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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: skinnycow on Tue, 30 July 2013, 17:44:33

Title: Heavy Keys
Post by: skinnycow on Tue, 30 July 2013, 17:44:33: Has anyone every tried changing the key weighting of their keyboard by adding some kind of weight directly to the keycap itself?

For example, i have an all-55g Realforce that I was thinking of modding to make it something like an all-30g keyboard.

Couldn't this be done (theoretically) by adding a metal washer to the underside of the keycap, if it could be done in such a way that it wouldn't interfere with the rest of the key mechinaism of course...

Here's my idea:
If I take off a key and put a piece of tape around the plastic post (to protect it), I could then spray the entire underside of the key with that Flex Grip stuff (as-seen-on-TV) or something similar. That crap would add a little bit of weight, making the keys easier to press down, and giving the keys a little bit more of a solid feel!

I don't think I would ever have the patience to do this to all the keys on this keyboard, but do you think it would work?
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: jonathanyu on Tue, 30 July 2013, 17:49:09: I think the main problem of adding weight under the keycap is it is not easy to make it balance.
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: CPTBadAss on Tue, 30 July 2013, 17:57:28: Wouldn't you get actuation problems if you put something on the underside of the cap?
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: PointyFox on Tue, 30 July 2013, 17:57:29: A metal washer may make the switch force 53g instead of 55g. You'd need thick completely metal keycaps with extra metal under them.
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: PointyFox on Tue, 30 July 2013, 17:57:45: Quote from: CPTBadAss on Tue, 30 July 2013, 17:57:28
Wouldn't you get actuation problems if you put something on the underside of the cap?

Think o-rings.
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 30 July 2013, 18:02:16: Metal keycaps?
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: xSpartanCx on Tue, 30 July 2013, 18:05:11: Quote from: rowdy on Tue, 30 July 2013, 18:02:16
Metal keycaps?

Expensive, but could help a little. Probably the easiest solution, too
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: PointyFox on Tue, 30 July 2013, 18:05:38: Quote from: rowdy on Tue, 30 July 2013, 18:02:16
Metal keycaps?

(http://img03.taobaocdn.com/bao/uploaded/i3/606011125/T2wC7gXgJXXXXXXXXX_!!606011125.jpg)
(http://imageshack.us/a/img521/6159/stemh.jpg)
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: skinnycow on Tue, 30 July 2013, 18:06:53: they really make those? Awesome!

Where can I buy metal keycaps?

it looks like they poured solid gold into that keycap in the photo above. That could get pricey...
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: JPG on Tue, 30 July 2013, 18:08:01: Or you could grow some finger muscle untill 55g feel like 30g :p
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: lucifurburch on Tue, 30 July 2013, 18:17:39: metal keycaps

http://www.ebay.com/sch/geek_feng/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686
(do a search for mkc)

Titanium Keycap GB last day

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=44123.0

titanium...expensive but so worth it
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: ekw808 on Tue, 30 July 2013, 18:20:46: There aren't any for topre, and as for adding weight, I'd try to add weight to the bottom side of the topre keycap instead of on the stem of the keycap so actuation distance stays the same.
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: nubbinator on Tue, 30 July 2013, 19:23:11: Quote from: PointyFox on Tue, 30 July 2013, 18:05:38
Show Image
(http://img03.taobaocdn.com/bao/uploaded/i3/606011125/T2wC7gXgJXXXXXXXXX_!!606011125.jpg)

Show Image
(http://imageshack.us/a/img521/6159/stemh.jpg)

How did my first sand cast prototype make it to you? It's really more of a paperweight than anything.

And a pic of my much better Prototype #2:

(http://i.imgur.com/ogFCPhD.jpg)
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 30 July 2013, 19:38:44: Quote from: nubbinator on Tue, 30 July 2013, 19:23:11
Quote from: PointyFox on Tue, 30 July 2013, 18:05:38
Show Image
(http://img03.taobaocdn.com/bao/uploaded/i3/606011125/T2wC7gXgJXXXXXXXXX_!!606011125.jpg)

Show Image
(http://imageshack.us/a/img521/6159/stemh.jpg)

How did my first sand cast prototype make it to you? It's really more of a paperweight than anything.

And a pic of my much better Prototype #2:

Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/ogFCPhD.jpg)

^ heh this one :)
Title: Re: Heavy Keys
Post by: PointyFox on Tue, 30 July 2013, 19:45:04: Got a bunch of hunks of scrap titanium at work, maybe I can make them into keycaps :P