My Alps switch keychain

[chyros]

Charmed by the buckling spring keychain some people have posted, and of which I have one, I decided to devise a simple Alps switch tester.

As I didn't want to commission expensive pre-cut parts or switch holders I decided I'd do it as basic as possible. I took the mounting plate from a drowned AT101W as well as its PCB and had the guys from the mechanical workshop at the uni cut out a bunch of squares from the PCB for me, as well as a few "frames" of the mounting plate. They also drilled a hole in the frame to put the carrier loop though. I then sanded the top edge of the mounting plate to take off some rust spots, as well as the top and bottom of two PCB squares, and sanded down the sides and edges of everything to take off the roughness. I then stuck the switch in the mounting frame, put two PCB squares under the switch, and soldered the switch onto the squares, trying to get the solder profile as low as possible (I'm pretty poor at soldering but I think it came out OK). Put in the loop, and viola! I went for an SKCM White switch as they have a nice sound (and I don't have a Blue to spare xD). I used two PCB squares rather than one so that the switch can sit almost flat on a surface.

Of course, because it's such a DIY job, and from what I know it's the first Alps keychain design, it's pretty rough, but I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. Hope you like it!

Cut PCB squares:


Assembled unit:










with keycap:

[SpAmRaY]

There have been a few alps keychains from ctrlalt, but props for working with what you have. 

example https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=58545.msg1338002#msg1338002

[chyros]

Ah cool, hadn't seen those .

[0100010]

Nice!

[ConscienceDrop]

Nice work

[ander]

I'd make one of these to wear myself, but I'd be afraid the babes wouldn't leave me alone.

[chyros]

In my case they seem more annoyed with my clicking it all the time, but anyway .

[ander]

In my case they seem more annoyed with my clicking it all the time, but anyway :p .

There's at least one valid argument for linears, then.

[jerr]

Nice design, but what is the point of the cut PCB squares? Couldn't you cut off anything that sticks out?

[chyros]

Nice design, but what is the point of the cut PCB squares? Couldn't you cut off anything that sticks out?

Good question, but no. That would make the switchplate go all over the place and mess up the keyfeel

[ander]

Nice design, but what is the point of the cut PCB squares? Couldn't you cut off anything that sticks out?

Good question, but no. That would make the switchplate go all over the place and mess up the keyfeel

And indeed, this is exactly the kind of thing the babes want to know when they see it. I'm telling you, they'll hound you till they know all about it and all about you. I'm sure Chyros would've eventually mentioned these extraordinary social aspects of the switch chain.

[chyros]

Nice design, but what is the point of the cut PCB squares? Couldn't you cut off anything that sticks out?

Good question, but no. That would make the switchplate go all over the place and mess up the keyfeel

And indeed, this is exactly the kind of thing the babes want to know when they see it. I'm telling you, they'll hound you till they know all about it and all about you. I'm sure Chyros would've eventually mentioned these extraordinary social aspects of the switch chain.

Nice as always, Ander, haha ;P .