Pok3r space bar not working????

[bcredbottle]

I just bought a Pok3r and at home it worked flawlessly, but when I plug it in at work the space bar doesn't work. Has anyone encountered this? Any idea what to do?

[KHAANNN]

are there any other keys that don't work?

sometimes when a row/column touches the case, it disables the entire row/column

[bcredbottle]

Thanks for the help.

For whatever reason, I pulled the space bar off and reattached it. Now it works. IDK why.

[KHAANNN]

I experienced the issue after screwing the case really well, it probably caused a short-circuit/override, something similar, this wasn't on a poker, but a similar pcb on a similar 60% case

You pulling the spacebar might have fixed the issue, but that might not be a good thing, the cause might still be there, whatever it is

Or, it might just have been a software issue

[FoC_Tow]

are there any other keys that don't work?

sometimes when a row/column touches the case, it disables the entire row/column

Interesting, have you actually experienced this on a pok3r KHAANNN? =)

I guess that is sufficient proof the plastic layer included in the case is actually required for electrical insulation then right there... (It always seemed strange to me that the cast aluminum case appears to need insulation while CNCed cases don't include this)

[KHAANNN]

are there any other keys that don't work?

sometimes when a row/column touches the case, it disables the entire row/column

Interesting, have you actually experienced this on a pok3r KHAANNN? =)

I guess that is sufficient proof the plastic layer included in the case is actually required for electrical insulation then right there... (It always seemed strange to me that the cast aluminum case appears to need insulation while CNCed cases don't include this)

Thanks a lot for the reply, no, not a pok3r, but a very low profile vortex case, the silver one, machined alu.

I managed to fix the situation by insulating some sections manually (I use paper, might not be a good electrical insulation material, but it's better for the sound dynamics)

I wondered what that plastic thing was for, everything makes more sense now (It wasn't possible to insert the pcb with the plastic in place, I will retry when I re-open the case)

I was actually going to ask GH about the purpose of the plastic insert, researched for it a bit, then decided to do my own thing

[FoC_Tow]

are there any other keys that don't work?

sometimes when a row/column touches the case, it disables the entire row/column

Interesting, have you actually experienced this on a pok3r KHAANNN? =)

I guess that is sufficient proof the plastic layer included in the case is actually required for electrical insulation then right there... (It always seemed strange to me that the cast aluminum case appears to need insulation while CNCed cases don't include this)

Thanks a lot for the reply, no, not a pok3r, but a very low profile vortex case, the silver one, machined alu.

I managed to fix the situation by insulating some sections manually (I use paper, might not be a good electrical insulation material, but it's better for the sound dynamics)

I wondered what that plastic thing was for, everything makes more sense now (It wasn't possible to insert the pcb with the plastic in place, I will retry when I re-open the case)

I was actually going to ask GH about the purpose of the plastic insert, researched for it a bit, then decided to do my own thing

I remember there being a discussion about wether or not it was necessary, and most people suggested its purpose was for insulation.  (Not sure which thread it was tbh)

I don't have a pok3r (yet I guess since this is GH xD) but the plastic layer looks kinda strange to me, so I think I would personally go for a DIY solution to replace the plastic too since Im not a big fan of it.

My idea would be to use something like fingerboard griptape (which I happen to have handy).



Its basically a very soft, thin (and gripy) stick on neoprene tape (usually 0.5-1mm thick), so I imagine that it could also work quite well for slight dampening and positivley affect sound characteristics.

After all I believe this material is actually intended to be used in f.e. the automotive industry to stick to the back of plastic interiour parts to get rid of any possible rattle noises and wiggle room on mounting points.

EDIT: Its probably also very similar to what landing pads are made from as full sheets.

[KHAANNN]

The plastic layer didn't work, however the package that the aluminium case came in was an interesting material, it was pretty much like sound isolation foam, so I ended up slicing it into pieces and using it as a material to isolate sound, so our solutions was pretty similar in the end

I researched for a bit, paper turns out to be a great insulation material, so when I open the case, I will probably put paper as the base layer + sponge as the second layer

The challenge is slicing the sponge, because there are grids on the 60% cases that directly touch the pcb, the thinness of paper will help in that area

So out ghetto solutions are pretty similar

[FoC_Tow]

Sound isolating / foam like material sound very appropriate Khaannn!

