Author Topic: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...  (Read 2623 times)

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Offline j0hnny

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Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« on: Tue, 28 July 2015, 23:16:40 »
Just got my pok3r and I was so excited to put my new blank caps on it. Unfortunately they were tremendously snug, and they popped the 'plus' plastic component and spring off the rest of the switch. I tried putting it back together (and watching tutorials online) but they only show how to replace linear switches/springs. I also tried just shimmying the part back on, but when snapped in, it does not feel like a green switch.

boardbros, please help. I'm open to soldering, but this happened on the enter key as well -_-.

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Offline user 18

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 00:00:03 »
Those switches look toast to me. Buy some new greens from MK, desolder the broken ones, resolder the new. I've never heard of a switch torn apart like that being properly reassembled.

Are those Ivan's R3 PBT blanks? I've found I need to be *very* careful getting those on and off switches. I know some people have applied lubricant before putting the caps on.
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Offline j0hnny

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 00:12:06 »
damn, so I have to resolder? I think i'm going to have difficulty removing the enter key, as it's in between two plate mounted stabilizers. Yes they are Ivan's r3 black pbt caps; I've waited so long to use them and now with my board I totally @#$@^ things up. :(

Offline user 18

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 01:28:46 »
damn, so I have to resolder? I think i'm going to have difficulty removing the enter key, as it's in between two plate mounted stabilizers. Yes they are Ivan's r3 black pbt caps; I've waited so long to use them and now with my board I totally @#$@^ things up. :(

Yeah, soldering is probably the only way to go about it. Even if it was possible to get the switch back together and working properly (which I doubt), the best way to get at the innards of the switch is to desolder. You won't break the switch anymore by seeing if you can get the pieces back together, but even if you do, I wouldn't put too much faith in that switch ever again. If you've been able to pull the stem out once, even if you get it back together, it's more likely to happen again, as the measures that are supposed to prevent the stem pulling out have likely been compromised.

Getting the enter key out doesn't look like it's any more difficult than any other key. Desolder the two pins on the PCB, unclip the switch from the plate, and it should come right out. The stabilizer shouldn't actually interact with the switch, so it should be just fine.

I am really happy with the quality of those caps once they're on my board, but I won't be buying any more caps from this manufacturer (Gateron, IIRC) until I see proof that they've fixed their molds. It's just not worth the hassle.
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Offline nmur

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 01:36:08 »
I've seen this happen a few times now, generally with clears.

What actually is the point of failure here? Is it the two little tabs on the side of the stems that keep the stem in the housing? Or is it more than that?

Offline j0hnny

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 10:18:04 »
Thanks user18, your sage advice is noted. Fortunately, I have three spare mx greens (I also have three 'broken' switches) from another project I can use. No room for error though!

@nmur, the stem is not 'broken' as it's neither bent out of shape nor has a broken piece. I just didnt know how to reassemble the switch, stem, white plastic square piece (see '[' key), and spring back together.

Offline esoomenona

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« Reply #6 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 12:09:14 »
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« Last Edit: Wed, 12 August 2015, 08:03:25 by esoomenona »

Offline j0hnny

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 13:34:24 »
Out of curiosity, is this the case because they are tactile switches? I've seen videos of people reassembling the stem on blacks/reds/browns, even. 

If so, CUR-SED blues and greens and greys! With all the experience with assembling an infinity keyboard, keycaps, etc. my next keyboard will be an ergodox with linear greys so I won't have these problems.

Offline SpAmRaY

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 13:43:59 »
Out of curiosity, is this the case because they are tactile switches? I've seen videos of people reassembling the stem on blacks/reds/browns, even. 

If so, CUR-SED blues and greens and greys! With all the experience with assembling an infinity keyboard, keycaps, etc. my next keyboard will be an ergodox with linear greys so I won't have these problems.

It doesn't matter what MX switch type it is, if you have plate mounted switches on a regular plate you can't just put them back together without removing the switch from the board.

Some custom plates have been made which allow you to open the switch tops and those allow for switch modding, stem/spring swapping etc however you still have to remove the top of the switch to put the switch back together you can't just shove the stem and spring back in.

Offline user 18

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 14:01:58 »
Out of curiosity, is this the case because they are tactile switches? I've seen videos of people reassembling the stem on blacks/reds/browns, even. 

If so, CUR-SED blues and greens and greys! With all the experience with assembling an infinity keyboard, keycaps, etc. my next keyboard will be an ergodox with linear greys so I won't have these problems.

Putting the switch back together is more difficult because the stem is in two parts, yes. However, I would still be highly suspect of any switch that had had the stem torn out from the top. Replacing the stem by removing the top of the switch and swapping it out is comparably trivial.

If the stem has come out the top of the switch, that's a problem. Even if it gets back in somehow, I wouldn't trust that it wouldn't come out again, regardless of stem type. It's possible that people have been able to get the stem back in without removing the top of the switch housing, and it's probably easier to have it approximate an undamaged switch if there's a one-piece stem. However, I still wouldn't trust it nearly as much as an undamaged switch.
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Offline fknraiden

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 14:35:49 »
didnt ivan/imsto include a note saying that these caps are very hard to remove and warning of the potential damages that happened here?

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Offline j0hnny

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:25:51 »
Not sure. The combination of waiting 3 years for caps and an additional 6 months for my pok3r to arrive was overwhelming, I didn't take the precautions I should have (such as read notes/safe key cap pulling methods, etc).

I love how the keyboarding hobby works...

the more I keyboard-->more customization options-->breaking things-->more I learn things (solder, switch repair)-->more I keyboard

Offline fknraiden

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:28:10 »
-->more I keyboard

this is my life motto

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Offline esoomenona

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« Reply #13 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:37:15 »
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« Last Edit: Wed, 12 August 2015, 08:01:06 by esoomenona »

Offline SpAmRaY

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Re: Need help reassembling cherry mx green w/spring...
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:40:27 »
didnt ivan/imsto include a note saying that these caps are very hard to remove and warning of the potential damages that happened here?

Remember kids: lubing switches is all well and good, but don't forget to lube your caps.

Has mkawa released a specialized cap lube yet? I'm sure it's only a matter of time.