A few days ago, one of my friends asked me to fix for him a mechanical keyboard with 2 broken switches and replace Cherry MX Black with Cherry MX Blue. He is new to mechanical keyboard world so what he tried to find an old one to start with. This keyboard he picked from a local shop with 35$.
When I received the keyboard, the layout and keycap seem to be Deck TG3 BL82, it looks very dirty, 2 broken switches, a lot scratches in the surfaces. Plus there is a huge trackball with 3 reversed buttons.
At first, I thought this is a waste of money.
However, after I clean it, I find out some interesting information about this keyboard.
Actually, the top cover is hard anodized aluminum after I take off the 3M tape they used to cover the rivet. The quality of hard anodizing is very good. It was manufactured in 2001 but there is no significant scratch.
***The original position of three buttons are not like in the picture, they were below the ball.
The trackball is huge and it turns out to be an industrial trackball from Evergreen System. It was implemented reversed on purpose. Perhaps it is what the customers want. However, my friend wants to reverse it back so I need to do some small soldering tasks.
The trackball build quality is amazing. The rolling mechanism was constructed from stainless steel and aluminum. It was greased carefully so the feeling is very smooth.
The PCB is good, dual-layer PCB, Made in Taiwan with USB interface.
However, it has only 2KRO.
Cherry MX Black Springs (Ghetto Green) lubed with Victorinox oil
Switches assembled
Switches soldered back, this time I use Kester 63/37 solder, the quality is great, the joins are very shinny.
The TG3BL82 module assembled back.
Finished
