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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: amasokin on Thu, 18 June 2015, 19:20:14

Title: Varmilo VA87MR spacebar?
Post by: amasokin on Thu, 18 June 2015, 19:20:14
Hey everyone,

So, I recently bought a Varmilo VA87MR and I wanted to change the spacebar, but none of the spacebars I have fit.

Pic:
(http://i.imgur.com/fX3nqjY.jpg)

The 3 spacebars are the same length, but the inner stems on the Varmilo spacebar don't align with the stems on the other spacebars.

What spacing do those stabilizer use? The SP Doubleshot ABS spacebar does not fit, as the GMK Doubleshot ABS. Am I ****ed if I want to change it?

Do you know of any spacebars that are compatible with this?

Thanks! :)
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87M spacebar?
Post by: Blaise170 on Thu, 18 June 2015, 19:21:19
Looks like you can move the stabs out to the next holes. You'll need a new wire, but that should be able to be found for cheap.
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87M spacebar?
Post by: wlhlm on Thu, 18 June 2015, 19:22:44
Looks like you can move the stabs out to the next holes. You'll need a new wire, but that should be able to be found for cheap.
These look more like holes for Costar stabs.
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87M spacebar?
Post by: Blaise170 on Thu, 18 June 2015, 19:32:41
Yeah you're right. I guess a Costar stab would fix the problem, though that means you obviously won't be able to use the Cherry stab.
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87M spacebar?
Post by: amasokin on Thu, 18 June 2015, 19:42:26
Thanks for the answers... I guess I could put a Costar stabilizer, I have a couple of spare ones. I don't have a spare wire though, any idea where I could buy one? They are out of stock on WASD (and they have been for a very long time if I recall correctly). I live in Europe but I can order on a US website if it ships there.

No other way to adapt a spacebar to the original stabilizers though?

Also: how the hell do I remove the default Cherry stabilizers? Tried to pull them off in a few different ways, squeezing them, etc... but without any success so far!

Edit: Okay, done! Cherry stabilizers are so ****ing bad... Not only do they feel bad (imo, obviously) but they're such a pain to deal with compared to Costar stabilizers. I really like the Varmilo VA87M but it's a shame that they went for cherry stabs everywhere. Still looking for a costar stab wire though, if anyone knows where to buy one (I took one out of one of my other keyboards I'm not using but I'll have to replace it eventually).

Thanks for the help guys.
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87M spacebar?
Post by: Blaise170 on Thu, 18 June 2015, 20:37:59
I think I might have an extra wire, but I'm in the US so shipping would be a bit expensive.
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87M spacebar?
Post by: Data on Fri, 19 June 2015, 13:27:09
Strange, I did not have this problem with my Varmilo.  I installed Pulse keyset with no modifications.  When did you get your board and which spacebars are you putting on it?

I wonder if Varmilo went back to Leopold's plates for some reason...  That's troubling.
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87M spacebar?
Post by: getf on Fri, 19 June 2015, 17:03:58
Strange, I did not have this problem with my Varmilo.  I installed Pulse keyset with no modifications.  When did you get your board and which spacebars are you putting on it?

I wonder if Varmilo went back to Leopold's plates for some reason...  That's troubling.

I have had the same experience with mine.  Normal size spacebar mounts as far as I can tell...

Title: Re: Varmilo VA87M spacebar?
Post by: amasokin on Fri, 19 June 2015, 21:07:38
I got my Varmilo from the latest Massdrop sale (bar the current one), received it on June 11th. The space bars I'm trying to put on are the ones in the pic in my first post: Signature Plastic ABS spacebars and GMK ABS spacebars. I tried some other spacebars (a Filco one, and I think one from WASD), and none of them fit. Everything is in my first picture. They are all completely standard space bars which fit on every other keyboards I have (Filco, Ducky, KBT, etc).

I can understand that it's odd though, I googled "Varmilo VA87MR space bar" and I got absolutely no results indicating anything about a non standard space bar. Same thing in the comments on Massdrop. No idea why mine is like that... I got the VA87MR with a black case / grey PBT keycaps / white backlighting / Gateron Clear switches for information. Maybe something to do with the Gateron Clear which are some extremely light switches?

What do you mean by "I wonder if Varmilo went back to Leopold's plates for some reason"? Went back from what? I thought the Varmilos were basically from the same factory as Leopolds?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87MR spacebar?
Post by: simonyunhe on Sat, 20 June 2015, 08:28:07

I got my Varmilo from the latest Massdrop sale (bar the current one), received it on June 11th. The space bars I'm trying to put on are the ones in the pic in my first post: Signature Plastic ABS spacebars and GMK ABS spacebars. I tried some other spacebars (a Filco one, and I think one from WASD), and none of them fit. Everything is in my first picture. They are all completely standard space bars which fit on every other keyboards I have (Filco, Ducky, KBT, etc).

