Simple Questions, Simple Answers (FAQ in the OP)

[Vozella]

Before I start a dedicated thread, I must ask. Is it possible to cut off the numpad of a membrane keyboard and have it still work?

really depends on the connections on the membrane.  I would say no to be safe without looking

Before I start a dedicated thread, I must ask. Is it possible to cut off the numpad of a membrane keyboard and have it still work?

hmmm....I know with like a Model M you can fold the membrane back and with keyboards with PCBs, you can rewire them to work. I don't see why it wouldn't but I don't know 100%.

I forgot to say it's the Logitech K120. If it's possible with other keyboards, maybe there's someone else who's done it on this keyboard. I'll look around. Thanks.

[jonathanyu]

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

[nmur]

why is the ctrl key on Realforce boards so different?

[Blaise170]

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

Much smoother and slightly lighter.

[alienman82]

removed.

[jonathanyu]

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

Much smoother and slightly lighter.

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

Agree with blaise.  I can type on either for long periods, but blues are better

  I have just tried alps white about two weeks ago, and they feel amazing to me already. So much better than I thought.

[alienman82]

removed.

[E3E]

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

Much smoother and slightly lighter.

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

Agree with blaise.  I can type on either for long periods, but blues are better

  I have just tried alps white about two weeks ago, and they feel amazing to me already. So much better than I thought.

Try brown alps!!  I want to compare them to topre, but I don't have much topre right now...

Can't wait until my brown tactile Alps come in. Hopefully I like them more than the fiasco that was SKCM Ambers (they weren't THAT bad, but to blues... ehhh). If these really feel like Topre, then they'll be a good gateway into the Topre world once the Stormtrooper 30g silenced Topre board comes out.

That will be mine.

[jonathanyu]

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

Much smoother and slightly lighter.

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

Agree with blaise.  I can type on either for long periods, but blues are better

  I have just tried alps white about two weeks ago, and they feel amazing to me already. So much better than I thought.

Try brown alps!!  I want to compare them to topre, but I don't have much topre right now...

I hope I get some luck to find more alps board  ) I am quite interested in them now....

[moemoe666]

does RACE 2's pcb support both ANSI and ISO?
mine is ANSI now but have idea to change into ISO while changing leds / switches.

[CPTBadAss]

does RACE 2's pcb support both ANSI and ISO?
mine is ANSI now but have idea to change into ISO while changing leds / switches.

I mean even if it doesn't, you can modify the PCB to work with ISO. infiniti did it on his Cherry keyboard.

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

Much smoother and slightly lighter.

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

Agree with blaise.  I can type on either for long periods, but blues are better

  I have just tried alps white about two weeks ago, and they feel amazing to me already. So much better than I thought.

Try brown alps!!  I want to compare them to topre, but I don't have much topre right now...

I agree with the opinions here. I find White Alps a bit too heavy. Blues definitely feel lighter and smoother to me. And Mmmmm SKCM Brown Alps are so nice.

[E3E]

does RACE 2's pcb support both ANSI and ISO?
mine is ANSI now but have idea to change into ISO while changing leds / switches.

I mean even if it doesn't, you can modify the PCB to work with ISO. infiniti did it on his Cherry keyboard.

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

Much smoother and slightly lighter.

how does blue alps feel compare to white alps?

Agree with blaise.  I can type on either for long periods, but blues are better

  I have just tried alps white about two weeks ago, and they feel amazing to me already. So much better than I thought.

Try brown alps!!  I want to compare them to topre, but I don't have much topre right now...

I agree with the opinions here. I find White Alps a bit too heavy. Blues definitely feel lighter and smoother to me. And Mmmmm SKCM Brown Alps are so nice.

Two of the switches I have yet to try are in-bound by way of keyboards, so I'm pretty excited to try white (yeah, I've had like 4 SKCM blue boards but no whites, go figure) and SKCM brown. The last switches I need to try aside from the unicorn SKCM green, are SKCM black and SKCM dampened ivory/cream.

There is also that linear cream found on the Bondwell 8T laptop. I've seen one of those go on eBay for a decent price not too long ago. I'm not too interested, since I've found my linear happy place with Alps, but it's always nice to try a new switch!

[xondat]

Where can I find the measurements for standoffs and the USB hole for a 60% case?

[CPTBadAss]

Where can I find the measurements for standoffs and the USB hole for a 60% case?

