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geekhack Community => New Members => Topic started by: Kruen on Fri, 02 November 2012, 06:19:36

Title: Hello! :)
Post by: Kruen on Fri, 02 November 2012, 06:19:36

Hello wonderful community of Geekhack :)

I've got into the whole mech keyboard scene fairly recently, and I've gone from a Blackwidow with blues to a Filco 104 keys with browns. I found the Blackwidow's larger keys like shift and space to be a bit wobbly, which I think is a result of cheaper stabilisers? Anyway, my gorgeous new Filco is much better in that respect, and I quite like the brown switches too (I found that I'd occasionally miss double tapped keys with the blues, which in Starcraft was quite annoying - not happened once with browns :) ). Recently bought a set of custom keycaps from WASD, and they're absolutely gorgeous! Yet to try out PBT plastic though, and I was a bit disappointed to find out that WASD are unable to supply PBT keys.

Anyway, does anyone know if it's overly difficult to mod the Filco at all? Such as replacing the switches in the numpad with blues, or backlighting the Esc key or something?

Thanks :)

Title: Re: Hello! :)
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 03 November 2012, 04:51:50

G'day and welcome to Geekhack!

The BWU is known for some quality issues, looks like you stumbled on to some of them.  At least the Filco is well regarded :)

Is the Filco plate-mounted?  Either way you would need to desolder the switches and solder new ones in.

Title: Re: Hello! :)
Post by: hazeluff on Sat, 03 November 2012, 09:05:55

(http://images.keyboardstory.com/hazeluff/welcometogeekhack.png)

Umm...You'd have to desolder and resolder the keys most likely, as there will be a plate. As for backlighting the esc key shouldn't be hard. Just draw power from VCC and GND.

Title: Re: Hello! :)
Post by: Kruen on Sat, 03 November 2012, 20:40:01

Thanks :)

I've not done much with the internals of a keyboard or any electronics really, though I am keen to learn. What exactly is the VCC and GND?

Title: Re: Hello! :)
Post by: Harlequin on Sun, 04 November 2012, 11:42:59

Welcome to GH. To be honest, i recommend not to mod your Filco. It is a great keyboard but if you are gonna remain enthusiastic keyboard lover,
u will end up having custom keyboards. I think it's not worth to mod Filco keyboards at this stage because;

1. u think u will just use Filco kb and satisfied 4eva but u will not. u will never get satisfied trust me.
2. since you are not familiar with desoldering and stuff, just don't bother. U need to spend a lot of time, moeny and most likely u will wreck your kb.
3. it's better to buy other mech keyboards than modifying manufactured keyboards like Filco, Razer Black Widow or Leopold

so.. just try all different switches. btw u can buy whole 104 set of PBT or even dyesub PBT keycaps on eBay.
I recommend dyesub keycaps.

Title: Re: Hello! :)
Post by: Kruen on Mon, 05 November 2012, 04:24:48

Thanks for the reply :)
I'll take your advice and not mod my Filco then. I'm considering getting a tenkeyless keyboard, perhaps with Cherry reds. What would you recommend? And I'll probably buy a set of dye sub or blank PBT keys. How much more expensive is dye sub'd keys then blank?