geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: jcrouse on Thu, 20 September 2012, 12:08:10

Title: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: jcrouse on Thu, 20 September 2012, 12:08:10
On the custom keyboards, does anyone know what the rubber, neoprene, something pad is that sits between the PCB and bottom plate and where to possible get some? I remember seeing a post somewhere about some material that was actually non-conductive but can't seem to find it.

Thank you,
John
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: alaricljs on Thu, 20 September 2012, 13:01:50
I've seen kitchen drawer/cabinet liner used, that's the perforated waffle pattern stuff.  Couple KMACs I have built have used thick silicone sheet which I've heard was a separate GB.
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: jcrouse on Thu, 20 September 2012, 13:09:52
Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I was talking about the siliconish type stuff. Thanks, I'll start looking. Like I said, I had thought I read somewhere that is was some sort of non-conductive material.
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: alaricljs on Thu, 20 September 2012, 13:16:43
Considering the shocking level of static cling I experienced, um no.
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: SmallFry on Thu, 20 September 2012, 17:00:23
I'm sure that it can be found around at a local hardware store... Or I can ask my Dad what he was telling Ski at the meetup. I seem to recall something like that material.
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: jcrouse on Thu, 20 September 2012, 17:05:47
I'm sure that it can be found around at a local hardware store... Or I can ask my Dad what he was telling Ski at the meetup. I seem to recall something like that material.

Ya know, above I said in a post but it may have been the converstaion with you dad and ski. Sure, see what he says.

Thanks,
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: sth on Thu, 20 September 2012, 17:27:04
you could also look into neoprene. you can get sample sizes for pretty cheap on ebay. if you need more hit me up because i might want to buy a big sheet and custom cut it for keyboard trays anyway.
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: The_Beast on Thu, 20 September 2012, 17:31:34
you could also look into neoprene. you can get sample sizes for pretty cheap on ebay. if you need more hit me up because i might want to buy a big sheet and custom cut it for keyboard trays anyway.

IMO I would play it safe and get foam that does have anti-static/non-conductive properties
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: sth on Thu, 20 September 2012, 17:32:33
yeah of course, get bare neoprene without nylon backing, or tear the backing off.
neoprene by itself is just flippy flappy textured rubber sheeting.
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: SmallFry on Wed, 26 September 2012, 22:05:31
My Dad suggested Kapton. He's an electrical engineer so make of it what you will. He said you can get some off of McMaster.
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: TheProfosist on Wed, 26 September 2012, 23:14:01
Ive used cabnet liner in a few mods but would like to know what the koreans used instead.

Anyone know if a layer of 2 of cabnet liner would fit in a filco tkl?
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: dorkvader on Thu, 27 September 2012, 08:45:48
My Dad suggested Kapton. He's an electrical engineer so make of it what you will. He said you can get some off of McMaster.
a EE suggesting kapton? I'm not surprised. It's immensely useful to the electronics industry as the general tape of choice, and flexible PCB material. Kapton is a pretty awesome polymer. It's also used to "protect" PCB's from grounding the wrong part, or shorting something and being destroyed.

One problem: It's super thin. It's also pretty slick. I'm sort-of wondering why it was suggested. I mean, a layer of kapton over something else is a good idea.
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: TheProfosist on Sun, 04 November 2012, 01:55:59
Just picked up some new thinner denser stuff at target you need two layer but the holes between seem smaller.
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: Sifo on Sun, 04 November 2012, 02:20:30
Prof be bumping some interesting threads I missed. what exactly is the purpose of this again?
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: TheProfosist on Sun, 04 November 2012, 02:47:24
Well stops the pcb from touching the bottom of the case, fills up the case making it tighter with less give and since there isnt the extra room in the case ping and noice form the switches doensnt resonate so it quites it down.

O by the way im looking for the silicon mat for my kmac if anyone happens to have one.
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: fohat.digs on Sun, 04 November 2012, 08:51:03
If you are satisfied with low-tech, art supply stores also sell sheets of foam, a couple of dollars for a couple of square feet.

It is half the thickness of drawer liner and denser. Also comes in loads of bright colors.
Title: Re: Rubberish Pad Under PCB
Post by: TheProfosist on Sun, 04 November 2012, 13:59:22
What i have is working great id only look to change it i could get a hold of one of those silicone pads