This thread and Making Stuff Together should be a good start.

[Bromono]

why is the ctrl key on Realforce boards so different?

Right??

Its the only key on my board that does not have a silent slider on -.-

I have no clue on why they would possibly need to make that one key unique...

[xondat]

Where can I find the measurements for standoffs and the USB hole for a 60% case?

This thread and Making Stuff Together should be a good start.

I might be being really dumb but I can't find anything apart from this but it's missing some measurements.

[CPTBadAss]

Where can I find the measurements for standoffs and the USB hole for a 60% case?

This thread and Making Stuff Together should be a good start.

I might be being really dumb but I can't find anything apart from this but it's missing some measurements.

I don't know exactly where those dimensions are nor am I sure where there's open sourced CAD models and drawings for 60% board. That's why I was vague and you'll have to do some digging yourself unless someone else knows.

[xondat]

Where can I find the measurements for standoffs and the USB hole for a 60% case?

This thread and Making Stuff Together should be a good start.

I might be being really dumb but I can't find anything apart from this but it's missing some measurements.

I don't know exactly where those dimensions are nor am I sure where there's open sourced CAD models and drawings for 60% board. That's why I was vague and you'll have to do some digging yourself unless someone else knows.

According to jdcarpe all creators are protective so I'll have to wait till I get my Pok3r I guess

[UsualSuspectXXX]

Before I start a dedicated thread, I must ask. Is it possible to cut off the numpad of a membrane keyboard and have it still work?

I've seen this done a number of times. Specifically with Dell and Lenovo boards. You should be able to find something on Google.

[element72]

I just got the KB paradise v60 and I tried gaming with it. The issue I had was i kept pressing the spacebar on accident. Is there something I can buy to raise the keyboard or give the keyboard legs?

[CPTBadAss]

I just got the KB paradise v60 and I tried gaming with it. The issue I had was i kept pressing the spacebar on accident. Is there something I can buy to raise the keyboard or give the keyboard legs?

3M adhesive bumpons. Search for them on amazon or eBay.

[xondat]

How big do screws for a case have to be? I've heard M3 and M2 been thrown around but not sure about the 4mm, which I'm guessing is the length. For reference I want any PCB to fit; 60% case.

[Eszett]

What kind of stabs do I need for Alps?

[E3E]

What kind of stabs do I need for Alps?

Some vintage Alps boards use Costar, but most tend to use Alps stabs, which are similar in some ways, but the wire used is thin, about 1mm, where costar wire can vary a bit from what I've seen. An old Alps board I have has 1.31mm wire for Costar, but WASD's costar wire and the wire that came with my Infinity is thinner.


Is this for an Alps Party 60%? If so, then you will need Alps stabilizers.

[tofgerl]

How big do screws for a case have to be? I've heard M3 and M2 been thrown around but not sure about the 4mm, which I'm guessing is the length. For reference I want any PCB to fit; 60% case.

Poker takes m2. As for the length, the max length is certainly over 10mm, since I use m2x10mm.

[xondat]

My current measurements are 10.2mm sidewall, plate is flush with top and is 1.5mm tall, standoffs are 2.5mm tall. What length screws will I need?

[Bromono]

Guys,

Jimmy Johns or Pizza Hut?

[ideus]

Guys,

Jimmy Johns or Pizza Hut?

JJ anytime.

[Eszett]

E3E, it's for a custom build. I gonna browse the Alps Party thread fur further information on ALPS stabs ..

[jdcarpe]

My current measurements are 10.2mm sidewall, plate is flush with top and is 1.5mm tall, standoffs are 2.5mm tall. What length screws will I need?

I would make your standoffs just a bit taller, at 3.00 mm. Wall height seems good. For screws, I use M2 x 4mm (0.4 mm pitch) to attach the PCB to the case in all my 60% cases.

[Blaise170]

E3E, it's for a custom build. I gonna browse the Alps Party thread fur further information on ALPS stabs ..

There are two primary types: square Alps type and regular cruciform Costar type.

[tofgerl]

What the HELL is the point of Cherry Plate stabs? PCB stabs are more compatible with plates, more stable AND easier to install!
Am I alone in this?

