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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: TheSven on Thu, 13 November 2014, 15:10:09
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So I was just wondering, if I had ,say, an MX red board. Could I take the stems and springs from a load of MX clears and switch them with the red stems and switches. I assume this would make a clear switch. Would this be a good way of swapping switches on a KB without desoldering and soldering.
Thanks,
TheSven
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Unless the board is PCB mounted OR has a special plate that allows switch top removal you will have to desolder. But otherwise yes you can make reds clears by swapping stems and springs.
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The only difference between switches is stems and springs. All stems work with all springs. The one possible exception is clear stems if brand new and not lubed can stick with thicker/heavier caps like space bar and shift. If well broken in or lubed I have not had any problem with clear stems and cherry's light springs. Reds, blues, and browns all have the same spring, then its blacks, greens, and not sure about whites. Gray switches use the same spring for both dark and light, one is tactile and the other is linear and very heavy. Clears are kind of an odd switch from cherry as all other springs have a very similar force curve just higher or lower on the graph, clears have a much steeper force curve than other cherry springs. They actually actuate a touch lighter than blacks but bottom out is a touch heavier than blacks.
The only difference in cherry switch housings are MX locking switches but those are somewhat of an uncommon breed.
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Yeah playing around with different springs and stems is a lot of fun! You should try out a phantom or something that has plate cut outs that let you get into the switches without desoldering!
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That or anything PCB mount
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For the record, desoldering stuff is the hardest part of swapping springs/stems, but it's not even that hard. I did it, and so can you. It's mostly just a tome consuming process.
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Yeah playing around with different springs and stems is a lot of fun! You should try out a phantom or something that has plate cut outs that let you get into the switches without desoldering!
Where to get a plate for a Phantom? Could I 3D print one? Not that I have a 3D printer...
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Yeah playing around with different springs and stems is a lot of fun! You should try out a phantom or something that has plate cut outs that let you get into the switches without desoldering!
Where to get a plate for a Phantom? Could I 3D print one? Not that I have a 3D printer...
Technically yeah, you could 3d print one, I wouldnt recommend it though. You are going to have to find a kit.