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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Bulgaria on Tue, 19 June 2012, 19:25:51

Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Bulgaria on Tue, 19 June 2012, 19:25:51
So I just bought a Cm quickfire off of newegg for $71, with blue switches. I think I would have preferred browns, but they didnt have any, so hopefully the blues arent as loud as everyone says they are. But another flaw is the awful aesthetics of the keyboard.

I have seen one thread where someone has added a vinyl cover to their CM which looked very nice. If there are any other ways to make this keyboard look any better, i'm open to suggestions. also if there is any way to remove just the keycap text without ruining the actual key cap, that may be helpful.
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Bulgaria on Tue, 19 June 2012, 19:31:39
also any general modding tips are helpful, since I this is my first mechanical keyboard, and I would hate to ruin it by doing anything completely wrong.
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Acanthophis on Tue, 19 June 2012, 19:43:17
huttala over at DT did a nice job on his QF. Check it out: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/white-iso-quick-fire-rapid-with-double-shots-t2876.html
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Bulgaria on Tue, 19 June 2012, 19:55:55
wow his keyboard looks great. Is there any special procedure when taking the case off of a keyboard? Or is it pretty easy like just unscrew a couple screws?
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: dorkvader on Tue, 19 June 2012, 20:30:05
Quote from: Bulgaria;617372
wow his keyboard looks great. Is there any special procedure when taking the case off of a keyboard? Or is it pretty easy like just unscrew a couple screws?

I took mine apart. you need to take some screws out of the bottom (one is under a QC sticker) and pry a little. Disassembly is identical to the filco disassembly guides I've seen. Make sure to remember that the bottom case's USB connector is connected to the motherboard on a short cable. Unplug it before taking the keyboard out of the bottom case.

Also, you may consider WYSE doubleshots on the CMstorm QF. Instead of ghetto reds, get the one with real reds: It looks nicer :p
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Bulgaria on Tue, 19 June 2012, 21:01:19
ok thank you guys. Is spray painting the keycaps a good idea? The same way I would chose to paint the case. I really dont like the font on the keycaps, so if any reasonable solution is available I would love to try it.
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: sth on Tue, 19 June 2012, 21:02:07
No, you'll wear the paint off in a pretty short amount of time. You could sand them but they'd probably feel weird.
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Th3KAS on Tue, 19 June 2012, 21:35:37
What sort of spray paint would ideal for a keyboard case? Any precautions to take?
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: The_Beast on Tue, 19 June 2012, 21:56:10
I'd do a vinyl wrap and replace the keycaps with whatever you want.


Paint wears off, think about your finger hitting the key hundreds if not thousands of times a day. Paint just doesn't last
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Bulgaria on Wed, 20 June 2012, 13:58:53
do you mean replacing the keycap with different keycaps? And are all the keys on a cm storm standard? Because I think it was the leopold that people were saying it would be tough to find keycap replacements for.
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Bulgaria on Wed, 20 June 2012, 13:59:23
And has anyone ever tried bleaching keycaps?
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Th3KAS on Wed, 20 June 2012, 14:01:34
Quote from: Bulgaria;617923
do you mean replacing the keycap with different keycaps? And are all the keys on a cm storm standard? Because I think it was the leopold that people were saying it would be tough to find keycap replacements for.

All standard. I replaced them with a PBT set from mechanicalkeyboards.com
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: vorxaw on Wed, 20 June 2012, 14:17:05
Since you posted in your OP that you prefere browns, and I am also wondering the same thing... Is is possible to switch the switches? Any resources on doing that and where to buy brown switches?
Thanks
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Lighthouse1 on Wed, 20 June 2012, 16:40:56
All I did was replace the keycaps with grey ones, nothing with the case, but I like the look (I now have a yellow escape key courtesy of 'awesome face', this key thing is a bit addictive).

Slightly poor photo but you get the idea, this board is now sitting at work where it looks nice and neat.

(http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n166/mysteriousmog/cm1.jpg)
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: TopazPie on Thu, 21 June 2012, 04:48:07
Quote from: Lighthouse1;618037
All I did was replace the keycaps with grey ones, nothing with the case, but I like the look (I now have a yellow escape key courtesy of 'awesome face', this key thing is a bit addictive).

Slightly poor photo but you get the idea, this board is now sitting at work where it looks nice and neat.

Show Image
(http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n166/mysteriousmog/cm1.jpg)

Where did you get those keycaps? I would love a set like that.
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Djuzuh on Thu, 21 June 2012, 05:32:24
I'd say those are lasered ABS keycaps from wasd :o
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: hamza_tm on Thu, 21 June 2012, 09:14:16
I think mine looks awesome too:

(http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q577/hamza_tm/CMBrownsNinja.png)

+1 on the new caps thing, it's literally all it needs to be fantastic. Filco quality too!
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Djuzuh on Thu, 21 June 2012, 09:17:58
Quote from: hamza_tm;618579
I think mine looks awesome too:

Show Image
(http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q577/hamza_tm/CMBrownsNinja.png)


+1 on the new caps thing, it's literally all it needs to be fantastic. Filco quality too!

Actually, we are not sure anymore that CMstorm = filco quality.

It seems costar doesn't own any factory, and lets their products be made in different factories.

So it could be possible that the cmstorm isn't made in the same factory. Or that not all batchs where made in the same factory.

Source: Matias.
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Lighthouse1 on Thu, 21 June 2012, 11:46:24
Quote from: TopazPie;618513
Where did you get those keycaps? I would love a set like that.


I just got them from WASD keyboards, I bought them on the Ebay UK store, 87 lazer etched cap set in Grey. Nice quick shipping.

You can also customise a set on their site.

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keycap-sets.html

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/wasdkeyboards
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: Lighthouse1 on Thu, 21 June 2012, 11:46:56
Quote from: Djuzuh;618523
I'd say those are lasered ABS keycaps from wasd :o

Sorry, missed your post, you are quite right!
Title: CM quickfire storm - Mod thread
Post by: chrisyou on Thu, 21 June 2012, 14:49:22
This is fabulous. I was wondering how gray key caps would look on my quickfire.  Thank you for putting this up.
Quote from: Lighthouse1;618037
All I did was replace the keycaps with grey ones, nothing with the case, but I like the look (I now have a yellow escape key courtesy of 'awesome face', this key thing is a bit addictive).

Slightly poor photo but you get the idea, this board is now sitting at work where it looks nice and neat.

Show Image
(http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n166/mysteriousmog/cm1.jpg)