geekhack

geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: eosph on Tue, 26 May 2015, 15:45:35

Title: PCB Stabalisers feel horrible!
Post by: eosph on Tue, 26 May 2015, 15:45:35
I'm assembling my Nerd60 and I've got the stabalisers on and the plate on, I've soldered everything into place and it all works great apart from the fact that the stabalisers sounds and feel horrible.

They give but they don't make the clicky sound like my poker (plate mounted). I'm fairly certain I've assembled them and put them on right. I can lift them up and the wire moves the other stab. The keys still register as well so I'm fairly certain that's all ok.

Is there anything I can do to make it better? I can't believe that they sound and feel so terrible.
Title: Re: PCB Stabalisers feel horrible!
Post by: CPTBadAss on Tue, 26 May 2015, 15:47:23
Clip them (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40501.msg1181767#msg1181767)
Title: Re: PCB Stabalisers feel horrible!
Post by: jdcarpe on Tue, 26 May 2015, 16:05:29
Yes, clip and lube. It is necessary.
Title: Re: PCB Stabalisers feel horrible!
Post by: Photekq on Tue, 26 May 2015, 16:10:03
Be very liberal with the lube.
Title: Re: PCB Stabalisers feel horrible!
Post by: eosph on Tue, 26 May 2015, 16:42:16
Thanks for the advice. I'm afraid it's going to have to wait for a bit as I really don't fancy have to unsolder all the keys again to get the plate off.

I'll have to do it at some point because I've got a dodgy LED and my escape key isn't working.
Title: Re: PCB Stabalisers feel horrible!
Post by: Oobly on Wed, 27 May 2015, 01:48:36
Thanks for the advice. I'm afraid it's going to have to wait for a bit as I really don't fancy have to unsolder all the keys again to get the plate off.

I'll have to do it at some point because I've got a dodgy LED and my escape key isn't working.

You don't need to remove the plate to remove / replace the stabs... Just the switch that sits between them. On some plate designs you don't even need to remove that switch. IMHO, clipped Cherry PCB stabs feel better than stock Costar stabs and are a lot less hassle when swapping caps.
Title: Re: PCB Stabalisers feel horrible!
Post by: Photekq on Wed, 27 May 2015, 10:00:05
You don't need to remove the plate to remove / replace the stabs... Just the switch that sits between them. On some plate designs you don't even need to remove that switch. IMHO, clipped Cherry PCB stabs feel better than stock Costar stabs and are a lot less hassle when swapping caps.
You're thinking of Cherry plate mount stabilisers. For PCB ones you have to completely desolder unless you're using a plate that has large cutouts surrounding stabilised keys or you're not using a plate at all.
Title: Re: PCB Stabalisers feel horrible!
Post by: metalliqaz on Wed, 27 May 2015, 10:01:47
Always check the stabs before soldering everything up.  I learned that the hard way.
Title: Re: PCB Stabalisers feel horrible!
Post by: eosph on Wed, 27 May 2015, 16:14:24
The keyboard is usable and I'm getting used to it after a day at work but it's damned annoying.

After thinking about it I'm really not sure what I'm going to do with them, the screws used are getting very worn and I don't have any spares so taking it apart again is going to be a pain.

I'll take another look at the board over the weekend.
Title: Re: PCB Stabalisers feel horrible!
Post by: Oobly on Fri, 29 May 2015, 03:50:55
You don't need to remove the plate to remove / replace the stabs... Just the switch that sits between them. On some plate designs you don't even need to remove that switch. IMHO, clipped Cherry PCB stabs feel better than stock Costar stabs and are a lot less hassle when swapping caps.
You're thinking of Cherry plate mount stabilisers. For PCB ones you have to completely desolder unless you're using a plate that has large cutouts surrounding stabilised keys or you're not using a plate at all.

Ah yeah, the NerD60 plate does need a full desolder.... yeck. The Hammer 60% aluminium one from imsto doesn't... I speak from experience. It's awkward, but can be done.

The keyboard is usable and I'm getting used to it after a day at work but it's damned annoying.

After thinking about it I'm really not sure what I'm going to do with them, the screws used are getting very worn and I don't have any spares so taking it apart again is going to be a pain.

I'll take another look at the board over the weekend.

Add orings so you don't get to the mushy bottom-out point?

A full desolder is unavoidable it seems. Perhaps you can do some more mods to the switches at the same time (stickers, different springs maybe?) so it doesn't seem like so much work for so little reason.