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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: bhtooefr on Sat, 24 January 2009, 13:54:11

Title: Alternate Action Cherry MX
Post by: bhtooefr on Sat, 24 January 2009, 13:54:11

How do the alternate action Cherry MX switches work?

Can you do switch surgery, and install the guts of an alt action switch in the body of a non-alt action switch?

I'm wondering, for lowpoly's keyboard design.

Title: Alternate Action Cherry MX
Post by: lam47 on Sat, 24 January 2009, 17:28:58

Can you explain what an alt Cherry is? Its not a term I have seen around the boards.

Title: Alternate Action Cherry MX
Post by: bhtooefr on Sat, 24 January 2009, 17:37:40

Alternate action = press key, locks down, press it again, comes back up.

Like Caps Lock on many ADB keyboards.

Title: Alternate Action Cherry MX
Post by: lam47 on Sat, 24 January 2009, 17:40:43

Oh right. I have not seen one of those.
Would be interested to if anyone has a picture.

Thanks.

Title: Alternate Action Cherry MX
Post by: Chloe on Sat, 24 January 2009, 17:47:02

It looks like you can swap upper housing and stem:
http://blog.dengzhe.com/article.asp?id=252
(http://blog.dengzhe.com/attachments/month_0805/5200852019332.jpg)

Title: Alternate Action Cherry MX
Post by: bhtooefr on Sat, 24 January 2009, 17:48:32

Perfect.

Title: Alternate Action Cherry MX
Post by: lam47 on Sat, 24 January 2009, 18:02:04

Cool look at the little latch on the stem part! Its so dinky.

Title: Alternate Action Cherry MX
Post by: Chloe on Sat, 24 January 2009, 18:22:19

The latch on ALPS alternate action is even smaller. For the record it is possible to swap upper housing and stem with real ALPS but not with simplified.