LED's interfering with keycaps?

[Jixr]

Hi everyone, I just built up a new keyboard, and I wired in leds on it ( 2x2x3 square ones ) and it feels like the leds are rubbing up on the inside of the caps.

I'm using vortex thick dub shot pbt caps, and it doesn't quite feel right. I'm using some vintage blacks, and it feels like there is a good bit of resistance when typing compared to my other keyboard with blacks.

I'm thinking the thick caps are rubbing the leds on their way down.
Anyone else experience this?

[Lastpilot]

Yep, in fact, WinterIsle sanded down his LED's so that they wouldn't rub on the inside of keycaps.


http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=35864.msg1451228#msg1451228

[Jixr]

Hm.. sanding will diffuse them quite a bit, But I'm not using backlit caps so it wont be too bad.

Thankfully I got those little prongs where I can easily change LED's, so I'll just pull them out and sand the edge a tiny bit and see if that helps.

[dorkvader]

Hm.. sanding will diffuse them quite a bit, But I'm not using backlit caps so it wont be too bad.

Thankfully I got those little prongs where I can easily change LED's, so I'll just pull them out and sand the edge a tiny bit and see if that helps.

If you switch to really fine-grit sandpaper, it will diffuse them much less, but will be a lot more work on your part. I wouldn't worry about it: the diffusion effect should give you a little more even lighting, but it will most likely have no visible effect once keycaps are installed.

[Jixr]

Yeah, I have some 2000 grit sand paper, shouldn't be that bad to do them all, and I don't think I need to sand them as aggressively as the user in the pic above did.

[margo baggins]

use dremel with grinding wheel, i've done it loads of times.

1.8mm LED do not foul any caps. Though they can be quite hard to find some colours locally. GON sells them all but then the shipping is killer.

[Jixr]

I don't have a dremel, but I should be able to sand them out by hand to where they clear, its a 60% board, so its not so bad.

And I'm currently waiting for some cyan leds to come in the mail from china that I'll probably need to sand down as well.

[0100010]

2000 grit paper, by hand; will take a while.

Maybe try some 400 or 600.

[wes1099]

use dremel with grinding wheel, i've done it loads of times.

1.8mm LED do not foul any caps. Though they can be quite hard to find some colours locally. GON sells them all but then the shipping is killer.

I do the same for non-flangeless round LEDs.

[Jixr]

yeah, I'll dig around in my tool box and see what I've got. I'd love a dremmel, but man those boogers are expensive for as little as I would use it.

[rowdy]

use dremel with grinding wheel, i've done it loads of times.

1.8mm LED do not foul any caps. Though they can be quite hard to find some colours locally. GON sells them all but then the shipping is killer.

Valuable tips here from a Maker!