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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: navy2x on Sun, 03 February 2019, 15:22:37

Title: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: navy2x on Sun, 03 February 2019, 15:22:37: I am new to modding and would like to reduce as many mistakes as possible. I'm am in the process of acquiring a TX-CP board and I would like to make it hot swappable. I'm going to buy a new pcb from the TX website to start fresh. What is the best recommended way to make this hot swappable? I'd like to do this for the switches as well as the LEDs.

Other than stabilizers, is there anything else I need to buy to have a fully functioning pcb?

Here is a link to the pcb: https://txkeyboards.com/en/products/pcb-various-cp-us-detail (https://txkeyboards.com/en/products/pcb-various-cp-us-detail)
Title: Re: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: navy2x on Sun, 03 February 2019, 16:19:33: Forgot to mention I want to try holy pandas in this board
Title: Re: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: spyruf on Sun, 03 February 2019, 18:34:41: Use mill Mac sockets. I did this for my leaf 80
Title: Re: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: mike-y on Tue, 05 February 2019, 17:18:33: I second the mill-max sockets. I used holtites on one board, and I had issues with their fit, and I have some keys that don't always register keypresses, and have to fiddle with them or pound on them a few times to get the switch to register.

I built another board using the Mill-Max sockets, and everything works perfectly. never have a missed keystroke, and the sockets fit much nicer into the PCB and are much easier to solder in place.
Title: Re: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: Lucien Midnight on Tue, 05 February 2019, 20:25:34: I have two boards with Kailh hotswap sockets. They work great, but I didn't solder them on myself, so can't comment on how the installation is. To those who commented above, any experience comparing mil and kailh?
Title: Re: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: Wood_Cables on Wed, 06 February 2019, 09:46:47: Quote from: Lucien Midnight on Tue, 05 February 2019, 20:25:34
I have two boards with Kailh hotswap sockets. They work great, but I didn't solder them on myself, so can't comment on how the installation is. To those who commented above, any experience comparing mil and kailh?

I have these sockets on my Planck. The bad thing for me is that they begin to loosen if you're constantly trying out different switches. ESPECIALLY if you're using something like a Kailh Pro switch, which has fatter switch leads than say a Box switch.
Title: Re: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: Lucien Midnight on Wed, 06 February 2019, 09:52:40: Quote from: Wood_Cables on Wed, 06 February 2019, 09:46:47
Quote from: Lucien Midnight on Tue, 05 February 2019, 20:25:34
I have two boards with Kailh hotswap sockets. They work great, but I didn't solder them on myself, so can't comment on how the installation is. To those who commented above, any experience comparing mil and kailh?

I have these sockets on my Planck. The bad thing for me is that they begin to loosen if you're constantly trying out different switches. ESPECIALLY if you're using something like a Kailh Pro switch, which has fatter switch leads than say a Box switch.
Noted, thanks for the info!

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: killyou on Wed, 06 February 2019, 09:56:48: Can I get a link to Mill mac sockets please? I can't find anything relevant.
Title: Re: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: navy2x on Wed, 06 February 2019, 09:58:48: This will likely be helpful https://www.reddit.com/r/mechmarket/comments/am9ms1/gb_millmax_7305_dawn_of_the_final_day/?st=JRTDNFCW&sh=9c6296c1 (https://www.reddit.com/r/mechmarket/comments/am9ms1/gb_millmax_7305_dawn_of_the_final_day/?st=JRTDNFCW&sh=9c6296c1)
Title: Re: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: killyou on Wed, 06 February 2019, 14:37:07: Quote from: navy2x on Wed, 06 February 2019, 09:58:48
This will likely be helpful https://www.reddit.com/r/mechmarket/comments/am9ms1/gb_millmax_7305_dawn_of_the_final_day/?st=JRTDNFCW&sh=9c6296c1 (https://www.reddit.com/r/mechmarket/comments/am9ms1/gb_millmax_7305_dawn_of_the_final_day/?st=JRTDNFCW&sh=9c6296c1)
Perfect, thank you.
Title: Re: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: Lucien Midnight on Tue, 12 February 2019, 19:58:51: I wonder if anyone is planning a PCB with these preinstalled. I've only seen Kailh hot-swap boards recently. Is that a price thing, maybe?

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Hot swap mod advice
Post by: crd on Wed, 13 February 2019, 09:12:40: I think it's worth noting my own personal experience with 0305 Mill-Max sockets. I posted a similar response in the reddit thread linked previously and here is a direct link to my comment: https://www.reddit.com/r/mechmarket/comments/am9ms1/gb_millmax_7305_dawn_of_the_final_day/efkngql (https://www.reddit.com/r/mechmarket/comments/am9ms1/gb_millmax_7305_dawn_of_the_final_day/efkngql).

For anyone who doesn't want to follow the link, I had trouble with newer switches from Gateron fitting into the sockets. The outermost leg is fatter than others and fits very tightly into the socket. Most of the Gateron switches I tried in them just folded the leg in half rather than going into the socket. I was able to get some in, but not most. This includes Zeal switches and some other more recent one off switches manufactured through Gateron. I didn't have the same problem with Cherry or Kailh switches.