geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Surly73 on Thu, 31 March 2011, 11:31:11
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So, I was reading the threads and articles on Topre modification and it got me thinking...
I know that Unicomp is great about supplying parts for all kinds of Model M-ish stuff. I know that Cherry switches and keycaps are easy to find, spacebar debacles notwithstanding.
What's the deal with Topre parts? Ripster points out that the key weight is in the rubber domes. In theory I, Mr. Undecided, could simply replaced my 55g rubber sheet with a variable rubber sheet and convert the keyboard to variable. Ditto for those wanting all-45g or whatever - order the appropriate rubber sheet from Topre/wherever and go nuts. I'm sure some people looking at cutting up their rubber dome sheets wouldn't mind the ability to get a spare/replacement in case they screw it up.
Of course I am assuming that a rubber sheet costs much much less than a full keyboard. It would certainly solve my issue about wanting to try variable or 45g uniform instead of 55g uniform and I wouldn't have to buy/sell a whole collection of Topres to find out. That, and Ripster could order a new spacebar to repair after the dog incident, we one could just order replacement spacebars to replace shiny ones - whatever.
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Ripster cut his rubber sheet to mod his and rearranged them to get the weights he wanted where he wanted. I'm not sure you're going to be able to find a uniform weight sheet without using another board as a donor. at that point, you might as well just buy one that's uniformly weighted.
The "Ripster repair" I'm talking about is when his dog tried to eat his spacebar, not the mod. His mod article confirmed, though, that the weight is all in the sheet.
My whole point is to investigate whether Topre, directly or indirectly, ever sells parts... We could order replacement sheets - possibly for boards they don't even sell in our market. Imagine being able to buy an 86U, then mod it to uniform 45g with a $10 sheet of rubber mailed from Japan. That beats sitting here in North America, looking at UK suppliers, pining for them to carry a 45g 87U for only $350.
Then there's the whole issue of replacement keys for shinyness or damage.... One supposed feature about these boards is their long, long service lifetime. It would really suck to have to throw it away well before the 50M keystrokes (or whatever) just because you cracked the J key and couldn't order a replacement.
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It would be great, but I doubt it will ever happen.
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if they did the sheet wouldn't be $10, lol
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if they did the sheet wouldn't be $10, lol
A man can dream!
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Then there's the whole issue of replacement keys for shinyness or damage.... One supposed feature about these boards is their long, long service lifetime. It would really suck to have to throw it away well before the 50M keystrokes (or whatever) just because you cracked the J key and couldn't order a replacement.
Oh that's just a sick, sick thought. I need to see a pig get slaughtered now just to get that image out of my mind. Uh oh, light-headedness.....waves of nausea. I need to lay down....with my Realforce and it's perfectly intact J-key.
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I would never cut into a $300 kybd lol