Simple Questions, Simple Answers (FAQ in the OP)

[Pacifist]

What are mandolin crystals?

magic

[hwood34]

What are mandolin crystals?

It's an inside joke. There was a user named Mandolin who was trying to sell Model M keyboards with what he called "rare crystals" in them. He was advertising his eBay auctions are ridiculous markups since he had these crystals in.

Everything makes more sense now

[Puddsy]

How do I flip the spacebar on a Realforce 87U?

[SpAmRaY]

How do I flip the spacebar on a Realforce 87U?

very carefully

[CPTBadAss]

How do I flip the spacebar on a Realforce 87U?

Is it not the same as the MX spacebars? Pull it off then flip it around and push it back in place?

[Puddsy]

How do I flip the spacebar on a Realforce 87U?

Is it not the same as the MX spacebars? Pull it off then flip it around and push it back in place?

According to retspiR, it's more complex than that.

[CPTBadAss]

How do I flip the spacebar on a Realforce 87U?

Is it not the same as the MX spacebars? Pull it off then flip it around and push it back in place?

According to retspiR, it's more complex than that.

According to Ripster's imgur (found from this post), you just support both sides of the spacebar and pull it off. Then flip it around. I don't see anything else that would make it more difficult than that.

[Puddsy]

How do I flip the spacebar on a Realforce 87U?

Is it not the same as the MX spacebars? Pull it off then flip it around and push it back in place?

According to retspiR, it's more complex than that.

According to Ripster's imgur (found from this post), you just support both sides of the spacebar and pull it off. Then flip it around. I don't see anything else that would make it more difficult than that.

that was surprisingly easy.

well then

[epzy]

What's wrong? I have a pretty good idea, but want to make sure. Perhaps someone else has had this happen before.

[riotonthebay]

What's wrong? I have a pretty good idea, but want to make sure. Perhaps someone else has had this happen before.

Show Image

I did some analysis, and I think I've isolated the issue:

[epzy]

I wanna know why it's stuck. I think it's not perfectly lined up under there, so will open it up tomorrow.

[BlueBär]

I did some analysis, and I think I've isolated the issue:

Show Image

Wow! Revolutionary!

Is the dome underneath correctly seated?

[epzy]

I did some analysis, and I think I've isolated the issue:

Show Image

Wow! Revolutionary!

Is the dome underneath correctly seated?

Should be, but it might have moved a little while I was fastening the screws. Will try again tomorrow, but this time I'll hold the plate/pcb real tight while fastening the screws so there's zero chance of movement.

When I just fiddle with the sliders alone though, I feel like they get stuck a lot as well. It's weird...

[CPTBadAss]

I did some analysis, and I think I've isolated the issue:

Show Image

Wow! Revolutionary!

Is the dome underneath correctly seated?

Should be, but it might have moved a little while I was fastening the screws. Will try again tomorrow, but this time I'll hold the plate/pcb real tight while fastening the screws so there's zero chance of movement.

When I just fiddle with the sliders alone though, I feel like they get stuck a lot as well. It's weird...

Sounds like something in the stack of parts isn't aligned correctly. Try reseating everything.

[rowdy]

Is it normal behaviour to be searching on eBay for the term "key caps" at times I care not to mention (very AM people). 

Around here - yes

[Lastpilot]

Is it normal behaviour to be searching on eBay for the term "key caps" at times I care not to mention (very AM people). 

Around here - yes

Yep. I actually just use "mx cherry" as my regular search term.

[SpAmRaY]

I did some analysis, and I think I've isolated the issue:

Show Image

Wow! Revolutionary!

Is the dome underneath correctly seated?

Should be, but it might have moved a little while I was fastening the screws. Will try again tomorrow, but this time I'll hold the plate/pcb real tight while fastening the screws so there's zero chance of movement.

When I just fiddle with the sliders alone though, I feel like they get stuck a lot as well. It's weird...

Can't say I've ever had that problem. What I do is support the plate/case top and put the domes/springs in it and then screw the PCB to it.

