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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: Akani on Tue, 28 December 2021, 07:30:41

Title: Keycaps for shorter key travel
Post by: Akani on Tue, 28 December 2021, 07:30:41

Hello Everyone!

I'm searching for 2 to 4 durable keycaps that would allow the switch to only travel 1.4mm.

The reason for this is that i use my keyboard to play rythm games professionally and i listen to my tapping sound to stay in rythm.

Unfortunately the actuation point of the switch is not at the same point of the total key travel which makes the sound so there are inconsistencies to the method i use. So i was thinking of a keycap that hits the switch housing at around the actuation point of my switch (cherry mx silver speed) which is 1.2mm.

Does anybody knows wether those kind of keycaps exists or where i could ask for someone to make something like that? or maybe another idea to achieve the same result?

I've used o-rings to shorten the key travel but it removes the sharp feeling and sound of the hard plastic hitting.

Thanks for your help in advance!

Title: Re: Keycaps for shorter key travel
Post by: suicidal_orange on Tue, 28 December 2021, 08:02:59

If o-rings work to adjust the travel the easy answer would be to fill part of the inside of a standard keycap with something hard.  First I thought to fill it with glue but that would shrink so hard to judge the right depth, and it would be hard to get both exactly the same.

Would a stack of slices of plastic from food packaging would work?  Once you've got the thickness right you could glue them together to make one solid piece which should give a suitable click.

Title: Re: Keycaps for shorter key travel
Post by: Faceman76 on Tue, 28 December 2021, 08:35:30

Kailh Speed Switches have only 1.1mm actuation  and you will need to experiment with different o-rings to achieve the distance and feel you're looking for.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Keycaps for shorter key travel
Post by: Akani on Tue, 28 December 2021, 09:42:54

I don't really need a switch with an even lower actuation point but if there'd be a switch with the actuation point close to the total travel distance from the get go that'd be nice. afaik there's those low profile switches but even those have the actuation far from the total distance. I know that there are those gaming keyboard with customizable switch actuation point but I'm not gonna pay 200 just so i can use 2 buttons on a keyboard..

Title: Re: Keycaps for shorter key travel
Post by: MIGHTY CHICKEN on Tue, 28 December 2021, 11:24:51

Stacking washers might be a good precise way to change the travel