06 May 2021, 03:35:57 »
Question:
Hello, i know this is a really old post but maybe someone will see this. I want to do this but with USB-C, but I'm not sure if it would work. So I would buy a USB-C breakout board like this one: (shortened link https://cutt.ly/ibW2ulW) and only use the VCC, D-, D+ and GND headers like in the Pictures with the Mini-USB Breakout Board. Does someone know if this is possible and will work because I heard that USB-Mini / Micro are very different to USB-C, and it might not work.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Offline Dyto69

  • Posts: 95
  • Location: Germany
  • 420 blaze it but dont forget 69
Re: Realforce 87u Removable USB cable mod
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 31 May 2021, 03:24:18 »
Question:
Hello, i know this is a really old post but maybe someone will see this. I want to do this but with USB-C, but I'm not sure if it would work. So I would buy a USB-C breakout board like this one: (shortened link https://cutt.ly/ibW2ulW) and only use the VCC, D-, D+ and GND headers like in the Pictures with the Mini-USB Breakout Board. Does someone know if this is possible and will work because I heard that USB-Mini / Micro are very different to USB-C, and it might not work.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

nvm it works, i just tried it and it just works the same way as normal. I used this Brakeout Board: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07Y3BBYVG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1