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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Semaj on Wed, 16 November 2011, 23:59:45

Title: Homemade switches???
Post by: Semaj on Wed, 16 November 2011, 23:59:45

Has anybody hear tried making switches them selves or heard of any body that has tried?

I have tried unsuccessful a few years ago. I tried using bits and pieces from other switches and springs from pens, and tried making a few with model railway parts. I was trying to make something that I could adjust the force needed for activation/ travel on.

Title: Homemade switches???
Post by: trax on Thu, 17 November 2011, 03:07:15

Switches where you could switch modes would be a bomb.

Purple switches to choose between red n blue :)

I think its to complicated to make.

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Title: Homemade switches???
Post by: Findecanor on Mon, 21 November 2011, 15:52:03

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY HYPNOTOAD!

I have only played around a little bit with franken-switches.

I have been thinking that maybe the ideal switch would be a (regular) Cherry MX Clear without as much friction, and without the tactile bump wearing out so easily. I have heard that the tactility on the Clears wears down faster with use than other Cherry MX switches.
I think that such a switch could be made by combining a rubber dome and a coiled spring together. Not one on top of the other (like Fujitsu Peerless), but "in parallel", both in contact with the same slider. The tactility before actuation would be provided by the buckling dome instead of any "tactile bump" made of plastic.
Think of a Topre switch with a harder spring.

I have put together a key module with a rubber sleeve from a Key Tronic "foam and foil" switch with a Cherry MY switch module. The MY switch has a steep force curve which I usually don't like very much, but I think that the spring's contribution to the frankenswitch needs to be very low in the beginning of the stroke when the rubber sleeve provides the most of its force and for that the MY serves its purpose. Too bad that the MY switch has so much friction on off-center key presses.
Unfortunately, the Key Tronic's rubber sleeve is too hard and provides too much mushiness after actuation. I need a softer sleeve.

Title: Homemade switches???
Post by: 500_pts on Mon, 21 November 2011, 16:03:20

well i mean, basically only the stem and spring have an effect on the feel, and, seeing as how there is a wonderful modification thread over here (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:23722) I see no reason that one could not mould their own stem and use whatever spring they desire. would probably have some issues with plastic durability, but that IS what experimenting is for.