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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: JSchool on Thu, 14 April 2011, 04:58:21

Title: Putting a rubber membrane under a Filco's keys?
Post by: JSchool on Thu, 14 April 2011, 04:58:21

This will sound like a weird question perhaps but here goes.

Has anyone ever tried taking all the keys off of a Filco (a brown) and laying a thin rubber sheet with cutouts for the switches under the keys?

I was thinking this might change the sound of the keyboard when you bottom out to a deeper "thock" from the higher pitched tapping of a stock Filco.  I'm tempted to give it a try when I get in my new KBC keys.

Title: Putting a rubber membrane under a Filco's keys?
Post by: noodles256 on Thu, 14 April 2011, 05:20:23

Quote from: JSchool;330473

This will sound like a weird question perhaps but here goes.

Has anyone ever tried taking all the keys off of a Filco (a brown) and laying a thin rubber sheet with cutouts for the switches under the keys?

I was thinking this might change the sound of the keyboard when you bottom out to a deeper "thock" from the higher pitched tapping of a stock Filco.  I'm tempted to give it a try when I get in my new KBC keys.

I had a membrane on my tg83 board with mx-blacks. It didn't make my keybaord feel good at all. I ripped that **** out and threw it away.

Title: Putting a rubber membrane under a Filco's keys?
Post by: Findecanor on Thu, 14 April 2011, 05:55:22

You need some space in-between the key cap and the rubber sheet or use a textured sheet. If the key cap lands flat on a flat rubber sheet, then there will be a suction effect.

I got myself a waterproof keyboard (http://geekhack.org/showpost.php?p=300950&postcount=19) that had Cherry-compatible switches and a perforated rubber sheet as barrier against fluids. Each key took a long time to rise back up after it had been depressed. I thought it had something to do with the rubber cup that was on each switch, so I cut that off on one key and tried again. Even with only the flat rubber sheet left, the key still took a second to get back up, and when I listened carefully, I could hear a "pop" sound when it did.

Title: Putting a rubber membrane under a Filco's keys?
Post by: Lpb45 on Thu, 14 April 2011, 09:29:15

wouldn't the dental rubber bands be a better choice?

Title: Putting a rubber membrane under a Filco's keys?
Post by: Surly73 on Thu, 14 April 2011, 09:50:24

Quote from: Lpb45;330533

wouldn't the dental rubber bands be a better choice?

I recently did this on my Filco tenkeyless.  The change in sound was very subtle (meaning: it is neither silent, nor thocky, just a teeny bit quieter when A/B compared) and the reduced stroke is noticeable at speed.

Title: Putting a rubber membrane under a Filco's keys?
Post by: 1839cc on Thu, 14 April 2011, 11:07:25

Thicker keys might make the tone deeper.

Title: Putting a rubber membrane under a Filco's keys?
Post by: JSchool on Thu, 14 April 2011, 22:10:52

I should have known there's absolutely nothing that people on this forum haven't done to a keyboard.  :D  And I had never considered the suction problem.

I'm happy to hear my suspicions about the KBC keys is confirmed. Was hoping they'd take some of the high pitch away.  Hopefully that will get the keyboard how I want it, because I love the feel.

BTW Ripster, I'm sure it's been asked, but is that Baroness in your avatar?

Title: Putting a rubber membrane under a Filco's keys?
Post by: keyboardlover on Thu, 14 April 2011, 22:12:58

Quote from: JSchool;331125

I should have known there's absolutely nothing that people on this forum haven't done to a keyboard.

Well...for the things GeekHackers haven't done to a keyboard, there's always reddit (http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/esooj/how_do_you_clean_jizz_out_of_a_laptop_keyboard/).