[epzy]

I did some analysis, and I think I've isolated the issue:

Show Image

Wow! Revolutionary!

Is the dome underneath correctly seated?

Should be, but it might have moved a little while I was fastening the screws. Will try again tomorrow, but this time I'll hold the plate/pcb real tight while fastening the screws so there's zero chance of movement.

When I just fiddle with the sliders alone though, I feel like they get stuck a lot as well. It's weird...

Sounds like something in the stack of parts isn't aligned correctly. Try reseating everything.

Yes, sir. :)

[ajx]

Where can i find KBT Pure backlit?
Preferably with white led and mx-red
It seems to be out of stock everywhere

[SpAmRaY]

Where can i find KBT Pure backlit?
Preferably with white led and mx-red
It seems to be out of stock anywhere

Not the switch or color but you can find a couple for sale in this thread http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48727.0

[Lastpilot]

Where can i find KBT Pure backlit?
Preferably with white led and mx-red
It seems to be out of stock everywhere

BTW, the KBT Pure was never sold from factory with white LED's.

[hcry4]

Where can i find KBT Pure backlit?
Preferably with white led and mx-red
It seems to be out of stock everywhere

BTW, the KBT Pure was never sold from factory with white LED's.

Really? I got this one before it was sold out.

[Lastpilot]

LOL WAT?! Wow, consider me corrected. I am still very new here. Never seen that model ever, nice catch!

[ajx]

LOL WAT?! Wow, consider me corrected. I am still very new here. Never seen that model ever, nice catch!

i sold mine lol and regret it now
There is Pure Pro in white led but some downsides to me
small spacebar and backspace

[hudson0804]

I have purchased some O rings for my mx brown ducky. 

do you guys just do the alphanumeric keys or the whole board?

[infiniti]

I have purchased some O rings for my mx brown ducky. 

do you guys just do the alphanumeric keys or the whole board?

I put mine on all the keys to keep things uniform.

[epzy]

I have purchased some O rings for my mx brown ducky. 

do you guys just do the alphanumeric keys or the whole board?

I have never seen someone do just the alphas, or just the mods, but that'd be up to you. Personally I  have always gone for o-rings across the whole board. I like a uniform feel.

[hudson0804]

I think this is probably more laziness than anything.. 108 keys seems a lot.

I shall do the lot. 

thanks

[epzy]

Hence why you should get a 60%.

But in all seriousness; installing o-rings isn't too much work, at least compared to other mods like stickering, lubing, soldering, desoldering etc.

[kaz]

I've got a couple hundred spare Cherry Black switches lying around. Are there any DIY kits including PCB/case I could drop them into?

[Candyflip]

I've got a couple hundred spare Cherry Black switches lying around. Are there any DIY kits including PCB/case I could drop them into?

You can drop them in my mail
In other news a Phantom project sounds good but at additional cost sadly.

[BlueBär]

I've got a couple hundred spare Cherry Black switches lying around. Are there any DIY kits including PCB/case I could drop them into?

Sprit's GB has nice PCBs and cases. There's also the Phantom PCB which you can get from mechanicalkeyboards.com, but that doesn't include a case. You can also get a GH60 (also PCB only) in the classifieds when the GB is finished.

[kaz]

Cheers, I'll check them out.

[CPTBadAss]

Where can i find KBT Pure backlit?
Preferably with white led and mx-red
It seems to be out of stock everywhere

I think MK.com is your best shot besides the Classifieds. You can try using their incoming stock page to see when they'll restock more Pures.

[BlueBär]

I think MK.com is your best shot besides the Classifieds. You can try using their incoming stock page to see when they'll restock more Pures.

I don't think the KBT Pure is in production anymore.

[swill]

To all the people who make custom cables.

If you use Paracord.  I am assuming you are using the 550 Paracord Type III with 7 or 9 internal strands and 550lbs break strength.  In your experience does the 7 or 9 strand work better for cable sheathing?  I have heard that it can be hit and miss with Paracord being big enough in some cases.

