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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: siouxscout on Sat, 25 June 2011, 18:38:16

Title: Keyboard Cache!! Can I mod these?
Post by: siouxscout on Sat, 25 June 2011, 18:38:16

I recently started looking at better keyboards, both for mechanical switches and to improve ergonomics at work.

And at work I found stacks of old keyboards, including five Compaq MX11800's. All in great condition, clean and trackball works. They didn't want them so I gladly "disposed" of the garbage for them, now using one at home and work, with a couple in safe keeping. haha good bye Dell crap.

At work all but one still can't believe I want to use this old PS2 keyboard. My first mechanical keyboard and love it.

Anyway, there any mods I can do to these? I have plenty... :D

Title: Keyboard Cache!! Can I mod these?
Post by: keyboardlover on Sat, 25 June 2011, 18:41:39

Nice find and welcome to GeekHack!

I would start here first (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:12790). You'll probably want to try out most of the cherry switches.

Title: Keyboard Cache!! Can I mod these?
Post by: siouxscout on Sat, 25 June 2011, 18:54:24

:O.... I didn't know you could switch them! Haha plan now is to switch one to all Cherry Blues!

Can you order then directly from Cherry?

Title: Keyboard Cache!! Can I mod these?
Post by: keyboardlover on Sat, 25 June 2011, 18:58:26

No, you can order them from mouser but it's usually cheaper to get them from a donor board or buy them from GeekHackers (a lot of us have extra stems for sale, including myself). The springs for blues/browns/reds are the same.

I have 68 blue stems, if you're interested.

Title: Keyboard Cache!! Can I mod these?
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 25 June 2011, 20:01:31

Congratulations. The MX11800 is quite a nice board for modding. If you don't like the numeric key pad and trackball then parts of the PCB can be cut off to get a smaller keyboard. You can even do it without needing to solder anything. Check out this thread (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:9542&viewfull=1&page=5&do=comments#post177937).

Title: Keyboard Cache!! Can I mod these?
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Sat, 25 June 2011, 23:34:28

I'm not sure where I saw it, but I saw a pic of one that a guy had just used a hacksaw and cut all that stuff on the right side off. Didn't do anything to make it look good either, just used it looking destroyed.

Title: Keyboard Cache!! Can I mod these?
Post by: elbowglue on Sun, 26 June 2011, 00:43:30

Thanks for the plug guys.  Yeah I use the sawed off mx11800 as my daily driver, if you cut it where I marked for ricercar, there is no need for soldering at all.  The only thing is it's a little tricky to make that precision cut.  If you cut it where I did, you will need to solder a few points.

It's not that ugly =)  My sig is particular ugly because of the mismatched doubleshot keys from an old G81 keyboard.

IMHO it's the best compact PCB mounted keyboard you can make.

It also makes sense to try to reinforce the points where the case touches the PCB with foamy tape, makes the keyboard less flexy.

Title: Keyboard Cache!! Can I mod these?
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Sun, 26 June 2011, 01:24:23

Hmmm pcb mounted... wonder how small it is now compared to the vivancos missile mike is selling or the kbc poker.

Title: Keyboard Cache!! Can I mod these?
Post by: hoggy on Sun, 26 June 2011, 01:50:19

Quote from: elbowglue;368259

It also makes sense to try to reinforce the points where the case touches the PCB with foamy tape, makes the keyboard less flexy.

Do you have a picture?  I was looking to stiffen my 11900.