geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: DG on Fri, 17 August 2012, 21:44:25
-
OK - If this post is indicative enough; I am a mechanical keyboard newb - but thanks to my co-workers my eyes are now open, and I can't work on anything less.
(MX Cherry - Blue (I'm in the process of responsibly switching to Brown)
So my first legit buy was a Ducky.. (yeah.. I know.. but I have to have backlit -its a must)
http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=135 (http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=135)
When I received my express shipped glowing goodness - I quickly learned the importance of selecting a board with an ideal stabilizer.
(and the drawback of selecting a board with no right-click key (context menu- whatever)
For anyone who doesn't know - the Ducky Shine and YotD TKL stabilizers make for a very stiff shallow ungratifying depress - I instantly regretted the selection.
So; being a newbie and known for my rash decisions - I pulled the keys and gutted the stabilizers. Turns out, it works great after that; no noticeable wobble or lack of key press area. I am not a gamer, or competitive typist, so i don't care. I did this for all stabilized keys with the exception of the space bar.....
until later ... when I blacked out in a fit of quiet work rage and ripped the stabilizers out of my space bar and effectively rendered my keyboard useless. I know. - complete dumbass.
So - thought I would save my co-workers the time of posting the story ... and want to see if anyone can help with a few questions.
I have been researching all possible solutions to my current issue, while I wait on my new board to arrive (mx-brown, ducky YotD TKL - know, I'm hardheaded)
I have over analyzed the ducky and completely dismantled a Razor -Blackwidow Ultimate for learning purposes and I thought I might be able to harvest it's space bar stabilizer. -(it mostly went back together and I am sure best buy will not notice when I return it.) I would have been successful at moving the stabilizer to the Ducky - however the space bar stabilizer in the razor doesn't have the slight bend in the middle to account for the switch.
now I have parts on order from http://www.wasdkeyboards.com (http://www.wasdkeyboards.com) , and I think I am just going to completely breakdown the ducky and install all Costar stabilizers and make my board the most ideal tkl - ever.
with all that said and outside of the obvious mistakes I have made.. feedback? does anyone think this will simply not work? or that it's impossible due to some fact that I am currently unaware of?
any help or perspective is appreciated.
-
no stabilizer will affect the travel of a key, only the tension and possibly the return action. i would have definitely suggested lubricating them before trying to remove them entirely. you'll need to de-solder the switches to remove the plate in order to replace them properly. in order to replace them with costar stabilizers, you'll need to mod the plate itself, and i'm not sure you'll even be able to do it given the mounting requirements of the stabilizers versus the opening for the cherry ones used on the ducky. you might be out of luck.
unless you've got experience de-soldering, i'd be concerned about saying you'd be able to do it successfully. if not, someone (maybe even me) might be willing to buy the broken board off your hands to fix it themselves. it's a LOT of desoldering, considering that you need to remove both the switches and leds, and if not done properly, it's VERY easy to melt the LEDs when desoldering them, rendering them broken.
-
Sounds like something I would do.
Not cool taking parts from a keyboard and then returning it, though.
-
Thanks for the info Harrison. although .. I didn't directly see where anything has been soldered into the switches themselves. I suppose I'll have to post a pic.
but, what makes me feel confident is that on either side of the key switch is (what appears to be) a standard rectangle'esk hole used to mount stabilizers - and the plastic bottom clamp of the stabilizer snaps right in there. (tested with parts the razor).
and yes. in retrospect should have checked out the lube. ... but still couldn't get over the shallow depth of the key press. (the stabilizers bottom out before the key has a chance)
oh..and Fox- to be perfectly honest- the board was damaged when I got it(cracked in the upper left corner - from what appeared to be shipping or mishandling) - I am not sure about a lot, but I am certain best buy won't miss or notice the write off and will just buy more boards from razor. They can consider it tax from the fair amounts of money I spend there while I get unwanted hindrance from their untrained knowledgeless staff. /rant
-
Still an ******* move, people do that at my work all the time and it pisses me off.
-
It's kind of like "renting" photo and video equipment. Stores are forced to take back used products, and try to sell them off as b-stock. Bestbuy probably won't take a big hit from it, but niche stores and small businesses definitely do.