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Author Topic: Replacement Alps Switches?  (Read 6004 times)

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Offline Kagusaki Wolf

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Replacement Alps Switches?
« on: Tue, 27 August 2013, 18:42:36 »
I was cleaning my keyboard today and while pulling the keycaps off, I noticed the Alt switch was busted.  I looked online and couldn't find a place that sells replacement Alps switches.  Do any of you guys know where I can find replacement switches?  Here's a pic of the switches on my keyboard.  It's a SIIG Suntouch K101.  Btw, it sucks typing without keycaps lol

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Offline bueller

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 27 August 2013, 18:44:08 »
If they are Alps white switches I can post you a few replacements if you cover shipping, I've got a ton that I've desoldered off old boards. Need to send some to another member this week anyway!
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Quote from: HoffmanMyster on Tue, 20 January 2015, 19:52:41
It's a good width!  If it's half-width it's too narrow, and full-width is too wide. 

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Offline ften

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 27 August 2013, 18:46:44 »
Doing a search I managed to find these.  I don't really know much about ALPS but I think they are what you are looking for.

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Offline N8N

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 27 August 2013, 18:52:37 »
I thought that Matias was selling loose switches (they've reproduced white and cream IIRC) but I don't see them on their web site...  I know, not a helpful response.  You're probably looking at scavenging from another keyboard.
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Offline Kagusaki Wolf

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 27 August 2013, 19:00:30 »
Those look like the right ones!  I gotta contact that person and see if they're complicated or simplified switches.  Bueller, how much would shipping cost?  My zip is 92111 and my keyboard uses complicated switches so I hope you have the right kind :)
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Offline Kagusaki Wolf

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 27 August 2013, 19:03:09 »
Yeah I don't know if I would want to buy a junk keyboard.  I'd probably end up wanting to fix it lol 
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Offline Topre

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 27 August 2013, 19:11:07 »
Quote from: N8N on Tue, 27 August 2013, 18:52:37
I thought that Matias was selling loose switches (they've reproduced white and cream IIRC) but I don't see them on their web site...  I know, not a helpful response.  You're probably looking at scavenging from another keyboard.

You can get Matias switches from MechanicalKeyboards.com. I would honestly get the Matias switches and use those as replacements just for an idea of how Matias switches feel like.
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Offline bueller

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 27 August 2013, 19:27:39 »
Quote from: Kagusaki Wolf on Tue, 27 August 2013, 19:00:30
Those look like the right ones!  I gotta contact that person and see if they're complicated or simplified switches.  Bueller, how much would shipping cost?  My zip is 92111 and my keyboard uses complicated switches so I hope you have the right kind :)

If by complicated you mean the tactile "clicky" type then yep those are the ones. You might be better off just buying some off that eBay seller though as postage from Australia takes quite a long time and probably won't save you any money.
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Quote from: HoffmanMyster on Tue, 20 January 2015, 19:52:41
It's a good width!  If it's half-width it's too narrow, and full-width is too wide. 

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Offline Kagusaki Wolf

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 27 August 2013, 19:32:41 »
Oh didn't know you were from down under lol  Love the vegemite ;)  I might try out those Matias switches.  They look pretty cool.  Also, is it possible to convert this keyboard to Cherry MX blues?  I seem to find more aftermarket gaming keycaps for them
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Offline bueller

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 28 August 2013, 02:26:52 »
Quote from: Kagusaki Wolf on Tue, 27 August 2013, 19:32:41
Oh didn't know you were from down under lol  Love the vegemite ;)  I might try out those Matias switches.  They look pretty cool.  Also, is it possible to convert this keyboard to Cherry MX blues?  I seem to find more aftermarket gaming keycaps for them

VEGEMITE4TW!

Unfortunately you can't convert from Alps to Cherry, some people are working on keycap adapters so you can use Cherry keycaps but they are still very much in the prototyping stage as far as I'm aware.
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Quote from: HoffmanMyster on Tue, 20 January 2015, 19:52:41
It's a good width!  If it's half-width it's too narrow, and full-width is too wide. 

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Offline Kagusaki Wolf

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 28 August 2013, 05:59:22 »
I had an Aussie friend send me a tube of vegemite about 8 years ago.  I still remember the taste too.  It didn't taste good at first but after a while I started to like it lol  Kinda sucks that it's a rare item in the US >.<  Ohh can't forget about those ANZAC biscuits!  I bake my own ;) 

What were we talking about?  Oh keyboards!  I gotta check out those adapters.  They sound like something I might want to buy.  Also, I just ordered the Matias switches so hopefully they'll feel like the original white alps.  I've never done any keyboard repairs let alone solder anything but I saw a video on youtube today and I think I know how to do it :thumb:
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Offline Daniel Beardsmore

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 28 August 2013, 17:04:38 »
Quote from: bueller on Tue, 27 August 2013, 19:27:39
If by complicated you mean the tactile "clicky" type …

"Complicated" means that the switch is complicated internally. Simplified Alps switches, along with most of the clones, use two metal contacts. Complicated switches have what's called a "switchplate" — the white block in the OP's photograph disassembles into the following parts:

33358-0

Matias switches are 100% compatible, but they won't feel the same. However, there's no guarantee that parts from another keyboard will feel the same either, but they should be a lot closer than Matias switches.

The only metal contact switch more complicated than this is a complicated linear Futaba, at 16 parts per switch!
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Offline MTManiac

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 28 August 2013, 17:16:30 »
I have some complicated whites I might be able to desolder soon
ygpm
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Offline Findecanor

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 28 August 2013, 18:36:40 »
Quote from: Topre on Tue, 27 August 2013, 19:11:07
You can get Matias switches from MechanicalKeyboards.com. I would honestly get the Matias switches and use those as replacements just for an idea of how Matias switches feel like.
User 7bit is also doing a group buy for Matias switches.

You know you can also mix and match switch parts, do you? The bottom of all types of complicated Alps switches are the same. The differences are in the springs and the shape of the tactile leaf springs inside the switch. There is also a difference in the top casing between linear and tactile/click switches, as linear don't have any compartment for any tactile leaf.
This means that if your switch is broken only in the bottom contact mechanism, then you can replace the bottom with one from any other working Alps switch and use it with the spring, click leaf and top casing from the original switch.
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Offline Game Theory

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 28 August 2013, 18:42:00 »
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Offline Daniel Beardsmore

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #15 on: Wed, 28 August 2013, 18:44:02 »
True, you could replace the damaged switch with a good one from another key (e.g. move scroll lock to right alt) then put a Matias switch under scroll lock, where it doesn't matter if it feels and sounds different.
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Offline Kagusaki Wolf

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Re: Replacement Alps Switches?
« Reply #16 on: Wed, 28 August 2013, 19:14:17 »
Those are good ideas.  I might switch it with the esc key since it's all alone by itself.  Gotta give that esc key some lovin lol
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