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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: PRISONER 24601 on Thu, 17 December 2009, 01:46:25

Title: Experimenting With Weighted Keys?
Post by: PRISONER 24601 on Thu, 17 December 2009, 01:46:25
I'm going to assume that many of you have done this before, and I'd like to hear about your experiences. I mentioned in a previous thread that I had attached some 4.5g weights to some cherry brown keys, and the results were, I think, lovely. I really want to try it with an entire keyboard.

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=6472&stc=1&d=1261032088)

Seen above is my initial test (minus one of them falling off... only wanted a temp solution, so I used hot glue). the keys feel great to type on, and they give this sorta "rolling" effect, which is really cool. The reason for this "rolling", I believe, is that they keys have a lot more momentum behind them, and require only a slight tap to activate.

I'd like to get a hundred or so 4.5-5g weights and rig them up like this:

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=6473&stc=1&d=1261035576)

Of course, there are bugs to be worked out. The keystem should be centered right in the middle of the weight, which wouldn't work unless i modified my idea a bit. Another problem involves affixing metal to plastic and making it at least semi-permanent. 2-part epoxy would work, but I want something a bit more impressive.

Any suggestions or comments are appreciated. I'll update this in the morning, as I am very tired and cannot concentrate this late.

Thanks
Title: Experimenting With Weighted Keys?
Post by: ricercar on Thu, 17 December 2009, 01:58:33
Where's my fishing tackle box? I have a ton of lead sinkers ....

There should be a quote somewhere about not wanting a thing until we see a cool picture or diagram. And maybe a long German word meaning the same thing,

Schadenkeylustennow.
Title: Experimenting With Weighted Keys?
Post by: PRISONER 24601 on Thu, 17 December 2009, 11:16:39
Quote from: ricercar;143167
Where's my fishing tackle box? I have a ton of lead sinkers ....

There should be a quote somewhere about not wanting a thing until we see a cool picture or diagram. And maybe a long German word meaning the same thing,

Schadenkeylustennow.


that was my first reaction too "HAY, LEAD SINKERS"... but they're roundish, and I'd have to melt them down, which I shouldn't be doing in my dining room :(

I'm hoping that somewhere, somehow, there's a guy on eBay with a big bag of little lead squares. Seems like something a hobbiest might have sitting around.
Title: Experimenting With Weighted Keys?
Post by: PRISONER 24601 on Thu, 17 December 2009, 11:19:08
Quote from: ripster;143254
Just how weird do you think the average Geekhacker is?  

Wait, don't answer that.

It's the Asian forums that scare me.
[IG]http://rapunzel.main.jp/col4/coldata/12.jpg[/IMG]


That doesn't scare me. I like the cut of his jib. Just yesterday, I was looking at these flat steel bars at home depot thinking "hmm.. my G80 is a little flexible and light..."
Title: Experimenting With Weighted Keys?
Post by: J888www on Thu, 17 December 2009, 11:35:29
Maybe it would be simpler to use metal key-caps instead of attaching weights.
     Metal Keycaps (http://www.otd.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=f8&wr_id=704)
Title: Experimenting With Weighted Keys?
Post by: itlnstln on Thu, 17 December 2009, 12:15:51
Looking at that metal keycaps link again...  While we noted that the keycaps on the Cherry 'boards were blank, I think they actually came from Cherry like that (at least the ones on the black Cherry look that way).  The reason I say that is because the F and J keys are scooped like Cherry.  All the aftermarket keycaps I have seen use nubs.  I'm not sure why I brought that up.  Maybe I'm just wishing I could get some blank keys for my G80-3000.
Title: Experimenting With Weighted Keys?
Post by: PRISONER 24601 on Thu, 17 December 2009, 12:15:51
Quote from: J888www;143293
Maybe it would be simpler to use metal key-caps instead of attaching weights.
     Metal Keycaps (http://www.otd.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=f8&wr_id=704)

simple, yes. incredibly awesome, yes.

but what do I look like, some thousanaire?

I've contacted my dad's machine shop, and the boss man might allow for a few special contracts as a favor to an employee's son. They've got those 1+ million dollar CNC machines and all that. It's something that I'd really like to do in the future. My brother is a whiz with CAD, so eventually I'd like to assemble a team of geekhackers (and others) to design and produce some metal keycaps right here in the good ol' USA. By my esimation, we would single-handedly resurrect the US steel industry with a few modest keycaps.

