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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: noisyturtle on Fri, 09 November 2012, 22:24:12

Title: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: noisyturtle on Fri, 09 November 2012, 22:24:12: The 40A-L's are $19.95 at WASD with shipping, is there somewhere cheaper?
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: Skull_Angel on Fri, 09 November 2012, 23:49:44: I've tried the local Ace Hardware, but those asshats wanted $1.02 per o-ring and no bulk sales! I've heard dental bands work, but haven't tried myself; seems like a good idea since you can get them from the orthodontist in bulk.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: TheQsanity on Fri, 09 November 2012, 23:55:00: I have tons of Ortho bands. They Work well but are much mushier than O-rings. You can Double and even triple stack Ortho Bands. ebay has some, but the one hundred pack for $5 dollars is kind of expensive but they are cheaper if you buy more.
Title: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: Halverson on Fri, 09 November 2012, 23:57:41: I'm not sure of the size, but imstos store has three kinds pretty cheap.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: TheQsanity on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:04:50: Had to look it up. the chinese taobao site? How many is it for 8 Yuan? What is the shipping rate for something like that? I can't read chinese well.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: Halverson on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:06:52: Quote from: TheQsanity on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:04:50
Had to look it up. the chinese taobao site? How many is it for 8 Yuan?

I think each set is about 110, from what I remember two sets are 16 rmb, and the thick ones 32rmb. About $2.5-$5

Oh there is the 8rmb as well, so that would only be about $1.50 or less.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: TheQsanity on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:12:07: Sounds like you have used them. How are they compared to the 14 dollar ones? comparable?

On another note. Who knows where to get Landing Pads for cheap? the material looks cheap especially for the amount you get.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: Skull_Angel on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:18:52: I haven't tried them (landing pads) personally, but most comments I see about them are negative compared to o-rings. Most say that they don't soften the landing any, but add a sponginess to bottoming out instead (which is kind of confusing).

edit: imo, the design doesn't seem as durable either.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: wcstick on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:19:33: I've heard some people ordering from McMaster Carr (http://www.mcmaster.com/). I'm not sure how they compare to the WASD O-rings.

Also, there's a review of o-rings and landing pads here: http://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/wbjrq/review_of_the_most_common_sound_dampener/
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: Halverson on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:23:14: Quote from: TheQsanity on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:12:07
Sounds like you have used them. How are they compared to the 14 dollar ones? comparable?

On another note. Who knows where to get Landing Pads for cheap? the material looks cheap especially for the amount you get.

I'm currently trying to buy some, don't have any yet. I'm chiming in because I was looking at them yesterday.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: WhiteFireDragon on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:25:57: I ran a group buy (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=25714.0) a while ago, $9 shipped for a pack. I'll probably run a round 2 soon but if you can't wait in the meantime, you can get them at WASDkeyboards for around $20 for 40A softness, or at mcmaster for around $12 shipped I think. They're 50A though, which is a tad harder than the 40A ones.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: cgbuen on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:29:26: Here's another option on Amazon for 50A o-rings: http://www.amazon.com/008-Buna-N-O-Ring-Durometer-Round/dp/B0052AU0HQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1352528746&sr=8-2&keywords=50a+o-rings

You'll want the 008 "Dash Size" (3/16, 5/16, 1/16) for the ones that fit Cherry MX keycap stems.

50A are a little harder than the 40A that most everyone likes. I've had some luck with it - like it on my Filco, hate it on my QFR. I think my personal preference has been to use them on springs that are less stiff.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: TheQsanity on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:43:38: I like the landing pads but they are very over priced, They make a squishy yet even feel. Not like the O-rings which are not squishy until you make contact.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: TheQsanity on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:51:37: Quote from: cgbuen on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:29:26
Here's another option on Amazon for 50A o-rings: http://www.amazon.com/008-Buna-N-O-Ring-Durometer-Round/dp/B0052AU0HQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1352528746&sr=8-2&keywords=50a+o-rings

You'll want the 008 "Dash Size" (3/16, 5/16, 1/16) for the ones that fit Cherry MX keycap stems.

50A are a little harder than the 40A that most everyone likes. I've had some luck with it - like it on my Filco, hate it on my QFR. I think my personal preference has been to use them on springs that are less stiff.

Not fully sure right now but I think 50A is good for gaming. I have yet to make opinions on 40A. I think they are better for typing but I haven't tried them yet. but the Landing pads are probably better for typing.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: noisyturtle on Sat, 10 November 2012, 01:02:35: Quote from: WhiteFireDragon on Sat, 10 November 2012, 00:25:57
I ran a group buy (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=25714.0) a while ago, $9 shipped for a pack. I'll probably run a round 2 soon but if you can't wait in the meantime, you can get them at WASDkeyboards for around $20 for 40A softness, or at mcmaster for around $12 shipped I think. They're 50A though, which is a tad harder than the 40A ones.
I would be all over that.
Does anyone know the actual ID that would fit stems?
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: khaangaaroo on Sat, 10 November 2012, 01:06:19: I bought a foot of tubing from the hardware store for under $2, and made my own o-rings. I would recommend getting something more firm than the latex tubing pictured here.

I eventually acquired wasdkeyboard o-rings that came with a board I bought from another member. Or else I would have went back to the hardware store and tried out some other types of tubing.

