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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Geroximo on Thu, 07 February 2019, 18:49:19

Title: Why isn't switchtop-removal a thing?
Post by: Geroximo on Thu, 07 February 2019, 18:49:19
I'm looking for a TKL that has a plate which allows switchtop removal, but I can't find one.
TGR Jane doesn't have it. KBDFans X8 doesn't have it .... why?
I don't see myself paying 300+ dollars for a keyboard, on which I can't open the switches to relube them.
Why isn't this a thing? It just takes some notches in the plate .. I don't understand.
Title: Re: Why isn't switchtop-removal a thing?
Post by: switchnollie on Thu, 07 February 2019, 19:21:34
It looks cleaner without the cut outs and you get a better fit for the switches.
Title: Re: Why isn't switchtop-removal a thing?
Post by: killyou on Thu, 07 February 2019, 19:30:03
Hot swap should be a thing, not switchtop-removal
Title: Re: Why isn't switchtop-removal a thing?
Post by: iamtootallforthis on Thu, 07 February 2019, 19:34:44
It looks cleaner without the cut outs and you get a better fit for the switches.

And they sit square.
Title: Re: Why isn't switchtop-removal a thing?
Post by: Leslieann on Thu, 07 February 2019, 20:35:40
Because the market caters to normal people, not hardcore enthusiasts who want to play.

By the way, hot swap is not a replacement either.
The pins and sockets are not meant for high insertion counts, in fact the pins were never meant to ever be removed even once.  What really needs to happen is a new standard switch and socket combination and then you need the OEMs in China to adopt it.
Title: Re: Why isn't switchtop-removal a thing?
Post by: OfTheWild on Thu, 07 February 2019, 22:43:06
I feel like with the availability of holtites and kailh's hotswap options there is now a better option than a switch top removal plate cutout.
Title: Re: Why isn't switchtop-removal a thing?
Post by: Findecanor on Fri, 08 February 2019, 10:14:31
What really needs to happen is a new standard switch and socket combination and then you need the OEMs in China to adopt it.
Didn't Outemu make their own swappable switch legs?

I think more varieties of optical Flaretech switches would be better. No legs at all!

For DIY kits, I prefer PCB-mounted with legs + four pins because then the same kit could have multiple layout options without having to offer multiple varieties of the same kit.
Title: Re: Why isn't switchtop-removal a thing?
Post by: Leslieann on Fri, 08 February 2019, 19:22:33
Didn't Outemu make their own swappable switch legs?
Someone did, probably them.

It has yet to catch on.
The problem that faces is that it's proprietary and even if it was open sourced, it still requires a manufacturing shift plus R&D.