Author Topic: Topre 30g mod/group buy?  (Read 6909 times)

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Offline khaangaaroo

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Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« on: Tue, 25 September 2012, 10:29:07 »
My variable weighted Realforce 87U arrived yesterday. Sadly, I don't think I like the 45g weighting very much. The four 30g keys, however, feel amazing! It doesn't seem like there's an option for an all 30g Realforce in ANSI. So what I'm thinking of doing is this buying one of these and swapping the domes:

http://www.geekstuff4u.com/realforce-108udk-all30g-keyboard.html#.UGHHFY1lSc4

I really only care about making the 26 lettered keys 30g. There's 108 keys on the 108UDK. So that's enough for 4 of these mods. If people are interested in doing the same, I would be down for splitting the cost of the doner board. Let me know what you guys think.

Maybe even talk me out of Topres all together so I can go back to mx reds.

Offline nar

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 25 September 2012, 10:48:16 »
Well if your going to be buying 30g weighted 108UDKs its $100 cheaper to just get them off of Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%9D%B1%E3%83%97%E3%83%AC-Realforce108UDK-%E9%9D%99%E9%9B%BB%E5%AE%B9%E9%87%8F%E7%84%A1%E6%8E%A5%E7%82%B9USB%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9C%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89-%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E108%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%81%8B%E3%81%AA%E3%81%AA%E3%81%97-SJ38C0/dp/B003H04YIO/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1348588001&sr=1-1

P.S. They do have international shipping as well, they can't ship some stuff out of Japan, but I don't think this is one of them.
Keyboards: Topre HE0100 | REALFORCE 103UB & 104UB-DK | FILCO Majestouch 2 Ai Cherry MX Blue | CHERRY G84-4101SPAUS

Offline khaangaaroo

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 25 September 2012, 11:00:36 »
Awesome, thanks for the link!

Offline thegunner100

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 25 September 2012, 11:02:39 »
You might as well just learn the JIS layout at that price point. GLWIC!
Input Devices:CM QF Rapidx2 ~ REALFORCE 87uw 45/55g ~ Logitech G5v2 ~ Wacom Bamboo CTH-460

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Offline nar

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 25 September 2012, 15:17:15 »
Is there import tax on this?

If by import tax you mean tax to pay upon its arrival in your country, I'd have to say that depends on what country your in. I know in Canada we don't have to pay Duty but we have to pay Sales Tax on the declared value if they decide to check it (They don't always do, in fact my experience is that the majority of the time they don't).
Keyboards: Topre HE0100 | REALFORCE 103UB & 104UB-DK | FILCO Majestouch 2 Ai Cherry MX Blue | CHERRY G84-4101SPAUS

Offline khaangaaroo

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 25 September 2012, 15:31:39 »
I wasn't able to check out with a U.S. address. I don't think it's one of the items that qualifies for international shipping. Only books, CDs, and DVDs.

Online tp4tissue

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 25 September 2012, 16:04:28 »
I wasn't able to check out with a U.S. address. I don't think it's one of the items that qualifies for international shipping. Only books, CDs, and DVDs.

Sad news indeed. Sigh..... here's hoping one day we can all buy keyboards from jp... without the hassle.

Offline nar

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 25 September 2012, 16:10:15 »
Well you can still use a forwarding service, since Amazon accepts international payment, its pretty cheap (Plus Amazon's international shipping isn't that cheap anyways since they use a courier).

tenso.com is the main one to go too
I use kaigai-tenso.com which is comparable in price (though for my specific needs its cheaper) but that one is more targeted for overseas Japanese.
Keyboards: Topre HE0100 | REALFORCE 103UB & 104UB-DK | FILCO Majestouch 2 Ai Cherry MX Blue | CHERRY G84-4101SPAUS

Offline TheProfosist

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 25 September 2012, 23:44:46 »
Why not just get the 104 pro 30g?

Offline khaangaaroo

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 26 September 2012, 00:24:49 »
Why not just get the 104 pro 30g?

Oh I didn't know it existed. Are those cheaper or any easier to get?
What I want in the end is a silenced tenkeyless with all (or mostly) 30g. I don't think one exists, so I'm trying to find the cheapest way to get some 30g domes.

Offline TheProfosist

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 26 September 2012, 00:28:31 »
Youd have to ask qtan or lin about the price and availability though i may be looking for one if ek doesnt stock any. Also kinda looking at one of the boards with cylindrical keycaps.

Offline khaangaaroo

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 26 September 2012, 00:58:14 »
Well, it's good to know that there are several options out there for a doner board. I guess what I'm looking for now is other people who might want the same mod done to their boards, so we can split the cost. I don't think it's worth it to sacrifice an expensive, hard-to-acquire board just for one other board I have.