I can understand that it's odd though, I googled "Varmilo VA87MR space bar" and I got absolutely no results indicating anything about a non standard space bar. Same thing in the comments on Massdrop. No idea why mine is like that... I got the VA87MR with a black case / grey PBT keycaps / white backlighting / Gateron Clear switches for information. Maybe something to do with the Gateron Clear which are some extremely light switches?

What do you mean by "I wonder if Varmilo went back to Leopold's plates for some reason"? Went back from what? I thought the Varmilos were basically from the same factory as Leopolds?

Thanks!
One of my friend who revently bought the VA87 board also had the same issue, the switch is not the problem. I guess it caused by the manufacture.
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87M spacebar?
Post by: compuguy on Mon, 13 July 2015, 15:21:54
Thanks for the answers... I guess I could put a Costar stabilizer, I have a couple of spare ones. I don't have a spare wire though, any idea where I could buy one? They are out of stock on WASD (and they have been for a very long time if I recall correctly). I live in Europe but I can order on a US website if it ships there.

No other way to adapt a spacebar to the original stabilizers though?

Also: how the hell do I remove the default Cherry stabilizers? Tried to pull them off in a few different ways, squeezing them, etc... but without any success so far!

Edit: Okay, done! Cherry stabilizers are so ****ing bad... Not only do they feel bad (imo, obviously) but they're such a pain to deal with compared to Costar stabilizers. I really like the Varmilo VA87M but it's a shame that they went for cherry stabs everywhere. Still looking for a costar stab wire though, if anyone knows where to buy one (I took one out of one of my other keyboards I'm not using but I'll have to replace it eventually).

Thanks for the help guys.

In a similar situation, but its the VB87M (I also have a VA87MR, but I haven't had the chance to pop off the keys). What did you do to remove the stablizers, and where would be a good place to buy them from (WASD seems to have them, but shipping is high for just buying that).

Edit: nm, saw they have a USPS First Class option.

Edit2: My VA87MR also has cherry stabilizers.
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87MR spacebar?
Post by: skuko on Tue, 14 July 2015, 04:07:38
i think it's like this:

VA87M - cherry switches and costar stabs = noproblemo
VA87MR - gaterons and cherry stabs = complications

i have ordered a VA87M with cherry reds from qtan last week and will check the stabs on that as son as i get it.

edit:

as you can see on this picture from qtans shop
(http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/35122654/aview/87_003.JPG)

the stabs are clearly inserted in the outer positions, which indicates a costar standard stab.

i ordered the board, because i love the case. the floating keys look damn sexy. best case design i've seen to date, no stupid logos plastered all over the thing, plain and simple.
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87MR spacebar?
Post by: compuguy on Tue, 14 July 2015, 10:46:18
i think it's like this:

VA87M - cherry switches and costar stabs = noproblemo
VA87MR - gaterons and cherry stabs = complications

i have ordered a VA87M with cherry reds from qtan last week and will check the stabs on that as son as i get it.

edit:

as you can see on this picture from qtans shop
Show Image
(http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/35122654/aview/87_003.JPG)


the stabs are clearly inserted in the outer positions, which indicates a costar standard stab.

i ordered the board, because i love the case. the floating keys look damn sexy. best case design i've seen to date, no stupid logos plastered all over the thing, plain and simple.

Is there anyway you could mirror this? My workplace is blocking the site because of filtering (for nudity...I have no clue why)?
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87M spacebar?
Post by: Data on Tue, 14 July 2015, 18:39:52
I got my Varmilo from the latest Massdrop sale (bar the current one), received it on June 11th. The space bars I'm trying to put on are the ones in the pic in my first post: Signature Plastic ABS spacebars and GMK ABS spacebars. I tried some other spacebars (a Filco one, and I think one from WASD), and none of them fit. Everything is in my first picture. They are all completely standard space bars which fit on every other keyboards I have (Filco, Ducky, KBT, etc).

I can understand that it's odd though, I googled "Varmilo VA87MR space bar" and I got absolutely no results indicating anything about a non standard space bar. Same thing in the comments on Massdrop. No idea why mine is like that... I got the VA87MR with a black case / grey PBT keycaps / white backlighting / Gateron Clear switches for information. Maybe something to do with the Gateron Clear which are some extremely light switches?

What do you mean by "I wonder if Varmilo went back to Leopold's plates for some reason"? Went back from what? I thought the Varmilos were basically from the same factory as Leopolds?

Thanks!

Sorry for the super late reply. I forgot about this thread.

Leopold has used non-standard space bar placement in some of its past models. Varmilo, being basically a Leopold clone, must have reused this feature from one of the affected Leopold boards. It's likely that these were the only Cherry stabilizers they had access to at the factory.
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87MR spacebar?
Post by: nubbinator on Tue, 14 July 2015, 22:18:30
Are those even Cherry stabilizers or are they just Cherry style stabilizers and are clones?  I remember someone reviewing some that looked similar to the ones in the OP and saying they were god awful.
Title: Re: Varmilo VA87MR spacebar?
Post by: CuriousMoose24 on Sun, 27 December 2015, 23:12:45
Did you ever move the stabs?