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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: Surly73 on Mon, 16 January 2012, 11:14:39

Title: Realforce spacebar options? Cheap source of ABS? PBT replacement?
Post by: Surly73 on Mon, 16 January 2012, 11:14:39

I was just wondering if there is a source of one or both of:

1/ original spec ABS replacement space bar for Realforce (86U/UB in my case)

2/ upgraded PBT replacement which will be 86U/UB


If one didn't need to pay ridiculous sums of money you could just change the ABS spacebar a couple of times to remove the shine.

Title: Realforce spacebar options? Cheap source of ABS? PBT replacement?
Post by: dorkvader on Mon, 16 January 2012, 18:48:51

Quote from: Surly73;491726

I was just wondering if there is a source of one or both of:

1/ original spec ABS replacement space bar for Realforce (86U/UB in my case)

2/ upgraded PBT replacement which will be 86U/UB


If one didn't need to pay ridiculous sums of money you could just change the ABS spacebar a couple of times to remove the shine.

As far as I can tell, #2 does not exist without modding.

Title: Realforce spacebar options? Cheap source of ABS? PBT replacement?
Post by: Surly73 on Tue, 17 January 2012, 07:14:45

Quote from: dorkvader;492008

As far as I can tell, #2 does not exist without modding.

Any specific links?  Modding because of 86/87U differences, or something else?

Title: Realforce spacebar options? Cheap source of ABS? PBT replacement?
Post by: dorkvader on Tue, 17 January 2012, 18:00:48

Quote from: Surly73;492344

Any specific links?  Modding because of 86/87U differences, or something else?

As far as I know, all the spacebars from topre are abs, and there aren't any aftermarket topre keys from other sources. You could maybe take a spacebar for cherry MX and modify it to fit on the topre mounts, though I don't know if anyone's done this yet.

Title: Realforce spacebar options? Cheap source of ABS? PBT replacement?
Post by: Surly73 on Thu, 12 April 2012, 10:19:18

Still no one that offers at least ABS straight replacement spacebars?  If they could be sold for a couple of bucks (like spacebars in the SP DS group buys) I could just buy a six pack and change them out when they get shiny.  Upgrading to PBT would be cool, but isn't vital.

Title: Realforce spacebar options? Cheap source of ABS? PBT replacement?
Post by: Reptile on Thu, 12 April 2012, 10:26:24

Quote from: Surly73;573735

Still no one that offers at least ABS straight replacement spacebars?  If they could be sold for a couple of bucks (like spacebars in the SP DS group buys) I could just buy a six pack and change them out when they get shiny.  Upgrading to PBT would be cool, but isn't vital.

I wish; As far as I know if you want a topre spacebar you either buy a new keyboard or a full keycap set.

Title: Realforce spacebar options? Cheap source of ABS? PBT replacement?
Post by: Surly73 on Thu, 12 April 2012, 10:30:40

Quote from: Reptile;573738

I wish; As far as I know if you want a topre spacebar you either buy a new keyboard or a full keycap set.

Well, the way I see it, we don't buy all Cherry MX caps from Cherry.  Several people seem to make caps just fine...

Can anyone with an already-established connection with someone like Signature Plastics ask them if they can replicate a standard, ABS, single-shot unprinted Topre space bar if provided with a sample?  Lots of people seem to run group buys here which result in keys from SP - perhaps one of these people would be kind enough to ask?

Title: Realforce spacebar options? Cheap source of ABS? PBT replacement?
Post by: alaricljs on Thu, 12 April 2012, 10:34:29

Don't remember precisely the price, but SP will of course do it if you pay for their mold making.