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Author Topic: What should I do to my Novatouch?  (Read 5160 times)

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Offline Eziak

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What should I do to my Novatouch?
« on: Mon, 06 April 2015, 22:28:08 »
So currently I have a stock Novatouch. I have taihao doubleshots on the way and bought into the GMK TA group buy, but I'm not sure what if any mods can be done to the Novatouch to make it better. Also, I'm looking to paint the case gray, is there anything special I need to do as the case is rubberized?

I apologize if this is in the wrong place.
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Offline user 18

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 06 April 2015, 22:44:54 »
Quote from: Eziak on Mon, 06 April 2015, 22:28:08
So currently I have a stock Novatouch. I have taihao doubleshots on the way and bought into the GMK TA group buy, but I'm not sure what if any mods can be done to the Novatouch to make it better. Also, I'm looking to paint the case gray, is there anything special I need to do as the case is rubberized?

I apologize if this is in the wrong place.

A few people have experimented with silencing the novatouch using soft landing pads. I don't have links, but I'm sure they will come, and it should be easy to find if you search the forum.

If you're planning on painting the rubberized case, you will need to sand off the rubberized layer first, and get it down to bare plastic. That way, the paint has a nice surface to adhere to.
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Offline Air tree

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 06 April 2015, 23:48:26 »
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49046.0

Spicebar himself has said the Novatouch once silenced actually produces in his opinion the best sound of all topre boards.

It's quite a lot of work to iron down all the pads, just warning you.
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Offline Ngt

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 07 April 2015, 02:35:46 »
Quote from: Air tree on Mon, 06 April 2015, 23:48:26
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49046.0

Spicebar himself has said the Novatouch once silenced actually produces in his opinion the best sound of all topre boards.

It's quite a lot of work to iron down all the pads, just warning you.


I've silenced my Novatouch with Spicebar's mod. It really changes the sound of the board to be honest. However I had to do it 2 times because the first time I didn't iron the landing pads thin enough. In the current state of the keyboard I do notice a little difference in feel over the key, just a tiny one but it is still definitely tactile unlike the dental band mod. Perhaps I didn't iron them down enough, but I don't really want to do it over again so I'm fine with it. It is still a great mod though IMHO. :D
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Offline Ludovician

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 07 April 2015, 03:42:46 »
What you should do to your Novatouch is transfer it into my possession so I then have a Novatouch. It's the perfect plan.
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Offline Eziak

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 07 April 2015, 08:23:39 »
Thank you everyone, it looks like I'll have to try the silencing mod.


Ludovician, sure! As soon as you transfer your HHKB pro 2 into my possession!
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Offline Ludovician

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 07 April 2015, 08:31:43 »
I probably would if the prices were closer together. I have my Type-S and don't see myself using the normal one any time soon.
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Offline Eziak

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 07 April 2015, 08:34:08 »
It's not all about the money. ;) But no, I was just joking I really enjoy my Novatouch.
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Offline Ludovician

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 07 April 2015, 09:38:15 »
Yeah, I know.

Maybe I should try selling this thing again, though. Then I could buy a Novatouch.
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Offline Huxley2500

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 07 April 2015, 10:24:33 »
You should try PBT keys like the Massdrop Granite set.
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Offline Eziak

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 07 April 2015, 18:01:39 »
Ludovician, I think it's worth it. Even if you don't like it you could steal its sliders for your other HHKB.

Huxley; The taihao set I have coming is PBT. Can't stand DSA profile, though. I tried it with the eve set and sold the set after a week.
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Offline Ngt

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 08 April 2015, 03:39:41 »
Quote from: Eziak on Tue, 07 April 2015, 18:01:39
Ludovician, I think it's worth it. Even if you don't like it you could steal its sliders for your other HHKB.

Huxley; The taihao set I have coming is PBT. Can't stand DSA profile, though. I tried it with the eve set and sold the set after a week.
But I guess selling a NT without his special sliders might come off hard. There are no reason to buy one that doesn't have the sliders. He'd have to keep it.
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Offline Ludovician

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 08 April 2015, 13:18:34 »
Well, I've heard that after adding a good set of thick PBT caps and doing a spiceBar mod on it, it feels and sounds as good as or better than a RF87. I like my RF87.
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Offline Ngt

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 08 April 2015, 13:40:08 »
Quote from: Ludovician on Wed, 08 April 2015, 13:18:34
Well, I've heard that after adding a good set of thick PBT caps and doing a spiceBar mod on it, it feels and sounds as good as or better than a RF87. I like my RF87.


