geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Skelig on Thu, 24 September 2015, 16:32:35

Title: Is the top part of a Cherry MX switch the same if it's PCB or plate-mounted?
Post by: Skelig on Thu, 24 September 2015, 16:32:35
I want to change out the MX Blues in my Cherry G80-3000 with Brown switches. The keyboard is PCB-mounted, but if I buy plate-mounted Brown switches, would it be possible to simply replace the top part of the switch? I know that the bottom of the switch varies a lot between PCB/plate-mounted switches, but I don't need to worry about that, do I?

Just wondering because I'm finding it difficult to source some PCB-mounted brown switches here in the UK, but I can find a few places which will stock plate-mounted ones.
Title: Re: Is the top part of a Cherry MX switch the same if it's PCB or plate-mounted?
Post by: Halverson on Thu, 24 September 2015, 16:34:09
The only difference between pcb and plate mount cherry switches are the little nubs on the bottom for plate mount. 99% sure
Title: Re: Is the top part of a Cherry MX switch the same if it's PCB or plate-mounted?
Post by: Glissant on Thu, 24 September 2015, 16:35:23
The two nubs on PCB mount*
Title: Re: Is the top part of a Cherry MX switch the same if it's PCB or plate-mounted?
Post by: ideus on Thu, 24 September 2015, 16:46:53
You could install plate-switches directly on the PCB but their alignment could be an issue if you do not use a plate. As the fellows noted, the plate mounted switches do not have the two bottom nobs that are needed to properly install them in a PCB without a plate. The PCBs have loose holes for the switch connectors, that do not allow to properly alight them, thus you need the nobs, or to alight them manually, that will not assure the keys maybe a little rotated, it may be annoying particularly with long keys like shifts, enter, backspace.
Title: Re: Is the top part of a Cherry MX switch the same if it's PCB or plate-mounted?
Post by: Melvang on Thu, 24 September 2015, 16:47:27
I concur.  Between the two, everything inside is the same.  The only difference is two extra nubs on the bottom of PCB mount switches for fitting into extra holes of the PCB.
Title: Re: Is the top part of a Cherry MX switch the same if it's PCB or plate-mounted?
Post by: Halverson on Thu, 24 September 2015, 16:56:54

The two nubs on PCB mount*

Yup, I derped, meant pcb :p
Title: Re: Is the top part of a Cherry MX switch the same if it's PCB or plate-mounted?
Post by: Glissant on Fri, 25 September 2015, 09:38:16

The two nubs on PCB mount*

Yup, I derped, meant pcb
♡♡♡
Title: Re: Is the top part of a Cherry MX switch the same if it's PCB or plate-mounted?
Post by: jdcarpe on Fri, 25 September 2015, 09:56:10
@OP, FYI, there is a Simple Questions, Simple Answers (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40501.0) thread that would have been the perfect place for your question. :)