geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: phototristan on Sat, 28 August 2010, 14:05:07

Title: Can buckling spring tension be increased by stretching the spring?
Post by: phototristan on Sat, 28 August 2010, 14:05:07: I've always wondered, can buckling spring tension be increased by pulling on and stretching the spring? Would that work?
Title: Can buckling spring tension be increased by stretching the spring?
Post by: audioave10 on Sat, 28 August 2010, 14:27:07: I would worry about warping the spring slightly to one side. Might cause an inconsistant click. I worked with metals for many years. The spring is so small that you can't always predict how it would react.
Title: Can buckling spring tension be increased by stretching the spring?
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 28 August 2010, 14:48:51: Im pretty sure that this has been tested out and failed miserably.

The whole thing depends on the dimensions of the spring being within certain tolerances, relative to the key travel, the size of the hammer, and how much force the hammer must strike whatever contact mechanism is underneath it. If you start playing around with it stops working.

For example, while the Model F springs are the same length, they have more coils, and consequently don't work if you put one on a Model M hammer and put one in a Model M. The opposite also doesn't work.
Title: Can buckling spring tension be increased by stretching the spring?
Post by: phototristan on Sat, 28 August 2010, 16:18:06: Makes sense. Thanks guys.
Title: Can buckling spring tension be increased by stretching the spring?
Post by: Morning Song on Sat, 28 August 2010, 16:29:11: The only way i think people have succeeded in tweaking the feel of a BS keyboard has been through boltmodding, which as i understand, dampens some of the noise and 'tightens' the feel. i'm not sure if it's possible to do the reverse.
Title: Can buckling spring tension be increased by stretching the spring?
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 28 August 2010, 16:31:41: The way to increase the tension of a spring is to compress it fully, and that is usually done as a step during manufacturing.
Title: Can buckling spring tension be increased by stretching the spring?
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 28 August 2010, 16:45:46: Ah, the Model F's spring is like 1mm longer than the M's one.
Title: Can buckling spring tension be increased by stretching the spring?
Post by: wellington1869 on Sat, 28 August 2010, 18:18:11: Quote from: phototristan;217652
I've always wondered, can buckling spring tension be increased by pulling on and stretching the spring? Would that work?

conversely, making it softer by squishing spring?
I dont think anyone has done squish/stretch tests, have they? any volunteers so we have a definitive experiment for that?
Title: Can buckling spring tension be increased by stretching the spring?
Post by: phototristan on Sat, 28 August 2010, 18:58:30: Quote from: Morning Song;217681
The only way i think people have succeeded in tweaking the feel of a BS keyboard has been through boltmodding, which as i understand, dampens some of the noise and 'tightens' the feel. i'm not sure if it's possible to do the reverse.

How does bolt modding change the feel? I'm not clear on how that would change the feel nor even dampen the noise.
Title: Can buckling spring tension be increased by stretching the spring?
Post by: JBert on Sun, 29 August 2010, 05:16:00: Quote from: phototristan;217724
How does bolt modding change the feel? I'm not clear on how that would change the feel nor even dampen the noise.
The rivets which clamp front and back plate together may break after a while, which means that the springs will force the plates apart. As a result, a spring will buckle differently because it has more distance between the plates.
Title: Can buckling spring tension be increased by stretching the spring?
Post by: TheSoundofTyping on Sun, 29 August 2010, 05:41:05: No OP, taking a spring after it has finished being made and then stretching it only weakens the spring. It's the opposite of what you want.