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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: tiger on Tue, 19 July 2016, 01:58:16

Title: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: tiger on Tue, 19 July 2016, 01:58:16: This might be an obvious question but: Has anyone tried ordering the rubber dome sheets directly from Topre?
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: y11971alex on Tue, 19 July 2016, 02:00:15: Quote from: tiger on Tue, 19 July 2016, 01:58:16
This might be an obvious question but: Has anyone tried ordering the rubber dome sheets directly from Topre?
Good luck there; I think they're a jealously guarded trade secret.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 19 July 2016, 06:08:36: If you do try, please report back how you go.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: Aricil on Tue, 19 July 2016, 11:23:02: It's kinda stupid, honestly. You have to buy a whole ****ing keyboard just to be able to swap out the domes.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: neverused on Tue, 19 July 2016, 11:42:59: I'm surprised no one has put a dome through FTIR or other analysis and then sourced the material.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: tiger on Fri, 22 July 2016, 04:51:50: So looks like no-one's tried so far.

Do we have any members in Japan that would be willing to contact Topre/Realforce regarding this?
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: mikes41720 on Fri, 22 July 2016, 05:03:03: Looks like it could be worth a try. At least I won't have to open up my 55g RF87U to swap domes with my HHKB.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: jameslr on Thu, 28 July 2016, 08:06:31: Quote from: Aricil on Tue, 19 July 2016, 11:23:02
It's kinda stupid, honestly. You have to buy a whole ****ing keyboard just to be able to swap out the domes.

Think about it though - if this is a major component behind selling your keyboards in the market...why would you sell just the rubber domes? Doesn't seem stupid to me - just good business sense on their part.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: 1391406 on Thu, 28 July 2016, 14:05:31: Quote from: jameslr on Thu, 28 July 2016, 08:06:31
Quote from: Aricil on Tue, 19 July 2016, 11:23:02
It's kinda stupid, honestly. You have to buy a whole ****ing keyboard just to be able to swap out the domes.

Think about it though - if this is a major component behind selling your keyboards in the market...why would you sell just the rubber domes?

Why wouldn't you? How is it any different from a company like Unicomp selling individual parts? Having the domes isn't going to change the fact that you need the other components (springs, PCB) for the keyboard to function.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: romevi on Thu, 28 July 2016, 14:07:27: Hey, if you succeed, let me know!
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 28 July 2016, 14:29:41: Us: "Hey you mind if we buy some topre dome sheets?"

Topre: "Yeah sure! Here you go!"

I'm sure the exchange would go something like that.

Joking aside, it doesn't hurt to ask them.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: dgneo on Fri, 29 July 2016, 07:06:14: (https://i.imgur.com/8sBtQuU.png)

Could only find the form on the Japenese Topre site, so I sent the question in Japanese.

Resent it in English, now we wait :)
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: tiger on Fri, 29 July 2016, 07:17:19: Quote from: dgneo on Fri, 29 July 2016, 07:06:14
Could only find the form on the Japenese Topre site, so I sent the question in Japanese.

Resent it in English, now we wait :)

Thank for you taking initiative!
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: Touch_It on Fri, 29 July 2016, 09:30:55: Quote from: dgneo on Fri, 29 July 2016, 07:06:14
Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/8sBtQuU.png)

Could only find the form on the Japenese Topre site, so I sent the question in Japanese.

Resent it in English, now we wait :)

Interesting they want it in English.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Fri, 29 July 2016, 11:20:49: Quote from: dgneo on Fri, 29 July 2016, 07:06:14
Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/8sBtQuU.png)

Could only find the form on the Japenese Topre site, so I sent the question in Japanese.

Resent it in English, now we wait :)

The irony of them wanting an English response
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 31 July 2016, 05:16:39: Quote from: Sneaky Potato on Fri, 29 July 2016, 11:20:49
Quote from: dgneo on Fri, 29 July 2016, 07:06:14
Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/8sBtQuU.png)

Could only find the form on the Japenese Topre site, so I sent the question in Japanese.