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9mGXRKUFwc/T1urq16SEfI/AAAAAAAAAx4/6vVMIIqj9lc/s1600/IMGP3437.JPG)

If anyone wants to try these o-rings out, I still have them. Just PM me.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: ChaoticKinesis on Sat, 10 November 2012, 01:10:25: I have an extra pack of the ones linked from Amazon unopened. Send me a PM if interested.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: TheQsanity on Sat, 10 November 2012, 01:12:25: Quote from: khaangaaroo on Sat, 10 November 2012, 01:06:19
I bought a foot of tubing from the hardware store for under $2, and made my own o-rings. I would recommend getting something more firm than the latex tubing pictured here.

I eventually acquired wasdkeyboard o-rings that came with a board I bought from another member. Or else I would have went back to the hardware store and tried out some other types of tubing.

Show Image
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9mGXRKUFwc/T1urq16SEfI/AAAAAAAAAx4/6vVMIIqj9lc/s1600/IMGP3437.JPG)

If anyone wants to try these o-rings out, I still have them. Just PM me.

Looks just like Ortho Bands! Exept you could make them extra thick if you wanted to. haha.

Oh, and Ortho Bands are latex also.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: khaangaaroo on Sat, 10 November 2012, 01:19:08: Quote from: TheQsanity on Sat, 10 November 2012, 01:12:25
Looks just like Ortho Bands! Exept you could make them extra thick if you wanted to. haha.

Oh, and Ortho Bands are latex also.

Haha yeah, Ortho Bands are what gave me the idea for this. My braces-wearing days are long gone so I didn't have any around.

I made some extra thick ones for my Caps Lock key. I never accidentally actuate it anymore. But you can still go into Caps Lock mode with a good firm press.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: TheProfosist on Sat, 10 November 2012, 02:28:25: I absolutly hate landing pads but love orings 50A are nice but 40A are even better i suggest the ones from WASD as they are EDPM.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: TheQsanity on Sat, 10 November 2012, 02:43:20: Hmm You seem to know more about EDPM... Is 14 dollars a justified price for EDPM of that size?
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: WhiteFireDragon on Sat, 10 November 2012, 03:08:27: O-rings are typically made of silicon, EPDM, Buna-N (nitrile), or neorene. Each one has different advantages in terms of chemical resistance, thermal extremes, and abrasion. For keyboards, none of these factors matter. The only thing that matters is the softness measured in durometer (30A, 40A, 50A, etc). Just get whatever is cheaper in the softness you want. EPDM is cheaper than silicone.

And for the record, it's EPDM, not EDMP. It stands for ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: TheQsanity on Sat, 10 November 2012, 03:11:55: Why thank you that was informative. ;D
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: WhiteFireDragon on Sat, 10 November 2012, 03:15:47: And whether price is "justified" or not is relative. Is plastic from a mold to make CC justified for a few hundred dollars? Only you can decide that. For my personal opinion, O-rings are one of the cheapest mods you can do that has one of the most significant impacts on the feel and sound of the keys. And if you happen to not like them, the mod is easily reversible, and you only wasted ~$20. Contrary, if you buy a keyboard and not like a certain switch, you're out $80+. I have O-rings on all my keyboards.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: TheQsanity on Sat, 10 November 2012, 03:22:01: Looks like you have tried them all. WhiteFireDragon. Which one do you like the best and least? for gaming and typing? Do you find them to be different on different switches?
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: TheProfosist on Sat, 10 November 2012, 03:22:23: Thanks for the info WFD and I as well use orings on all my keyboards.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: mikelanding on Sat, 10 November 2012, 03:36:43: Try PM kaiserreich. He might had some left. I just brought couple packs from him couple weeks ago. His price is very good

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=24930.0
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: cgbuen on Mon, 12 November 2012, 21:35:54: Anyone have details on a comparison of WASDKeyboards red vs. imsto small rubber vs. imsto small red silica gel?

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=33413.msg710445
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: wasdkeyboards on Wed, 14 November 2012, 14:36:01: We specifically went with EPDM for its superior shelf life and tear resistance. These factors can matter for keyboards. O-rings are repeatedly compressed at 4 small points inside the key cap. Nitrile rubber will start drying out after a few years whereas EPDM can last decades. We consulted with an O-ring manufacturer and this was the suggested material. However, I also had nitrile O-rings installed on my office keyboard from when we first started experimenting with O-rings and those had no cracks.

I have personally witnessed nitrile O-rings cracking after about a year. We had some key caps in the warehouse with nitrile O-rings installed on them. We eventually needed to use these key as and while we took the O-rings off, I noticed cracks throughout the O-ring. However, I did find that the same nitrile O-rings I installed on my office keyboard from around the same time were fine and still are as of today.
Title: Re: Cheaper place to get o-rings?
Post by: LollyWater on Wed, 14 November 2012, 14:44:23: Quote from: wasdkeyboards on Wed, 14 November 2012, 14:36:01
We specifically went with EPDM for its superior shelf life and tear resistance. These factors can matter for keyboards. O-rings are repeatedly compressed at 4 small points inside the key cap. Nitrile rubber will start drying out after a few years whereas EPDM can last decades. We consulted with an O-ring manufacturer and this was the suggested material. However, I also had nitrile O-rings installed on my office keyboard from when we first started experimenting with O-rings and those had no cracks.

I have personally witnessed nitrile O-rings cracking after about a year. We had some key caps in the warehouse with nitrile O-rings installed on them. We eventually needed to use these key as and while we took the O-rings off, I noticed cracks throughout the O-ring. However, I did find that the same nitrile O-rings I installed on my office keyboard from around the same time were fine and still are as of today.

Well put.