Changing phantom layout without desoldering

[The_Beast]

I was thinking it would be nice to change the layout of the phantom from one with a 7x spacebar to one with a 6.25x spacebar. I'd have the plate cut so it supports both bottom rows. However, is it possible to change the cherry stabilizers without desoldering all of the switches? I know I'd have to desolder to change from 7x to 6.25x, but what about the stabilizer

[WhiteFireDragon]

The spacebar is possible, but very hard to maneuver in a way to take out the wire. It's possible, but not practical. Just desolder the switch, that's the easiest and fastest way.

HOWEVER, this isn't the real problem. Having a "universal" bottom row to support both 6.25x and 7x spacebars and the corresponding modifiers won't work because the cut outs will overlap on the plate. If you want a universal design like this, you have to use PCB-mounted stabilizers. Phantom does not have holes in the PCB for PCB-mounted cherry stabilizers, so this won't be possible. This is why for my universal plate design for GH60, the only stabilizer choice is PCB-mouted cherries.

[The_Beast]

The spacebar is possible, but very hard to maneuver in a way to take out the wire. It's possible, but not practical. Just desolder the switch, that's the easiest and fastest way.

HOWEVER, this isn't the real problem. Having a "universal" bottom row to support both 6.25x and 7x spacebars and the corresponding modifiers won't work because the cut outs will overlap on the plate. If you want a universal design like this, you have to use PCB-mounted stabilizers. Phantom does not have holes in the PCB for PCB-mounted cherry stabilizers, so this won't be possible. This is why for my universal plate design for GH60, the only stabilizer choice is PCB-mouted cherries.

Dang, I forgot about the phantom being plate mount cherry only


However, this should work with an A.87 since it supports PCB mount cherry stabilizers. Exactly how hard is it to change pcb mount cherry's with the plate still installed?

[WhiteFireDragon]

If you're talking about the A.87 ps2avr PCB, there is only 1 revision AFAIK, and mine only has 1 location for the spacebar, even though it has multiple positions for the modifiers sizes (1.25x or 1.5x). You won't be able to change between 6.25x and 7x.

Even if you could, PCB-mounted cherry stabs is easily removable without a plate, but once you put in a plate it's near impossible unless you bend the PCB with a decent amount of force. There is not enough clearance to pop the stabs up because the plate is right on top.

[Findecanor]

I was thinking it would be nice to change the layout of the phantom from one with a 7x spacebar to one with a 6.25x spacebar.

Edit: I was wrong.. so I edited my post below.

For some reason that I suppose that only bpiphany knows... there are actually holes in the winkeyless plates for stabilizers for a left-adjusted 6.25u Space Bar, but there is no position for that key's switch either in the plate or on the PCB either for a centred mount or an offset-mount (like Cherry space bars).
Your 6.25u space bar keycap would need to have a centred switch mount so that it would be centred in the 7u space and you would have to cut new holes for the stabilizers.

It should be possible to remove and add Cherry plate-mount stabilizer for the Phantom's space bar afterwards... because there is a guy on Youtube that inserts Cherry stabilizers around an already soldered space bar switch on this Phantom.

Why would you need to use a 6.25u space bar anyway? There would be ugly gaps, and most colours should be available for 7u space bars already.