geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: Kamen Rider Blade on Fri, 07 March 2014, 04:01:48

Title: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: Kamen Rider Blade on Fri, 07 March 2014, 04:01:48: Since Pad Printing is the most common / cheapest method to print a keycap on standard keyboards, have the manufacturers ever thought about adding in a thin clear polycarbonate layer see through plastic layer on top that snaps into place through side holes on the keycap itself?

The Polycarbonate layer would effectively take all the day to day wear while the pad printing itself will remain.

The Polycarbonate layer only needs to be 1 mm thick and standardized on keycap size.

You don't need to protect the front side of a keycap's screen printing for Fn key function labels since they never get touched through regular usage.

Any thoughts from the GH crowd?
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: tbc on Fri, 07 March 2014, 04:14:55: Sounds insanely expensive
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: fohat.digs on Fri, 07 March 2014, 07:22:31: Sounds like clear caps on IBM buckling springs, with legends on the stem piece.
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Fri, 07 March 2014, 08:48:01: Yes these exist. You have described relegendables. While blank relegendable may be more common, there are some keyboard that have pad print or lasered legend to follow standard layout under the lens in cases where alternate programming may not be needed.
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$%28KGrHqR,!h!E2e2gC%28qqBNwtHn54cw~~_3.JPG)
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: riotonthebay on Fri, 07 March 2014, 08:53:40: Quote from: IvanIvanovich on Fri, 07 March 2014, 08:48:01
Yes these exist. You have described relegendables.

aaaaaaaaaaand they look like ****
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: Kamen Rider Blade on Fri, 07 March 2014, 10:08:23: Quote from: IvanIvanovich on Fri, 07 March 2014, 08:48:01
Yes these exist. You have described relegendables. While blank relegendable may be more common, there are some keyboard that have pad print or lasered legend to follow standard layout under the lens in cases where alternate programming may not be needed.
Show Image
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$%28KGrHqR,!h!E2e2gC%28qqBNwtHn54cw~~_3.JPG)

Nice! How are these keycaps?
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: Kamen Rider Blade on Fri, 07 March 2014, 10:27:27: Quote from: IvanIvanovich on Fri, 07 March 2014, 08:48:01
Yes these exist. You have described relegendables. While blank relegendable may be more common, there are some keyboard that have pad print or lasered legend to follow standard layout under the lens in cases where alternate programming may not be needed.
Show Image
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$%28KGrHqR,!h!E2e2gC%28qqBNwtHn54cw~~_3.JPG)

Is there anyway to mass produce these to be cheap?
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Fri, 07 March 2014, 11:46:32: I don't care for the feeling of polycarb... but I guess they are OK for the purpose they serve. They aren't expensive. You can buy 250 sack of them from many POS equipment place on internet for like $35 or so. Downside is they only come in top row profile, and 1x1, 1x2 and 2x2 size only.
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: mougrim on Fri, 07 March 2014, 13:08:07: Too glossy. Must be a hell to type in a bright light.
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: Melvang on Fri, 07 March 2014, 13:09:18: To smooth. I gotta have texture to the caps.
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: mougrim on Fri, 07 March 2014, 13:25:33: Quote from: Melvang on Fri, 07 March 2014, 13:09:18
To smooth. I gotta have texture to the caps.
Too glossy, too smooth... no good, to be short.
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: Pacifist on Fri, 07 March 2014, 13:36:24: Quote from: Kamen Rider Blade on Fri, 07 March 2014, 10:08:23
Quote from: IvanIvanovich on Fri, 07 March 2014, 08:48:01
Yes these exist. You have described relegendables. While blank relegendable may be more common, there are some keyboard that have pad print or lasered legend to follow standard layout under the lens in cases where alternate programming may not be needed.
Show Image
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$%28KGrHqR,!h!E2e2gC%28qqBNwtHn54cw~~_3.JPG)

Nice! How are these keycaps?

****

don't use them, barely anybody likes to type on them

also for me they fall off often
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: mougrim on Fri, 07 March 2014, 13:45:07: Quote from: Pacifist on Fri, 07 March 2014, 13:36:24
don't use them, barely anybody likes to type on them

also for me they fall off often
Well, probably 9 of 10 users of those keys are those poor sods who are HAVE to use them. Because they are working behind the counter in some shop.
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: berserkfan on Fri, 07 March 2014, 15:41:26: As a guy who Does use relegendables, I agree. Buy them if you need them. Don't buy them if you don't have layers that you need to label. They are not fun to type on.
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: Puddsy on Fri, 07 March 2014, 15:48:50: Quote from: Kamen Rider Blade on Fri, 07 March 2014, 10:08:23
Quote from: IvanIvanovich on Fri, 07 March 2014, 08:48:01
Yes these exist. You have described relegendables. While blank relegendable may be more common, there are some keyboard that have pad print or lasered legend to follow standard layout under the lens in cases where alternate programming may not be needed.
Show Image
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$%28KGrHqR,!h!E2e2gC%28qqBNwtHn54cw~~_3.JPG)

Nice! How are these keycaps?

They're really lame. They feel alright, but they're rattle-y.
Title: Re: Has any manufacturer tried this?
Post by: PhineasRex on Fri, 07 March 2014, 18:19:09: Quote from: Kamen Rider Blade on Fri, 07 March 2014, 10:08:23
Quote from: IvanIvanovich on Fri, 07 March 2014, 08:48:01
Yes these exist. You have described relegendables. While blank relegendable may be more common, there are some keyboard that have pad print or lasered legend to follow standard layout under the lens in cases where alternate programming may not be needed.
Show Image
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$%28KGrHqR,!h!E2e2gC%28qqBNwtHn54cw~~_3.JPG)

Nice! How are these keycaps?
The only ones I have tried are profileless and totally flat, which I did not like.