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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: OperationT on Wed, 30 September 2015, 17:00:41
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Hay Guys,
I'm planning to get 62g, 65g, and 68g springs for my Ergo Clear mod so that I could try each weight before re-soldering, since I haven't had the privilege to personally type of any Ergo Clears before.
After I was dissuaded from joining the Sprit 24k Gold Springs GB, I was able to find 62g and 65g at ZealPc, kbdhub (whose domain apparently just expired today), and MechanicalKeyboards.com. However, I can only find 65g springs from MechanicalKeyboards.com.
The problem is that their springs weight description seem inconsistent (https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1368 (https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1368)). Some weights seem to be measured in actuation force (e.g. 40g & 45g) and some by bottom-out force (e.g. 62g).
Questions:
1) Has anyone measured these springs from MechanicalKeyboards.com? Are their 62g, 65g, and 68g springs measured by bottom-out force?
2) Does anyone know any other reputable source where I can get 68g springs?
Thanks in advance!
Mod Edit: Changed subject for clarity.
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I messaged MechanicalKeyboards recently, and they said that their gold springs are measured in bottom out force. So it should be what you're looking for.
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I messaged MechanicalKeyboards recently, and they said that their gold springs are measured in bottom out force. So it should be what you're looking for.
That's funny because the General Manager replied me this morning, saying that they're still waiting to hear back from the factory to know for certain. To be fair, he did say he's "pretty sure" that they're measured by bottom-out force, but I rather not take my chances on ~6 sets of springs if someone knows of another reputable source, or if someone has measured MechanicalKeyboards' gold springs.
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Have you tried to message seth_k? He runs kbdhub and should be able to help you out, assuming he still has some in stock. Perhaps he isn't aware of his domain name status.
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Have you tried to message seth_k? He runs kbdhub and should be able to help you out, assuming he still has some in stock. Perhaps he isn't aware of his domain name status.
I have indeed messaged him at seth@kbdhub.com 18 hours ago, but haven't heard back from him yet. I shall PM him too. Thanks for the advice, I didn't know his name on this forum.
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Have you tried to message seth_k? He runs kbdhub and should be able to help you out, assuming he still has some in stock. Perhaps he isn't aware of his domain name status.
I have indeed messaged him at seth@kbdhub.com 18 hours ago, but haven't heard back from him yet. I shall PM him too. Thanks for the advice, I didn't know his name on this forum.
You could always send him a PM here. He is on here a lot. :)
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You could always send him a PM here. He is on here a lot. :)
Awesome! I just remembered that I messaged him to ask if he was restocking his 68g springs though, because they were out of stock on his website.
So I guess I'm still looking for a source for 68g springs.
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bump
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Okay so, seeing that I had no other option for 68g springs than from MechanicalKeyboards(.com), and that nobody could confirm that they are measured by bottom-out force or not, I went ahead and got them. I also got 62g and 65g springs from Zeal PC. With the comparison of the springs from Zeal, and based on just pressing them with my fingers, I believe that the 68g springs are indeed measured by bottom-out force. My reasoning is that the 68g (from MK) feels only slightly heavier than the 65g (from Zeal), and the difference between the 68g and 65g is similar to the difference between the 65g and 62g. Once I measure them with weights, I will report back to confirm on this.
The Ergo Clear excitement begins! :D
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Thanks for confirming, I was also hesitant about ordering a set off MK cause i didn't know if it was rated for the bottom-out force.
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TL;DR : Testing method used is archaic and have many possible errors. Whether MechanicalKeyboard.com's 68g springs are rated by bottom-out force remains inconclusive.
Alright. I'm reporting back as promised. I finally got around to do my Ergo Clear mod with 62g and 65g 18K gold springs (from zealpc.net) and 68g springs (from MechanicalKeyboards.com).
There must be some sort of issues with my testing method, because I'm getting some odd results.
Method:
Stack coins (Canadian currency) above switch until the last coin added puts the bottom of the stack flat against the switch's top housing (this is basically when the stem is bottomed out). The switch is an MX Clear, without a keycap. Coins used are 7 Two-Dollar coins (2011-Date) and the rest with 25 cents (2001-Date), which are 6.93g and 4.4g, respectively (according to this site http://www.coinscan.com/technical/canasp.html).
Observations:
68g Springs (from MechanicalKeyboards.com)
Needed 7 Two-Dollar coins + 6 Quarters (74.91g total). If I use 1 Quarter less, the bottom coin of the stack will not lay flat on the top of the switch housing. The stem will keep pushing the stack of coins, which would fall without my hand to horizontally support it.
65g Springs (18k, from zealpc.net)
Needed 7 Two-Dollars + 5 Quarters (70.51g).
65g Zealios Switches (without keycap)
Needed 7 Two-Dollars + 5 Quarters, which is the same result as with the 18k zealpc.net Springs with MX Clear switch.
Error:
- Potential Error(?): Tactile stem is used (MX Clear and Zealios Tactile), which one can argue that adds/reduces weight on the switch. But I'm thinking that the stem should HELP push itself down against the leaf when <2mm between the bottom coin and top housing of the switch at the "second last weight".
Note: Second Last Weight meaning the weight of coins used right before the last coin is added to make the switch bottom out.
- Quarter Error: Yes, you can argue that the weight of a quarter (4.4g) can cause a huge error. However, the "second last weight" at each test (70.51g, 66.11g, and 66.11g) is still heavier than the springs' officla ratings.
- Coin Error: Yes, the coin could be chipped, making it lighter, or have extra grub on it, making it heavier. However, I did use a digital weigh to weigh it, and the whole stack (74.91g according to the above website) read slightly heavier from the digital weigh at 76g. So this error, if present, only makes the springs ratings more off (unless the website and digital scale are both overestimating).
- Website & Digital Weigh Error: The website used for reference could be off, although unlikely.
Conclusion
- The 68g MK springs, 65g 18k springs and 65g zealios springs are somewhat equally off, so the error is probably in the testing method.
- Whether the 68g MK springs are bottom-out force is still inconclusive. Until someone suggests other plausible errors in the testing method, I am not determined to test further.