geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: sixty on Fri, 03 December 2010, 12:16:49
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Now, since the German Telekom still did not manage to have my internet up and working again for like three weeks now, I have a lot free time after work to finally try a bunch of those mods that have been swarming around my head.
This was one of those silly ideas, I'm very happy with the outcome.
If you are also sick of the G80-3000 PCB and case flexing and want it gone, keep reading.
Materials
- G80-3000 (duh!)
- junk G81-3000 of the same production batch (this is important, the case construction has to be the same as the G80)
- Some foam rubber(?) or rubber foil or something similar (German: moosgummi)
- A big knife and scissors
- Some time
Step 1
Open both cases and remove the PCS and controller and stuff. You will need a torx screwdriver for the modern G81s to remove the metal plate and controller.
Step 2
(http://imgur.com/2xux4.jpg)
Remove all the terrible MY switches from the G81 plate and burn them with fire (optional). I used a huge knife to literally chop of all of the black feet. It took less than 5 minutes to remove all switches this way.
Step 3
(http://imgur.com/4uHT1.jpg)
Put the G81 plate on your sheet of foam rubber and take measure or draw a line around the plate. Cut out the shape with scissors or an xacto knife.
Step 4
(http://imgur.com/PXlBi.jpg)
Put the G81 plate into the G80 case, you can keep the matrix sheets on, the less contract the switches from the G80 pcb will have with the physical metal plate the better.
Step 5
(http://imgur.com/QjmMC.jpg)
Put the sheet of foam rubber above the metal plate, cut in holes where needed to fit the case
Step 6
(http://imgur.com/b2Egg.jpg)
Mount the PCB and controller back into the case. Press it down around all the mounting points and make sure its not bent or flexed anywhere.
Step 7
(http://imgur.com/Ml2Is.jpg)
Put it all back together but be careful now. Since we now have a thicker construction than the case was intended for, you will have to push the case together quite hard until the case properly closes again.
This was much easier on a g80 made of ABS plastic. I tried it with a case labeled as "PS-I" plastic and it was nearly impossible to close. This is part of the reason why I decided not to post this in the mod section yet. It is not perfect and might not work with all cases.
It worked on my limited edition G81, which is now a perfectly fine G80 with absolutely no flexing. The plate also adds around 0,5kg to the case, so everything feels much heavier and more sturdy.
If you give it a try post your results.
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That is a pretty good mod. It's so easy, I might even do it.
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Nice sixty!!
I have padded down my Compaq MX 11800 by opening the case, finding the contact point where the PCB touches the plastic casing, and putting foamy tape on the PCB at these points, making it somewhat harder to close, but making it infinetly more stable and less wiggly in the case. It's like turning USDA choice meat into USDA prime meat with a little tape. If you guys need to know how i did this in more detail I can post some pics later..
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Nice mod!
Hmm, I wonder if a 7000's plate would fit in an 1800...
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It worked on my limited edition G81, which is now a perfectly fine G80 with absolutely no flexing. The plate also adds around 0,5kg to the case, so everything feels much heavier and more sturdy.
You've inspired me buddy........ I am now looking to get one of these keyboards and building it up just like you did. I too want a solid keyboard with no flexing.
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I am glad you resurrected this. I was actually in the middle of doing the same thing to mine LOL....
Not sure where Sixty has been, or when / if he's coming back to the community :(
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junk G81-3000 of the same production batch (this is important, the case construction has to be the
Anybody knows how you can check the production batch? Thanks.
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Nice necro, I need to try this out.
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I tried it with different G80-3000 cases without success some time ago. I wasn't able to even nearly close the case...
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I tried it with different G80-3000 cases without success some time ago. I wasn't able to even nearly close the case...
Different cases? Wow! Clearly, to have many cases you must be a collector of Cherry keyboards ;)
Seriously, I thought that the Cherry G80-3000 was a keyboard whose construction had been left unchanged since its introduction, except for making space for the Windows keys. This is not the case, then.
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Nice necro, I need to try this out.
indeed necro
on the 1800's you have to cut out some material for the fake plate to fit below the pcb, case wouldn't close otherwise. Somewhere I have a post about it, but if you didn't get the cutting out perfect then it could wobble
on either the 1800 or 3000 though its more of a pain to try and do this vs. just pay the extra cost to get a 1-off plate made since there is the known public plate designs out there
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Nice necro, I need to try this out.
indeed necro
on the 1800's you have to cut out some material for the fake plate to fit below the pcb, case wouldn't close otherwise. Somewhere I have a post about it, but if you didn't get the cutting out perfect then it could wobble
on either the 1800 or 3000 though its more of a pain to try and do this vs. just pay the extra cost to get a 1-off plate made since there is the known public plate designs out there
Do you have a winkey G80-3000 plate design?