Imo i would actually classify the default plastic layer as the 'ghetto solution' as I think foam makes more sense and can even look cleaner! =)

The stick on foam i suggested is pretty much only 0.5mm thick and can be compressed to close to no thickness at all as the foam is pretty soft.
So I would probably go with just using stick on foam on the grids that directly touch the pcb, to insulate and soften/cushion the contact points with PCB, its honestly that thin that I doubt it would cause issues.

[KHAANNN]

The sponges indeed look good, but they are hard to apply and maintain, I will definitely try and find the material you use, might be hard to find something similar locally

There is less than 1mm of height space, too much material might make the screws take on a lot of stress, and it might make the plate stay higher than the case

But just the right amount of material/width should improve things a lot

-----

I think the screw holders bear all the force, so I try to put some material in between them, so they absorb the force better, I generally use plastic putty, it's pretty hard to apply/re-apply, a taped material makes much more sense

[KHAANNN]

After researching materials a bit:

1) Non-slip tape for steps, feet
2) Grip tape for tennis, mostly non-adhesive
3) Scotch tape for insulation, paper, sponge pieces for sound dynamics

Were the options that I could come up with

(1) is easy to acquire, yet it's adhesive is pretty strong, I also don't like the idea of using a product that's intended for feet/shoe contacts
(2) is easy to acquire, yet it's not adhesive
(3) probably everyone has these, I guess this will be my choice

It's great to identify the problem tho, I always approached it as something specific to my case, as some diodes weren't well positioned on my specific pcb, but since it was an insulation issue, it's easier to fix

[FoC_Tow]

After researching materials a bit:

1) Non-slip tape for steps, feet
2) Grip tape for tennis, mostly non-adhesive
3) Scotch tape for insulation, paper, sponge pieces for sound dynamics

Were the options that I could come up with

(1) is easy to acquire, yet it's adhesive is pretty strong, I also don't like the idea of using a product that's intended for feet/shoe contacts
(2) is easy to acquire, yet it's not adhesive
(3) probably everyone has these, I guess this will be my choice

It's great to identify the problem tho, I always approached it as something specific to my case, as some diodes weren't well positioned on my specific pcb, but since it was an insulation issue, it's easier to fix

If it helps by any chance I can supply some links where you can get sheets intended to be used as fingerboard griptape Khaannn! =)

The brand I mainly use is called FBS Tape, but there are loads of materials/brands that are similar.
(just slight differences in type of sticky neoprene/sticky tape etc)

FBS Tape is originally sold by Fingerboardstore.de but there is various places that sell it like
FlatFaceFingerboards in the US for example, or OakWheels.com from Portugal.

Unfortunately it is kinda expensive tbh, since each sheet of approximately 11 x 4 cm is like 1-2 €.

Amazon.com also returns quite a few results searching for fingerboard griptape and has a few cheaper options.


FBS Tape is very popular and pretty much the go to tape for most fingerboard enthusiasts as it is very very grippy, very durable even when abused pretty hard, and doesn't stain your fingers black after long use for example! =)

Because of the grip FBS tape also makes for amazing non slip feet for pretty much anything, so if you want something to lock in postion and not slide around like a keyboard this definitely does the trick as well!
People usually put it on fingerboard ramps and obstacles to stop them from sliding around too and its amazing how grippy it is without being sticky at all tbh.

Edit: There is actually noticeable differences between tapes tho. Riptape for example is rougher/less smooth and less dense then FBS for example, and has to be broken in a while to get its full grip. So while it would probably be fine for insulating, FBS makes better non slip feet for sure...

[KHAANNN]

Thanks for the links

I suspected the grip tape's to be re-branded versions of another product, probably cheaper and available in bulk, however my searches for that was fruitless
I only managed to find this locally: http://www.amazon.com/3M-Safety-Walk-Outdoor-2-Inch-180-Inch/dp/B0006HVKM4/ref=pd_sim_60_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1WSD2HNDRA9DEZ4CN8GW - but from reviews, it seems like a plastic sandpaper rather than a foam tape, as these grip tapes probably are

The grip tape is indeed a pretty optimal material :)
Does it smell like good plastic or cancerous plastic?