I will be using a 28/24 USB cable (so it might be slightly bigger than standard USB cable).  Does anyone have recommendations for the right Paracord to buy? 

[CPTBadAss]

I think MK.com is your best shot besides the Classifieds. You can try using their incoming stock page to see when they'll restock more Pures.

I don't think the KBT Pure is in production anymore.

Thought it was only the Poker X that was getting phased out.

[BlueBär]

If you use Paracord.  I am assuming you are using the 550 Paracord Type III with 7 or 9 internal strands and 550lbs break strength.  In your experience does the 7 or 9 strand work better for cable sheathing?  I have heard that it can be hit and miss with Paracord being big enough in some cases.

I will be using a 28/24 USB cable (so it might be slightly bigger than standard USB cable).  Does anyone have recommendations for the right Paracord to buy? 

I guess the 9 strand might work better than the 7 strand one, since it is probably a bit thicker. I would also recommend rather using a thinner than usual USB cable.

Thought it was only the Poker X that was getting phased out.

There recently was a post with somebody saying that people asked for a KBT Pure Replica from Vortex (basically a KBT Pure with PN layer and a plate I guess) because they were not happy with the Pure Pro, and they're out of stock pretty much everywhere now, which makes me conclude that they stopped producing them as soon as the Pure Pro came out or even earlier. Same for Poker X and Poker II.

[hudson0804]

I have a new hoddy.  I need to embrace my new found hobby.

I'd like to build my own keyboard (not from scratch you understand) but want something I can say.. yes I assembled/built that.

Are there any kits/vendors that you can advise on.

I am quite handy with a soldering iron. 

Any suggestions? 

[CPTBadAss]

I'd like to build my own keyboard (not from scratch you understand) but want something I can say.. yes I assembled/built that.

Are there any kits/vendors that you can advise on.

Any suggestions?

Easiest PCBs to get right now are the Phantom (from MK.com), Ergodox (from Massdrop), and Sprit (from the GB sub-forum) ones. You might also be able to get a GH60 when that comes out. Korean boards such as the KMAC and LZ boards are also options.

You can also buy a stock board and modify it with switch swaps, spring swapping, or LED changes. For example making lubed ergo-clears or Jailhouse Blues.

I recommend you take a drive through Making Stuff Together to see what's out there in terms of custom stuff.

[swill]

If you use Paracord.  I am assuming you are using the 550 Paracord Type III with 7 or 9 internal strands and 550lbs break strength.  In your experience does the 7 or 9 strand work better for cable sheathing?  I have heard that it can be hit and miss with Paracord being big enough in some cases.

I will be using a 28/24 USB cable (so it might be slightly bigger than standard USB cable).  Does anyone have recommendations for the right Paracord to buy? 

I guess the 9 strand might work better than the 7 strand one, since it is probably a bit thicker. I would also recommend rather using a thinner than usual USB cable.

Thanks for the answer.  That is also what I was thinking...  I want to use the 28/24 instead of the 28/28 because I will not be creating cables only for keyboards.  If you try to use 28/28 as a power cable for newer devices like phones, tablets, etc, you will find that they do not charge correctly.  These new devices require the extra power draw that the 24 gauge wire provides.

I know that MDPC-X is an alternative to Paracord, but it is much harder to get my hands on, so I have not gone that route yet...

[Zeal]

To all the people who make custom cables.

If you use Paracord.  I am assuming you are using the 550 Paracord Type III with 7 or 9 internal strands and 550lbs break strength.  In your experience does the 7 or 9 strand work better for cable sheathing?  I have heard that it can be hit and miss with Paracord being big enough in some cases.

I will be using a 28/24 USB cable (so it might be slightly bigger than standard USB cable).  Does anyone have recommendations for the right Paracord to buy?

I haven't tried many varieties of 550lb Paracord, but the few ones I have with 7 internal strands are a snug fit on 28/28 AWG USB Cables. The ID of paracord can vary from manufacture to manufacture.

[swill]

To all the people who make custom cables.

