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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: Fahall on Wed, 14 December 2016, 15:34:24

Title: Simple keycap tactile mod?
Post by: Fahall on Wed, 14 December 2016, 15:34:24

Hey folks,

I just received an Ergodox EZ. I plan to post a review after I have been using it for a few months, but I do want to make a slight 'mod' to it now. I notice that my hands have not found their 'comfy' spot with the keyboard yet, so the position of my thumbs relative to the thumbcluster is unreliable. This results in incorrect keypresses on the two long thumbcluster keys.

What I want to do is find an easy, inexpensive, & non-damaging way to create tactile differentiation between the keys. My first thought is to use little stickers. This might work, but I thought maybe some of you have solved this problem before.

Any thoughts?

Title: Re: Simple keycap tactile mod?
Post by: Phenix on Fri, 16 December 2016, 15:12:18

o-rings could work (for differenciation, as some will shorten their travel - maybe use 2-4 rings per key)

Title: Re: Simple keycap tactile mod?
Post by: Leslieann on Fri, 16 December 2016, 15:23:30

You could change the bottoming point with O-rings or the spring pressure using something under the keys (sponge?), but as far as tactility I can't see how you will change that without a switch change or some serious engineering and access to a resin printer or a cnc mill. At which point it's probably easier  to just swap the switch.

Title: Re: Simple keycap tactile mod?
Post by: AMongoose on Fri, 16 December 2016, 19:09:45

You could buy homing caps, mismatch caps with another profile or rotate the caps.

What profile are you using?

Title: Re: Simple keycap tactile mod?
Post by: Findecanor on Fri, 16 December 2016, 19:53:06

The ErgoDox's thumb cluster was copied from the thumb cluster of the Kinesis (https://www.kinesis-ergo.com/shop/advantage2/) contoured line of keyboards.
On that one, the two long keys are different. The innermost long key in each cluster is the same as a numpad-Enter key on a regular keyboard, and the other is like a numpad-0 on a regular keyboard.

From the images on ErgoDox EZ's site it looks as if the DCS variant has two keys that are like two-unit Backspace keys on a regular keyboard. With DSA keycaps, two-unit keys are not different on different rows.
You could buy DCS numpad-Enter and numpad-0 keys on PimpMyKeyboard (http://pimpmykeyboard.com/dcs-2-space-pack-of-4/) but it does not look as if they have any black ones in stock... The numpad-0 is a Row 4 key, and the numpad-Enter is a Row 4/4 vertical key - but I suppose that any vertical two-unit key would work.

Title: Re: Simple keycap tactile mod?
Post by: Fahall on Sun, 18 December 2016, 21:46:32

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll look into some DCS keycaps from different rows. Currently, I'm using the printed keycaps offered by ErgodoxEZ. (DSA?) I'm not a big fan of their spherical tops, but they are sufficient for now. They have a slightly rough/grippy texture on the tops that I do like.

Are PBT keycaps significantly different in texture compared to ABS? Another thought I have had was to pick up a couple keycaps in a different material. Metal would obviously feel different, but I don't think I'd like that feel.

Thanks!

Title: Re: Simple keycap tactile mod?
Post by: AMongoose on Mon, 19 December 2016, 04:08:25

Quote from: Fahall on Sun, 18 December 2016, 21:46:32

Are PBT keycaps significantly different in texture compared to ABS?

That depends on the finish and not on the material, they can make either one shiny or more rough the only difference being that abs will shine with time.

Title: Re: Simple keycap tactile mod?
Post by: Phenix on Mon, 19 December 2016, 06:36:03

PBT will ahine also some day, but significant less fast than abs