Right now, however, I just want to experiment with cherry blues/browns and some 4+g weights. it's cheap, and the effect would be similar. Plus, to get that "bouncy rolley" effect, I think the center of gravity should be at the top of the cap, right where your finger hits- not distributed evenly. That's just a guess, though.
Title: Experimenting With Weighted Keys?
Post by: leos on Thu, 17 December 2009, 14:09:26
Quote from: PRISONER 24601;143315
simple, yes. incredibly awesome, yes.

but what do I look like, some thousanaire?

I've contacted my dad's machine shop, and the boss man might allow for a few special contracts as a favor to an employee's son. They've got those 1+ million dollar CNC machines and all that. It's something that I'd really like to do in the future. My brother is a whiz with CAD, so eventually I'd like to assemble a team of geekhackers (and others) to design and produce some metal keycaps right here in the good ol' USA. By my esimation, we would single-handedly resurrect the US steel industry with a few modest keycaps.

Right now, however, I just want to experiment with cherry blues/browns and some 4+g weights. it's cheap, and the effect would be similar. Plus, to get that "bouncy rolley" effect, I think the center of gravity should be at the top of the cap, right where your finger hits- not distributed evenly. That's just a guess, though.



do it your self .....

choose one of then

link1 (http://cgi.ebay.de/Kleine-Universal-Fraese-Fraesmaschine-Schleifmaschine-BW_W0QQitemZ220526454628QQcmdZViewItemQQptZIndustriemaschinen?hash=item335866a764)

link2 (http://cgi.ebay.de/kleine-Fraesmaschine-zum-herichten_W0QQitemZ360218432035QQcmdZViewItemQQptZIndustriemaschinen?hash=item53deb11223)

link 3 (http://cgi.ebay.de/ART-99-BOHR-UND-FRASMASCHINE-FUR-DIE-METALLBEARBEITUNG_W0QQitemZ230412846871QQcmdZViewItemQQptZIndustriemaschinen?hash=item35a5ad0717)

link 4 (http://cgi.ebay.de/CNC-Fraesmaschine-Fraese-ERZ-NC-850-DIN-A1xA2-NEU_W0QQitemZ200415688486QQcmdZViewItemQQptZIndustriemaschinen?hash=item2ea9b4b726)

any geekhacker here who has lot time to produce for us metal/other materials keycaps???
Title: Experimenting With Weighted Keys?
Post by: AndrewZorn on Thu, 17 December 2009, 17:36:06
i dont understand the reason for cutting off the skirts
but yeah probably makes browns even LIGHTER
Title: Experimenting With Weighted Keys?
Post by: PRISONER 24601 on Fri, 18 December 2009, 07:00:59
Quote from: AndrewZorn;143374
i dont understand the reason for cutting off the skirts
but yeah probably makes browns even LIGHTER


Well, I suppose you don't really need to. I just like taking off skirts is all.
Title: Experimenting With Weighted Keys?
Post by: PRISONER 24601 on Fri, 18 December 2009, 07:02:42
Quote from: leos;143345
do it your self .....

choose one of then

link1 (http://cgi.ebay.de/Kleine-Universal-Fraese-Fraesmaschine-Schleifmaschine-BW_W0QQitemZ220526454628QQcmdZViewItemQQptZIndustriemaschinen?hash=item335866a764)

link2 (http://cgi.ebay.de/kleine-Fraesmaschine-zum-herichten_W0QQitemZ360218432035QQcmdZViewItemQQptZIndustriemaschinen?hash=item53deb11223)

link 3 (http://cgi.ebay.de/ART-99-BOHR-UND-FRASMASCHINE-FUR-DIE-METALLBEARBEITUNG_W0QQitemZ230412846871QQcmdZViewItemQQptZIndustriemaschinen?hash=item35a5ad0717)

link 4 (http://cgi.ebay.de/CNC-Fraesmaschine-Fraese-ERZ-NC-850-DIN-A1xA2-NEU_W0QQitemZ200415688486QQcmdZViewItemQQptZIndustriemaschinen?hash=item2ea9b4b726)

any geekhacker here who has lot time to produce for us metal/other materials keycaps???


We had 2 CNC mills + a lathe in High School shop. I wish I could just go back there and use them :(