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Author Topic: Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?  (Read 2272 times)

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Offline aggiejy

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 13:08:44 »
Situation: I bought this nifty board from REVENGE:

[ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 20781[/ATTACH]

It works awesome for the PC, but I'm 99.5% Mac.  (They sell a mac version, but I don't care *that* much.)  Due to built in macros (I assume), the board completely becomes unresponsive when either the Shift/Fn or Num Lock key is touched.  You have to unplug/replug to reset it.  (And sometimes you have to change USB ports even then.)

No worries, I don't have to have those.  But... it's way to easy to accidentally touch them, especially by that backspace key.  

Any suggestions for something (non-permanent) I could put under the cap to block it firmly?  I want the key to appear normal (so perhaps no removing the switch), I just want it impossible to press.

Thanks!
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Offline The Solutor

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 13:14:51 »
A washer.


Just use the correct size
« Last Edit: Thu, 14 July 2011, 13:22:45 by The Solutor »
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Offline The Solutor

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 13:21:19 »
I think they are (were) pad printed
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Offline aggiejy

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 13:27:18 »
Indeed, with a coating.  Someone hit Excel like a punching bag.

[ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 20795[/ATTACH]
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Offline aggiejy

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 13:29:11 »
Quote from: The Solutor;380346
A washer.

Dude, duh... why didn't I think of this.  Thanks!
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Offline The Solutor

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 13:41:19 »
You're welcome :smile:
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The problem with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are true  (Abraham Lincoln)

Offline aggiejy

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 13:44:27 »
Quote from: The Solutor;380346
A washer.

Alright, I have 3 or 4 perfect size washers for this.  I think it would work if I could get the switch stem into the keycap stem.  But if you think about how you normally put on a cap... the switch bottoms out which gives you force for the keycap stem to slide onto it.  Problem here is, we're limiting how far down the stem can go, thus the switch is never pushing back.  Seems nearly impossible to get it in there this way.  (aside from taking the switch out)  Unless I'm missing something of course.  :)
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Offline The Solutor

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 13:52:58 »
Indeed you're right. It's a problem I haven't taken in account.

But maybe still feasible... cut a sector of the washer with a strong scissor (make it U shaped I mean) , remove the neighbor keycaps and carefully slide the washer under the keycap already in place, a little precision and patience is needed, but this way should work.
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Offline theferenc

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 14:05:20 »
You should just need to put enough on it to prevent actuation, not necessary enough to stop all travel.

Also, not sure if this would work, but I've had luck with it in similar situations: Poke the bottom of the stem with something small and sharp, in order to prevent it from moving while you push on the key cap. If it's anything like my Kinesis, it's not much force necessary to affix the cap, and this should work. I used the smallest flat head jewelers screwdriver I had when I tried this on my Kinesis just now, and it worked, with no visible damage to the key stem.
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Offline Soarer

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #9 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 14:39:47 »
Raptor K1 came with some proper lockers...

[ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 20808[/ATTACH]

They're shown in the old Cherry datasheet on page 5.
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Offline IvanIvanovich

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #10 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 15:33:33 »
keymap software, map it to nothing / dead key.
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Offline theferenc

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #11 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 15:57:23 »
lysol, I think that's the best idea I'm seen yet! Assuming you can get the keycode for that those keys, anyway.
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HHKB Pro 2 -- Custom UNIX layout Unicomp Customizer 101 -- IBM Model M 1391401 (modded to UNIX layout) -- IBM 1397000 (also UNIX layout) -- SSK in UNIX layout -- Model F 122 key in UNIX layout (Soarer USB "native")
 
CST L-TracX trackball -- Kensington Expert Mouse trackball

Offline aggiejy

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #12 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 16:20:22 »
Quote from: lysol;380450
keymap software, map it to nothing / dead key.


Yes, I'm indeed working on that, but unfortunately it's spitting out macros and such.  Nothing that my remapping software seems to understand.  (And I've remapped just about every weird key on every board I've had...)

But hopefully I'll figure that out.  (Of course the manufacturer says firmware built into the ROM, no way to work around, blah blah blah.)  


In other news... In case it's helpful to anyone, I ended up with this ghetto way to keep the switch up as I push the switch on:

[ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 20815[/ATTACH] [ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 20816[/ATTACH]

Just lower the switch, stick some folded post-it note paper in there, pull the switch up with tweezers so that there's a bind.  It will still go down if you push hard enough, but if you do it right, you'll get the cap on.  I only used one washer so the two keys do sit just a tad low compared to the others.  I could have added 2 (smaller) washers to each if I cared about that.

So now it's my dedicated calculator keypad to go along with my 7" iMo.
[ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 20817[/ATTACH]

It'll do donkey, it'll do.
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Offline IvanIvanovich

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #13 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 16:28:12 »
Yes, function is usually impossible to remap unless it's a fn labeled alt gr, but the numlock and shift should be doable.
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Offline REVENGE

  • Posts: 568
Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #14 on: Thu, 14 July 2011, 21:16:32 »
lol they're not compatible with Macs? That's interesting... I'm sorry I wasn't able to test for that before I sold them, didn't even think there would be a problem. I don't think any of this can be fixed in software, the Numlock does not actually send a scancode to the computer, it's only for controlling Numlock on the keypad itself.

Anyways, nice MacGyvering. :P
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Offline The Solutor

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Good hack for blocking an MX key/switch?
« Reply #15 on: Fri, 15 July 2011, 04:44:46 »
Quote
lol they're not compatible with Macs?


No, you need an Apple labeled washer. :happy:
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