How long does it take you to swap key caps?

[SpAmRaY]

I'm sure this thread exists but I need to try out this keyboard I'm using so I wanted to type something up.

I just swapped caps from one realforce 87U to another realforce 87U and I'm thinking it took me around 15 minutes, that's with me playing with the space bar spring etc. And sitting on the couch listening to headphones at the same time so I wasn't trying to see how fast I could do it.

Just curious how long does it normally take you to swap a set of caps?

Maybe we should have speed runs, of course we wouldn't want any broken stems so please, swap caps responsibly. 

[ideus]

I'm sure this thread exists but I need to try out this keyboard I'm using so I wanted to type something up.

I just swapped caps from one realforce 87U to another realforce 87U and I'm thinking it took me around 15 minutes, that's with me playing with the space bar spring etc. And sitting on the couch listening to headphones at the same time so I wasn't trying to see how fast I could do it.

Just curious how long does it normally take you to swap a set of caps?

Maybe we should have speed runs, of course we wouldn't want any broken stems so please, swap caps responsibly. 

Maybe the same here, but I only use under TKLs, so maybe I am slower than you.

[Zeal]

Swapping unsorted blanks take the longest. Good thing Cherry POM caps have roman numerals underneath.

Vortex blanks on the other hand...

[Sent]

Yeah...if it's unsorted blanks...takes me a while.  Otherwise...dunno.  Should time myself.

[Moralless]

Swapping unsorted blanks take the longest.

I learnt this the hard way when I took my hhkb apart to lube it for the first time 

But yeah I think it takes me around 10-15 mins when I switching keysets around and a bit faster on boards with cherry stabilizers and not co star.

[noisyturtle]

When it's set swappin' day it's also board cleaning day, so I usually spend a good 2-3hrs taking everything apart for cleaning and putting it back together again. This only happens like twice a year.

[SpAmRaY]

I'm just sitting here thinking other than my main daily driver I don't use my other keyboards long enough that they need cleaning.

[exitfire401]

10 minutes at the longest for me. Thankfully, I have no blanks haha

[rowdy]

I have never timed myself.  It is an interesting question to ponder.

Costar stabs takes me longer.  Also I tend to clean the keyboard while the keycaps are off.  And also take pictures during installation of the new set.

[Corey]

Cleaned my key caps today and realized upon putting them back on that I have no idea where they even go. I can sit here and touch type but when it comes to knowing where each and every cap is I'm lost. It took me a while cause I was looking at a picture 

[Melvang]

Thank you for the idea guys.

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=68459.0

[rowdy]

I was wondering whether SpAmRaY actually asked the question to gauge the competition for this giveaway )

[drewba]

Thank you for the idea guys.

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=68459.0

:O Now there's an idea...

To answer the question though, I'm with Rowdy. I probably take about 15 minutes to remove everything but I end up lubing stabs, getting rid of dust and taking pictures. Real time ~1 hour?

[GenKaan]

Taking off caps, cleaning them, drying them, cleaning the board (not taking it apart) and putting the caps back on takes a little over an hour for me. Never tried doing it as quick as possible, most of the time listing to a audiobook so I dont mind it taking some time

Going to put on some up tempo music and time myself next time!

[bueller]

Too long. I have real trouble staying focused on tedious jobs so things like swapping caps usually takes me a few hours. It's one of the reasons I don't bother trying to do my own builds any more, soldering my GH60 probably took me 2-3 days and in the end I still needed to send it off for troubleshooting because of a diode that was soldered on backwards at the factory.

Which reminds me, I really need to take my Classic Beige set off my work board and give them a clean. Don't think I've cleaned them other than a quick wipe since I bought them :\

[katushkin]

A lot longer than that. Especially if a board has Costar stabs *shudder* or they inserts for the caps to go onto said stabilisers are over used and keep falling out *double shudder*

Usually with a keyset change comes a deep clean, so it takes me a while usually.

[azhdar]

I think it's a lot faster with the platic keycap puller than the wire type but it's way more agressive to the keycap.

[HPE1000]

If the keycaps are blank, it takes some time, as everyone else says. But it takes even longer if the keycaps are cherry profile because, at least from my experience, those wire keypullers can dig into the keycaps and dent them. So if I am swapping out cherry profile keycaps, I usually use the wire keypuller for the 1x keys and then floss for the 1.25, 1.5+ size keycaps. That takes a lot of time, I have not timed it but probably 25 mins if they are cherry profile.

[SpAmRaY]

If the keycaps are blank, it takes some time, as everyone else says. But it takes even longer if the keycaps are cherry profile because, at least from my experience, those wire keypullers can dig into the keycaps and dent them. So if I am swapping out cherry profile keycaps, I usually use the wire keypuller for the 1x keys and then floss for the 1.25, 1.5+ size keycaps. That takes a lot of time, I have not timed it but probably 25 mins if they are cherry profile.

Don't hear too many people mention using floss that is interesting.

[HPE1000]

If the keycaps are blank, it takes some time, as everyone else says. But it takes even longer if the keycaps are cherry profile because, at least from my experience, those wire keypullers can dig into the keycaps and dent them. So if I am swapping out cherry profile keycaps, I usually use the wire keypuller for the 1x keys and then floss for the 1.25, 1.5+ size keycaps. That takes a lot of time, I have not timed it but probably 25 mins if they are cherry profile.

Don't hear too many people mention using floss that is interesting.

I use it every time I take off an artisan keycap that can't be pulled off with my hand. Much safer than any other way I have found.

[SpAmRaY]

If the keycaps are blank, it takes some time, as everyone else says. But it takes even longer if the keycaps are cherry profile because, at least from my experience, those wire keypullers can dig into the keycaps and dent them. So if I am swapping out cherry profile keycaps, I usually use the wire keypuller for the 1x keys and then floss for the 1.25, 1.5+ size keycaps. That takes a lot of time, I have not timed it but probably 25 mins if they are cherry profile.

Don't hear too many people mention using floss that is interesting.

I use it every time I take off an artisan keycap that can't be pulled off with my hand. Much safer than any other way I have found.

I use this for pretty much everything

[monotagary]

I swapped blank black keycaps for blank white/grey on my HHKB. Probably only took about 10 minutes since they were sorted, but I have taken off the blanks on my HHKB to clean it. I just left them in a big pile... putting them all back on took about 25 minutes since I had to resort them by row first.

[swornxin]

I would probably guess around 15 minutes.  Like someone else said, it's faster with Cherry stabs as opposed to Costar.  Maybe I will time myself next time I have to change.

[Cheese!]

Well...I start with all intentions just to swap the keys, then it becomes a full blown cleaning mission...so up to an hour and a half...then put another hour if I am watching a film. Efficiency is not my strong suit.

[BrewCaps]

Usually in a BB halftime.

[base_on_base]

I watch a movie while switching caps so ≈2 hours[length of the movie]. I could definitely switch keycaps faster than that but I'm never really in a situation where I have to replace a whole set quickly.