Author Topic: Fun with AEKII -mix 'n match fest  (Read 32910 times)

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Offline chimera15

  • Posts: 1441
Fun with AEKII -mix 'n match fest
« Reply #50 on: Thu, 28 May 2009, 16:33:45 »
Quote from: wellington1869;93176
sounds complicated!  I tried soldering/desoldering alps switches once, and a great disaster was the result (I'm holding three carcass boards now in storage, lol). basically my switches refused to work once i had them soldered into the new board. No idea what went wrong, but they were definitely fried, lol.

Oh that's a shame.  I had nightmares about this upgrade that that would happen, but I had some success before when I replaced a fake simplified spacebar key that was acting intermitantly on my other kb1903, so I was pretty confident I could do it.  A good desoldering tool is a must, and you have to be careful you don't force any solder points.  I came close to damaging the printed circuit in a couple narrow parts, but overall the siig minitouch has extremely robust printing, so was fairly easy.  The big problem came in the few keys that had bent over pins, they can be a real ***** to desolder.
 
  Also it's a lot harder to get the simplified keys loose because their pins are so flexible compared to the stiff real alps keys, but overall, if you just have a good set of tools you can usually pry the key out.

 Also you have to have some minimal precautions against static shock anytime you're working on electronics like that.  Try not to touch the board or any metal parts directly.
Alps boards:
white real complicated: 1x modified siiig minitouch kb1903,  hhkb light2 english steampunk hack, wireless siig minitouch hack
white with rubber damper(cream)+clicky springs: 2x modified siig minitouch kb1903 1x modified siig minitouch kb1948
white fake simplified:   1x white smk-85, 1x Steampunk compact board hack
white real simplified: 1x unitek k-258
low profile: 1x mint m1242 in box
black: ultra mini wrist keyboard hack
blue: Japanese hhk2 lite hack, 1x siig minitouch pcb/doubleshot dc-2014 caps. kb1903, 1x modified kb1948 Siig minitouch
rainbow test boards:  mck-84sx


Offline wellington1869

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  • Posts: 2885
Fun with AEKII -mix 'n match fest
« Reply #51 on: Thu, 28 May 2009, 16:46:48 »
ya thats why I saved the carcasses -- i'm going to attempt it again once I have better tools and a nicer workspace (I'm in a cramped apt right now). So I'll definitely attempt it again at some point.  I really want to put the matias TP2's 'real simplifieds' into my at101w.  I"m willing to hold on to these carcass boards for years until I'm ready to try again, lol.

"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3

Offline daerid

  • Posts: 4276
  • Location: Denver, CO
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Fun with AEKII -mix 'n match fest
« Reply #52 on: Sun, 24 April 2011, 20:41:10 »
Just finished the click mod to my at101w with black alps. Sounds much better now!