Resent it in English, now we wait :)

The irony of them wanting an English response

Yeah, for a Japanese company with a Japanese form filled out from a Japanese web site.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: Aricil on Sun, 31 July 2016, 07:35:22: Quote from: 1391406 on Thu, 28 July 2016, 14:05:31
Quote from: jameslr on Thu, 28 July 2016, 08:06:31
Quote from: Aricil on Tue, 19 July 2016, 11:23:02
It's kinda stupid, honestly. You have to buy a whole ****ing keyboard just to be able to swap out the domes.

Think about it though - if this is a major component behind selling your keyboards in the market...why would you sell just the rubber domes?

Why wouldn't you? How is it any different from a company like Unicomp selling individual parts? Having the domes isn't going to change the fact that you need the other components (springs, PCB) for the keyboard to function.

Well, yeah, I guess. But, I mean, you'd think that they'd make money from that too....
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: Bromono on Sun, 31 July 2016, 09:06:03: Quote from: rowdy on Sun, 31 July 2016, 05:16:39
Quote from: Sneaky Potato on Fri, 29 July 2016, 11:20:49
Quote from: dgneo on Fri, 29 July 2016, 07:06:14
Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/8sBtQuU.png)

Could only find the form on the Japenese Topre site, so I sent the question in Japanese.

Resent it in English, now we wait :)

The irony of them wanting an English response

Yeah, for a Japanese company with a Japanese form filled out from a Japanese web site.

If he sent from an american IP Address, it must have been sent to an english speaking customer service location.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: 1391406 on Sun, 31 July 2016, 09:26:25: Quote from: Aricil on Sun, 31 July 2016, 07:35:22
Quote from: 1391406 on Thu, 28 July 2016, 14:05:31
Quote from: jameslr on Thu, 28 July 2016, 08:06:31
Quote from: Aricil on Tue, 19 July 2016, 11:23:02
It's kinda stupid, honestly. You have to buy a whole ****ing keyboard just to be able to swap out the domes.

Think about it though - if this is a major component behind selling your keyboards in the market...why would you sell just the rubber domes?

Why wouldn't you? How is it any different from a company like Unicomp selling individual parts? Having the domes isn't going to change the fact that you need the other components (springs, PCB) for the keyboard to function.

Well, yeah, I guess. But, I mean, you'd think that they'd make money from that too....

I agree.

One of the few reasons Topre may be averse to selling domes and springs separately is because it would potentially allow consumers to convert cheaper knockoffs into a much more reasonable facsimile.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: sushi on Mon, 01 August 2016, 06:07:18: Currently live and work in Japan. I think a lot of it comes down to the fact that Japanese companies take a long time to change or make anything happen, and even though something might make sense, it isn't always right to rock the boat and do something new.

In this case, having to deal directly with with consumers vs big companies and selling parts in a new way probably isn't worth the time and risk for which ever salaryman is in charge of that department.

I'm not jaded I swear...
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: willbarrow on Tue, 02 August 2016, 11:06:23: Any update on this topic? I'm really interested in buying the sheets separately, as I've just received a new HHKB and I'm really disappointed, because the two sets of domes under the letter keys are completely different weights. Imagine what that's like. Typing with different weights under each hand.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: hasu on Tue, 02 August 2016, 19:31:32: At some exhibit I asked Topre guy this.

me: "I need a variable weighted HHKB, any idea?"
guy: "no problem, get a Realforce."

And I bought a Realforce 101.
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
Post by: xtrafrood on Tue, 02 August 2016, 20:02:23: Reconstituting the rubber with silicone spray is a legitimate option afaik. I'm not sure why people on this forum shy away from the suggestion of silicone reconstitution.

I'm guessing that the OP is about swapping domes for a change in resistance /shrug
Title: Re: Ordering Topre rubber dome membrane sheets
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