I couldn't compare it with a RF as I've never owned such a board but it definitely feels better once you modded it that's for sure.
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Offline spiceBar

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 08 April 2015, 15:40:31 »
Quote from: Eziak on Mon, 06 April 2015, 22:28:08
So currently I have a stock Novatouch. I have taihao doubleshots on the way and bought into the GMK TA group buy, but I'm not sure what if any mods can be done to the Novatouch to make it better. Also, I'm looking to paint the case gray, is there anything special I need to do as the case is rubberized?

I apologize if this is in the wrong place.

As other have already pointed out, you should really do the silencing mod (landing pads flattened with an ironing cloth).

This will completely transform the board. The Novatouch has a good design and good materials, but it's a first version, and they did not put enough consideration into how it sounds like. Out of the box, it sounds like crap.

This problem is made worse when you use thicker (=better quality but heavier) keycaps. The upstroke sound becomes unbearable.

Silencing mod, thick grease on the stabilizers and PBT keycaps... It becomes a class of its own, and I would dare to say it's better than a Realforce.
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Offline rand77

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #15 on: Thu, 09 April 2015, 00:49:01 »
As others have mentioned, silencing the Novatouch is a must.   I recently just did spicebars mod, and it was game changing.

The keyboard is all "thock" and none of the "clack" on the upstroke.   Best of all it didn't seem to affect the feel of the switches (iron the landing pads carefully and put a generous amount of thick lube on the stabilizer mechanisms).   I got all my supplies for Elite Keyboards.

I would also replace the keycaps with thicker and/or made of PBT.
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Offline Ngt

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #16 on: Thu, 09 April 2015, 18:55:47 »
Quote from: rand77 on Thu, 09 April 2015, 00:49:01
As others have mentioned, silencing the Novatouch is a must.   I recently just did spicebars mod, and it was game changing.

The keyboard is all "thock" and none of the "clack" on the upstroke.   Best of all it didn't seem to affect the feel of the switches (iron the landing pads carefully and put a generous amount of thick lube on the stabilizer mechanisms).   I got all my supplies for Elite Keyboards.

I would also replace the keycaps with thicker and/or made of PBT.


Quality double shot ABS would do the trick as well tbh.
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Offline livingspeedbump

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #17 on: Fri, 10 April 2015, 20:12:04 »
http://imgur.com/rH2pKW1

I just got this in my email box today to see how my case looks. I sent off my Novatouch top shell a week ago to get hydrodipped, and think it turned out well. Going to slap that 1976 set on when it comes in.  Hydrodipping is always a good option. The guys over at morbidstix.com (primarily gaming equipment) will custom do a case for you for around 30 bucks plus shipping.
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Offline Ngt

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #18 on: Sat, 11 April 2015, 05:09:05 »
Quote from: livingspeedbump on Fri, 10 April 2015, 20:12:04
http://imgur.com/rH2pKW1

I just got this in my email box today to see how my case looks. I sent off my Novatouch top shell a week ago to get hydrodipped, and think it turned out well. Going to slap that 1976 set on when it comes in.  Hydrodipping is always a good option. The guys over at morbidstix.com (primarily gaming equipment) will custom do a case for you for around 30 bucks plus shipping.


OHH waoh it is beautiful! I'll bookmark it!

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Offline berserkfan

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #19 on: Sat, 11 April 2015, 11:10:50 »
Tossing the stock keycaps into the trash is the first wise thing you can do. Don't bother trying to sell them; doesn't work on geekhack.

As for removing the rubberized plastic...

I wish I had some means of doing it easily and quickly. That coating is one of the nastiest things ever invented for daily use. I would rather cut up a (unused) sanitary pad and cover my keyboard with that.
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Offline livingspeedbump

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #20 on: Wed, 15 April 2015, 19:21:20 »
http://imgur.com/a/zigUi

So I just got mine back from being hydro-dipped. I wanted a relatively neutral color with a wood grain in prep for the 1976 keycaps I have on the way.  I thought it would look pretty classy, actually quite pleased with how it came out. Second case this guy has done for me for under 40 bucks as well.
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Offline Eziak

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Re: What should I do to my Novatouch?
« Reply #21 on: Wed, 15 April 2015, 21:13:59 »
That hydro-dip looks really good, but I don't really want a pattern on my case. How hard was it to remove the rubberized coating before dipping it?

Yeah, I'm so glad I ditched the stock keycaps, even though I'm just using tai-hao pbt doubleshots it's way better.
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