[3D-Printed] SP/DSA travel reducer add-on to support o-rings

[KHAANNN]

The stem-holder of a signature plastics DSA keycap is ~6mm in diameters
I found 2mm reduction to be optimal, otherwise the stem of the Cherry MX can't easily be inserted, ~1mm of the stem sometimes remains free, which eliminates the purpose of an o-ring, as the switch just bottoms out with that extra 1mm

This is an optimized design, likely my v5 or v6, but a 6mm hole/8mm outer shell, 2mm high, circle or square would also work, this is harder to print than a simple circle or square, yet the extra space lets the o-ring squeeze easier, which helps when putting on the keycap, which requires some added force in any case

I don't know if you guys noticed, but the SP/DSA caps sound horrible, especially on bottom outs, although the o-ring mod works, the bottom out still produces a thock sound, lesser than the naked version, but a bottom out sound is still there, so I don't recommend this mod, I don't know why they sound bad, likely because the switch bottom outs from only one angle, while on travel reduced keycaps, the bottom out is more homogenous

Better mod the switches with the trampoline mod, or just leave them free, in any case, the sound will be bad, I like SP caps nevertheless, yet they are almost impossible to use with Cherry MX Green's, other switches are ~bearable, so If you are buying a board to put SP caps on, red, brown, clear, blue, black, green's would be the order that they go well with

[Lpwl]

I prefer my own method (stacking O-rings) but I guess both techniques work pretty well 

[KHAANNN]

That's a very juicy o-ring, never seen one like that, I recently ordered a pack of all the o-rings imsto is selling, I'm guessing the thick ones are similar to those, very interesting

---- the result of my experiment ----

I've been using a mixed set of double o-rings and this 3d printed travel reducer + single o-ring, I have to say I can't differentiate them, which is good, so I decided to use the travel reducers instead, as they are easy to print in bulk, and o-rings are scarce (outside US, it takes 1-4 weeks for a set of o-rings to arrive) - It would also be possible to adjust their heights, but I found the default height I used to be optimal, it worked with all the o-rings I've tested (WASD's and the ebay ones)

The travel reducing business is more complicated than it seems, there is a small window that should be created, so that the activation should happen, but the bottom out shouldn't, the setup should be squishy enough to allow a complete insertion of the keycap, which is the actual challenge, to top these off, the o-rings should be firm ones so that they won't slide down and screw the whole experience up

Both double WASD blue o-rings and 3d+single-blue o-rings passed my tests tho



I'm not sure whether to use o-rings or trampoline mod the switches for my future diy keyboards tho, the trampoline mod / imsto balls might reduce the travel too much, they are also not removable, they also make me paranoid a bit, as they might degrade and break down in the future, or get stuck in the pole, or reduce the travel too much and become disturbing etc. - the keycap mods however, are simpler and more easily reversible, yet less robust

[mszy52]

What do these inserts do?

[KHAANNN]

What do these inserts do?

Without these regular o-rings don't reduce travel with Signature Plastics keycaps

Or you have to use 2 o-rings each for 2 keycaps

Or you need to find thicker o-rings