[tofgerl]

Quick building question. For some reason after taking this keyboard apart and rebuilding it a few times over the last couple of weeks, the enter key no longer registers keypresses. It's not the switch, because I've swapped it a few times. It's not the software, because it works fine on an identical keyboard with the same pcb (Satan 60).
So my solution was to put two switches in the enter position, and skip the stabilizer. Great, right?
Yeah, except now the enter switch no longer fits, since the holes don't align.
My so far I've been using two 1U caps, but since the first one has no effect, I find myself having to stretch my pinky far over to hit the second one.
If I could, I would connect the two 1U caps so that if I press one, the other one also goes down, but that would actually require the stabilizer which no longer has room to work...
So now what?

[xondat]

My current measurements are 10.2mm sidewall, plate is flush with top and is 1.5mm tall, standoffs are 2.5mm tall. What length screws will I need?

I would make your standoffs just a bit taller, at 3.00 mm. Wall height seems good. For screws, I use M2 x 4mm (0.4 mm pitch) to attach the PCB to the case in all my 60% cases.

Do I need to make a whole in the standoffs to ease the threading? I'm not sure how to do the threading, period.

[xondat]

Different question - how much should a 60% aluminum keyboard case run me? I've been quoted £530.

[SpAmRaY]

What the HELL is the point of Cherry Plate stabs? PCB stabs are more compatible with plates, more stable AND easier to install!
Am I alone in this?

Not all PCBs have mounting holes for stabilizers so plate mount are the only option.

[tofgerl]

But they would still be a poor solution. Did plate mounts come first and pcb later?

[Melvang]

What the HELL is the point of Cherry Plate stabs? PCB stabs are more compatible with plates, more stable AND easier to install!
Am I alone in this?

Not all PCBs have mounting holes for stabilizers so plate mount are the only option.

But they would still be a poor solution. Did plate mounts come first and pcb later?

Also, what about hand wired boards that don't even use a PCB.  In this situation, the feel difference between Cherry and Costar is pretty similar, though cherry are quieter and much easier to remove and reinstall caps.

[Melvang]

Different question - how much should a 60% aluminum keyboard case run me? I've been quoted £530.

That doesn't sound that unreasonable for a one off.  For one off parts, you pay a lot in setup fees, and machine time.  Not to mention, they shop doing the work doesn't get any sort of discount for buying raw material in bulk.  Depending on the size of stock needed, it can get much more expensive than what people think.  When you get to buying raw material like this, you are paying for it per pound.

[xondat]

Different question - how much should a 60% aluminum keyboard case run me? I've been quoted £530.

That doesn't sound that unreasonable for a one off.  For one off parts, you pay a lot in setup fees, and machine time.  Not to mention, they shop doing the work doesn't get any sort of discount for buying raw material in bulk.  Depending on the size of stock needed, it can get much more expensive than what people think.  When you get to buying raw material like this, you are paying for it per pound.

Ah, completely forgot price goes down with quantity, for 10 it's a lot lower.

[tofgerl]

Also, what about hand wired boards that don't even use a PCB.  In this situation, the feel difference between Cherry and Costar is pretty similar, though cherry are quieter and much easier to remove and reinstall caps.

Another good point...

Allright, I will deign to allow them exist, but keep them away from me from now on, I never want to see them again by my royal command!

[xondat]

SketchUp file to either STEP, IGS or PARASOLID?

[Jixr]

what are the hot swappable led stand off thingys called? minds going blank.

[user 18]

what are the hot swappable led stand off thingys called? minds going blank.

sip sockets?

[E3E]

what are the hot swappable led stand off thingys called? minds going blank.

Yep, typically SIP sockets. :3

[Jixr]

there ya go, typed everything into ebay and couldn't remember what they were called.

[jdcarpe]

SketchUp file to either STEP, IGS or PARASOLID?

STEP

[xondat]

SketchUp file to either STEP, IGS or PARASOLID?

STEP

I meant to ask a slightly different question: how to get a SketchUp file to either STEP, IGS or PARASOLID?

[jdcarpe]

SketchUp file to either STEP, IGS or PARASOLID?

STEP

I meant to ask a slightly different question: how to get a SketchUp file to either STEP, IGS or PARASOLID?

Oh, haha. Couldn't tell ya, sorry.

[Melvang]

SketchUp file to either STEP, IGS or PARASOLID?

STEP

I meant to ask a slightly different question: how to get a SketchUp file to either STEP, IGS or PARASOLID?

Oh, haha. Couldn't tell ya, sorry.

I don't think there is any, well not that I found a while ago.  This was the biggest reason why I quit using that program.