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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: querolous on Fri, 04 July 2014, 17:34:47

Title: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: querolous on Fri, 04 July 2014, 17:34:47
I'm new to this,

is there a quick, reliable tool for identifying an MX keycaps' row

are there easy to read diagrams showing the differences?

my eyesight is not good
Title: Re: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: Pacifist on Fri, 04 July 2014, 17:37:51
not really, just compare it to something you know the row of
Title: Re: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: Puddsy on Fri, 04 July 2014, 17:43:41
if you're confused about a set you can just ask in simple questions, it's pretty easy to tell by eye after a while and we're always happy to help
Title: Re: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: Aidenknives on Fri, 04 July 2014, 23:32:10
Try to have another put together board right next to it.
Title: Re: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 05 July 2014, 00:46:37
I'm new to this,

is there a quick, reliable tool for identifying an MX keycaps' row

are there easy to read diagrams showing the differences?

my eyesight is not good


Registered in 2013 and this is your first post?  Taking lurking to a new level :D

Welcome to Geekhack!

Are you referring to printed or blank keycaps?

If printed, you can Google for keyboard and compare layout to most pictures.

If blank, many blank sets have a number engraved underneath to identify what row they belong to.
Title: Re: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: querolous on Sat, 05 July 2014, 02:36:40
my project in 2013 was the same as it is now, just a very slow thinker with long spans between activity. :)

initial aim is to re keycap my old maltron right-handed keyboard
black keycaps with orange lettering is my current aim if I can source them to fit.
(the default dark grey lettering on a light grey background is not easy for me to read)

after reading the first posts, I've ordered a blank R4, R3, R2 and R1 keycap so I know (which if any of these are currently installed,) what/where they are and how any variation feels when in use.
Title: Re: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 05 July 2014, 04:06:57
The only orange on black I've seen is BunnyLake's The GeekHack 60% Nostalgia Keyset (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49655.0) GB (now finished).
Title: Re: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: bueller on Sat, 05 July 2014, 05:03:47
The only orange on black I've seen is BunnyLake's The GeekHack 60% Nostalgia Keyset (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49655.0) GB (now finished).

Don't forget the charred orange GMK set (skidata replica).
Title: Re: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Sat, 05 July 2014, 07:35:08
(http://www.key64.org/ergonomics/keycaps_profiles.jpg)
Title: Re: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: Lpwl on Sat, 05 July 2014, 07:57:07
These people (at deskthority.net) have done a lot of work on this subject (http://deskthority.net/photos-f62/some-more-ergonomic-keyboards-t1731.html).

You should take a look  ;)
Title: Re: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: Kayla on Sat, 05 July 2014, 09:19:14
Compare bottom row to your 1.25 mod keys.
Compare shift row using shift keys.
Compare caps lock row with caps lock key.
Compare tab row with tab key.
Compare ~ row with backspace key.
All F row are huge.
Title: Re: is there a tool for keycap row identification ?
Post by: querolous on Tue, 15 July 2014, 14:16:58
The cylindrical keycaps I ordered arrived in today :)



All my default Maltron keys are of the spherical type, most visually similar to cross-sections of the DSA family of keycaps, though at a different physical size.

sampling two single maltron keycaps gives measurements of:

81.5mm (0.32"), 8.06mm (0.317") tall

18.09mm (0.712"), 18.04mm (0.710") long square base sides

the shallowest dip for each key is within the range of 0.8mm to 0.9mm (0.31" to 0.35") but it isn't easy for me to measure this consistently

The first of these keycaps is from a maltron keyboard more than a decade old, the second keycap is from a set bought direct from maltron around a year ago.



thankyou for all the information, time for me to try out some keys and think about what happens next. :)