If you use Paracord.  I am assuming you are using the 550 Paracord Type III with 7 or 9 internal strands and 550lbs break strength.  In your experience does the 7 or 9 strand work better for cable sheathing?  I have heard that it can be hit and miss with Paracord being big enough in some cases.

I will be using a 28/24 USB cable (so it might be slightly bigger than standard USB cable).  Does anyone have recommendations for the right Paracord to buy?

I haven't tried many varieties of 550lb Paracord, but the few ones I have with 7 internal strands are a snug fit on 28/28 AWG USB Cables. The ID of paracord can vary from manufacture to manufacture.

Thank you, that is very helpful. 

[BlueBär]

Thanks for the answer.  That is also what I was thinking...  I want to use the 28/24 instead of the 28/28 because I will not be creating cables only for keyboards.  If you try to use 28/28 as a power cable for newer devices like phones, tablets, etc, you will find that they do not charge correctly.  These new devices require the extra power draw that the 24 gauge wire provides.

I doubt that it really is that much a of a problem as USB should only provide 5V anyways. For example, the cable from my Nexus 4 is a lot thinner in comparison to the cable that came with my Pure. If a device doesn't charge correctly on a certain cable, something is wrong with the cable and it's probably not its thickness.

[swill]

Thanks for the answer.  That is also what I was thinking...  I want to use the 28/24 instead of the 28/28 because I will not be creating cables only for keyboards.  If you try to use 28/28 as a power cable for newer devices like phones, tablets, etc, you will find that they do not charge correctly.  These new devices require the extra power draw that the 24 gauge wire provides.

I doubt that it really is that much a of a problem as USB should only provide 5V anyways. For example, the cable from my Nexus 4 is a lot thinner in comparison to the cable that came with my Pure. If a device doesn't charge correctly on a certain cable, something is wrong with the cable and it's probably not its thickness.

In doing research on the topic, this is what I have found.  I have not had the chance to test the two side by side, but I found a few examples where people were having problems with this.  If I remember correctly, I think the Nexus 7 requires a 28/24 cable to charge correctly.  I believe it just charges VERY slowly without it.

[BlueBär]

In doing research on the topic, this is what I have found.  I have not had the chance to test the two side by side, but I found a few examples where people were having problems with this.  If I remember correctly, I think the Nexus 7 requires a 28/24 cable to charge correctly.  I believe it just charges VERY slowly without it.

Interesting. Well if you've done some research on it I'll believe you

[swill]

In doing research on the topic, this is what I have found.  I have not had the chance to test the two side by side, but I found a few examples where people were having problems with this.  If I remember correctly, I think the Nexus 7 requires a 28/24 cable to charge correctly.  I believe it just charges VERY slowly without it.

Interesting. Well if you've done some research on it I'll believe you

Ya, it is not obvious at all.  Here is an example.  If you google stuff like "Nexus 7 USB cable type" you will find all sorts of stuff about people having problems using cables other than the one that came with the device.

[Zeal]

In doing research on the topic, this is what I have found.  I have not had the chance to test the two side by side, but I found a few examples where people were having problems with this.  If I remember correctly, I think the Nexus 7 requires a 28/24 cable to charge correctly.  I believe it just charges VERY slowly without it.

Interesting. Well if you've done some research on it I'll believe you

Ya, it is not obvious at all.  Here is an example.  If you google stuff like "Nexus 7 USB cable type" you will find all sorts of stuff about people having problems using cables other than the one that came with the device.

Yep, it's the amperage that determines how fast a smart phone/tablet can charge.
Here's a helpful tip from L-Com. You also have to take into consideration cable length & the added resistance.

[rowdy]

Were Skidata keyboard (the big blue ones with orange on charcoal keycaps) available in ANSI layout?

I have only ever seen ISO ones on GH, and a Google image search only seems to show ISO too.

[BlueBär]

Were Skidata keyboard (the big blue ones with orange on charcoal keycaps) available in ANSI layout?

I have only ever seen ISO ones on GH, and a Google image search only seems to show ISO too.

I'm pretty sure I saw a ANSI one once.