I might end up buying them in bulk from Amazon, I'm going to consolidate a package soon to be exported from US, so I should decide soon if I end up ordering from Amazon

I hoped there was an easily available 3M product for example with similar qualities, maybe something like this: http://www.amazon.com/3M-06298-Soft-Edge-Masking/dp/B0012RUGMC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431614653&sr=8-1&keywords=3m+soft+foam+tape (definitely not this one tho)

[FoC_Tow]

Thanks for the links

I suspected the grip tape's to be re-branded versions of another product, probably cheaper and available in bulk, however my searches for that was fruitless
I only managed to find this locally: http://www.amazon.com/3M-Safety-Walk-Outdoor-2-Inch-180-Inch/dp/B0006HVKM4/ref=pd_sim_60_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1WSD2HNDRA9DEZ4CN8GW - but from reviews, it seems like a plastic sandpaper rather than a foam tape, as these grip tapes probably are

The grip tape is indeed a pretty optimal material
Does it smell like good plastic or cancerous plastic?

I might end up buying them in bulk from Amazon, I'm going to consolidate a package soon to be exported from US, so I should decide soon if I end up ordering from Amazon

I hoped there was an easily available 3M product for example with similar qualities, maybe something like this: http://www.amazon.com/3M-06298-Soft-Edge-Masking/dp/B0012RUGMC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431614653&sr=8-1&keywords=3m+soft+foam+tape (definitely not this one tho)

Sure, welcome man! =)

Its like you said most definitely a re-branded version of something used in the automotive industry for example, so they probably just got a few samples and ordered what ever worked best in bulk.

Its definitely a foam tape and not the rough sandpaper style griptape used on skateboards and it actually has a very neutral/almost no smell to it. (if i had to describe it it smells ever so slightly like neoprene diving suits maybe xD)

But like you mentioned it seems to be very hard to find something like this in bulk available to consumers tho.

I just remembered having one branded tape flying around and, after a quick search, actually managed to find it.
Much potato shot:



They usually have a plain brown (or rarely blue) protective layer on the sticky side but this one actually says Duplocoll LSE.

After a quick search even this doesn't seem to be easily available tho and the only thing I could really find are 'product sheets'.
(Its listed on page 8 as 'Noise and vibration dampening materials'. LSE apperantly stands for Low Surface Energy which is strange tho since especially this kind is very sticky and hard to remove if I remember correctly)

Ive also seen the term 'air/vapour barrier tape' related to this a few times and found a similar named 3M Tape but it still doesn't seem to be the same thing as it mentions to be translucent?!

[KHAANNN]

Well I gave up on alternative material searches, since you vouched for the FBS one, it seemed pretty optimal to me

I'm going to build 5 60%'s, each one 5-pack seems like it can cover one keyboard, as the surface area is increased with vertical dividers, so I'm thinking of ordering 6 packs of: http://www.flatfacefingerboards.com/fbs-extra-smooth-uncut/ from this site, it seems like a nice material to have around, even if it's too much

Should I go for it?

Once again, thanks for all the insight :)

[FoC_Tow]

Well I gave up on alternative material searches, since you vouched for the FBS one, it seemed pretty optimal to me

I'm going to build 5 60%'s, each one 5-pack seems like it can cover one keyboard, as the surface area is increased with vertical dividers, so I'm thinking of ordering 6 packs of: http://www.flatfacefingerboards.com/fbs-extra-smooth-uncut/ from this site, it seems like a nice material to have around, even if it's too much

Should I go for it?

Once again, thanks for all the insight

Woah five 60%'s! ึ_ึ

I just measured and one FBS sheet is 110 x 35 mm so you should be able to cut it to 3x 10mm or 4x 8mm stripes and 3 stripes should be more then enough for one of the case 'grids'.
So you should be able to cover a full case with 4 (maybe even 3) sheets! =)

To be honest its kinda tuff for me to recommend this since its seems pretty expensive especially for 5 cases, but on the other hand it does seem like a very appropriate material to me especially given its actually used for noise isolation and dampening.