Offline Icarium

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 26 September 2012, 05:55:05 »
I would love to get my hands on a realforce with JIS layout. So I am also interested in how to get them internationally. Let me know if you come up with anything!
I had a sig once but it's gone. It used to display an icon of a Kinesis. Just imagine that.

Offline nar

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 26 September 2012, 12:24:50 »
I would love to get my hands on a realforce with JIS layout. So I am also interested in how to get them internationally. Let me know if you come up with anything!

I actually just bought a bunch of electronics and stuff from Amazon.co.jp last night XD
Keyboards: Topre HE0100 | REALFORCE 103UB & 104UB-DK | FILCO Majestouch 2 Ai Cherry MX Blue | CHERRY G84-4101SPAUS

Offline khaangaaroo

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #15 on: Thu, 27 September 2012, 02:33:39 »
it's past my bedtime... im tired and delirious... i just splurged on the 108UDK on amazon.co.jp through tenso.

If anyone wants an all 45g JIS layout Realforce once I'm all done swapping domes, let me know.
I'm also looking to buy a silenced variable weighted 87u in black. I would prefer to buy used since I'm taking it apart anyways.
« Last Edit: Thu, 27 September 2012, 02:42:14 by khaangaaroo »

Offline metalliqaz

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #16 on: Fri, 28 September 2012, 11:48:48 »
lol, if you don't like the variable, why buy another? :)

Anyway, use that .jp uniform 30g for a little while before you tear it apart... I find that the 30g keys are very easy to activate when you mis-type.  Might be something that would change your mind.

Offline khaangaaroo

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #17 on: Fri, 28 September 2012, 12:06:20 »
Yeah, will definitely put the all 30g through a few test runs before taking it to the operating room.

I want to do the mod to the second variable too, so I can have one board at home and one for work. I want as many 30g domes as possible, so getting another variable will give me a few more to work with than if I were to get a uniform. Plus, I really like the silenced keys, and I think they only come in variable.

Offline metalliqaz

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #18 on: Fri, 28 September 2012, 12:12:24 »
Yeah, Topre silenced > *
(I'm a recent convert, not looking forward to obtaining a HHKB type-S :( )

Offline khaangaaroo

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #19 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 18:28:07 »
Keyboard arrived from Japan today. Initially, I wasn't too impressed with the feel of uniform 30g. Maybe I just wasn't used to it, or perhaps the JIS layout threw me off. But I decided to go through with it anyways and put it under the knife. I took half the domes from the 108UDK and put them in my 87u 10th AE. The silencing made a huge difference in the way the 30g domes feel. I'm loving it so much right now. I never thought the phrase "typing on a cloud of boobies" was very accurate in describing keyboards until now.  ;D


Offline crmb

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #20 on: Fri, 03 October 2014, 16:14:15 »
i got a realforce full size 45g (ISO AZERTY) to replace a mx brown.
(The noise at night, even with o-ring started to annoy me after 2 years)

I am super happy with the realforce noise, this is night and day however I find the realforce a bit stiff.
Actually, just the letters and numbers.
So I checked and found that most of the keys (ctrl, alt, enter, numpad, ins, arrow..) are ~40g, and the letter and number are more like ~50g. It must be "in spec" but still, a bit disapointing

I think i may like the 30g. Is the swap process really easy ?

Offline SpAmRaY

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #21 on: Fri, 03 October 2014, 16:15:15 »
that almost exactly 2 year necro....nice....

Offline crmb

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #22 on: Fri, 03 October 2014, 16:22:31 »
i can make a new thread put it is related so..

Offline SpAmRaY

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #23 on: Fri, 03 October 2014, 16:28:09 »
Well to answer the question swapping domes in a realforce is fairly straightforward and easy assuming you have the 30g board to swap from.

You just have to be very careful not to lose any of the springs and I'm not 100% sure if all the full size models have the same dome sheets, I would assume they are very similar or the same.

Offline crmb

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Re: Topre 30g mod/group buy?
« Reply #24 on: Sat, 04 October 2014, 11:14:03 »
Thank you

I was happy with the keyboard at first, but after a few days (and getting tired hands) i started to feel obvious differences between keys. Letters felt heavy and some keys were really lighter.

I checked the board and my keys are between 40 and 53. As much as i like the =<45, i don't like the 50+ (which actually are all the letters...).




So i am not sure about the 30g swap, if i get 10g difference between keys i will be annoyed anyway.
I would rather get a *real* all 45
I read about the +/- 15 tolerence. This is ridiculous because you can feel a 3g difference.

I sent a message to the shop. If it is not an assembly mistake (like using a 55g sheet by mistake) i am really disapointed and will consider going back to MX :(


« Last Edit: Sat, 04 October 2014, 18:33:32 by crmb »