Author Topic: Keycaps for non-standard arrow keys?  (Read 1458 times)

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Offline Jamesbeat

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Keycaps for non-standard arrow keys?
« on: Fri, 05 April 2013, 20:34:24 »
I needed a keyboard for work, so I just bought a Cherry G80 8113 POS keyboard for $30.
Not a bad deal for what I believe are either MX brown or possibly clear.

Anyway, this keyboard has the arrow keys in an unorthodox position, because the area that they normally occupy is taken up by the built in trackpad.

These keycaps (and many others on the board, such as the function keys) are relegendable.

Since I don't intend to reprogram any of these relegendable keys, and prefer the look of regular keycaps, I thought that I would be able to make an equitable trade with a fellow geekhacker; my relegendable keycaps for their standard function, arrow, page up, page down, home, end etc etc keycaps.

I'm sure I would get plenty of takers, as I imagine relegendable keycaps are hot items for those that need them, but I am concerned about the angle of the keycaps.

The function keys etc should be fine because they are in the normal place, but the arrow keys may be problematic.

Because they are placed higher up, would replacement caps from a conventional keyboard 'lean forwards' because they are designed to be at the bottom of the keyboard?
Would I be able to rotate the caps 180 degrees and make them sit at the correct angle?
If so, would they sit at the same angle as the surrounding keys, or would I end up with a mishmash of different angles?

I am especially interested in replies from people who own one of these keyboards, but any educated guesses are welcome.

I'm afraid I don't have a photo of the keyboard because I haven't received it yet, but googling Cherry G80 8113 will turn up plenty of pictures.
« Last Edit: Fri, 05 April 2013, 20:38:57 by Jamesbeat »

Offline IvanIvanovich

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Re: Keycaps for non-standard arrow keys?
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 05 April 2013, 21:04:26 »
To get cursors for those rows in the correct profile would require sourcing them from some fairly rare and obscure vintage Cherry models that have them on those rows. I would just say to be happy with the relegendables it will make your life more simple. Or you could get blanks without too much difficulty.
« Last Edit: Fri, 05 April 2013, 21:06:09 by IvanIvanovich »

Offline Jamesbeat

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Re: Keycaps for non-standard arrow keys?
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 05 April 2013, 22:13:00 »
I suspected as much.
It's not really a big deal I guess. I already have to become accustomed to them being in the wrong place, may as well get used to them being relegendable too :D

Am I right in thinking that keys from the same row should be a direct swap? (particularly the function keys)
I'd like to trade my fuction keycaps for regular ones, and I'm sure there must be a few people out there that would be eager to trade relegendable function keys for their plain vanilla ones.