Idk where your from Khaannn, but I guess sending a letter sized package can't be that expensive, so if your interested I could also send you a few sheets to try on one case maybe? (no sure how many I have left but it should be at least 10 sheets FBS and loads of random ones)

They also seem to be cheaper at fingerboardstore.de directly, but I think they don't even offer paypal if I remember correctly.
At fbs directly its 7,90€ (9$) for one pack (5 sheets) and 69€ (79$) for 10 (50 Sheets), so you can at least somewhat order in bulk and it becomes almost half as cheap as FlatFace so depending on shipping cost it might actually be worth ordering from Germany.

I think it would be super interesting to try tho, and would love to see this being tested and Im really wondering how much of an affect on feel and/or sound the dampening would have.
Even if the screws end up squeezing it all the way flat in certain areas it should still eliminate any possible vibration and possibly resulting sounds, so I can imagine it would definitely be noticeable compared to a plasticy layer.

Need to check if I have actually more flying around, but I would definitely shoot you 5 sheets for example to test Khaannn. (in the name of science xD)
Would love to see a before and after compare on this and if it turns out useful maybe someone can source large sheets and sell them or run a GB if this becomes a thing! =)

I've seen people cutting landing pads for stabilized Topre Keys, but cutting squares of full sheets would seem cleaner to me personally for example, and with a round leather cutting 'stamp' you could probably even diy landingpads...

[KHAANNN]

Thanks, I truly appreciate the sample offer, you are extremely kind
But like almost all other countries, customs are the destroyers of happiness here too, so they will most probably ruin it, by holding it

In bulk, indeed the price differences are high, but it turned out flatface only had 2 in stock, so that took care of that problem :)

I think it should especially be great for the screw towers, some people put o-rings in between the pcb and the screw holes, so it absorbs some force and be un-clunky, this should be more practical, since it's a tape

I will review it when the consolidated package arrives, however that probably won't be for weeks

Edit: In the meantime I succeeded in not building a fingerboard park, I was pretty tempted, but wallet saved

[FoC_Tow]

Thanks, I truly appreciate the sample offer, you are extremely kind
But like almost all other countries, customs are the destroyers of happiness here too, so they will most probably ruin it, by holding it

In bulk, indeed the price differences are high, but it turned out flatface only had 2 in stock, so that took care of that problem

I think it should especially be great for the screw towers, some people put o-rings in between the pcb and the screw holes, so it absorbs some force and be un-clunky, this should be more practical, since it's a tape

I will review it when the consolidated package arrives, however that probably won't be for weeks

Edit: In the meantime I succeeded in not building a fingerboard park, I was pretty tempted, but wallet saved

Thanks for the kind words Khaannn and very welcome!

Im really interested for your experiences, but no rush at all man.
Definitely going to give this a try at some point in time too!

I remember seeing the O-ring on screws before now that you mention it and I would expect the tape to be even more practical as well.
It should definitely be thinner then o-rings, and also more absorbing / less bouncy. =)

[KHAANNN]

First of all, I thought I had a "Best Case Mod Tape" thread, it seems this discovery came out of a non-related thread, but oh-well

I've been using the FBS fingerboard tapes ever since, they are just awesome, just the right material for the job, so thanks a lot FoC_Tow for this discovery

Here is roughly how it goes:

(3M painter's tape + fingerboard tape)

I've been buying the FBS ones, they are expensive and they are always out of stock, recently tried these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AW3ZRF8 - they are ~almost same and much cheaper and come with 8 tapes contrary to the advertisement, I would suggest buying 5-10 if you have a habit of building keyboards :)

[demik]

Pretty sure the spacebar is fine, the switch might be the problem tho.

[xtrafrood]

Haha I click on a link about a Pok3r space bar problem and now I want to do a kickflip on a fingerboard  ) FBS tape, I've been wondering what that stuff is called