Team Wolf Swappable Switch Keyboard Bundle

[henz]

What about this? First time in a while i feel like i want a retail board.

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/team-wolf-swappable-switch-mechanical-keyboard

[Harms]

Saw this too, its really interesting. I'm just wondering what cherry MX clones are compatible (like Gaterons, etc.) This would be awesome you can literally just hot swap the keys whenever you want to change what kind keyboard you have :O.

[DAVYtm]

It's pretty cool. I'd really like to know if Zealio's fit well, would be fun to make a mixed-switch board.

[keshley]

I just wish the board was a little more... aesthetically pleasing.

I've been thinking of doing this for whatever 60% PCB I decide to go with, as there's a writeup on how to do it in a few places. But then, all you really need to swap out switches is a plate that allows you to take the top off, and you can swap the stem/spring to your heart's content. Little more work though.

[DAVYtm]

I just wish the board was a little more... aesthetically pleasing.

I've been thinking of doing this for whatever 60% PCB I decide to go with, as there's a writeup on how to do it in a few places. But then, all you really need to swap out switches is a plate that allows you to take the top off, and you can swap the stem/spring to your heart's content. Little more work though.

I agree, the board itself is a little gaudy. Enough so that I won't get one. If they made a 60% board with swappable switches that's minimalist like the Pok3r, they could make some solid money off the mech community.

[rpeterclark]

The biggest drawback is that it requires switches with recesses for the SMD LEDs on the PCB. I don't know of any easy way to get those, so you are basically stuck with the switches that you buy with the board, which defeats the purpose of hot swappable switches.

[Lepidus]

What I find really strange is that massdrop says its RGB, but the tenkeyless board listed on taobao, bangood, and on that review a redditor did does not seem to be.

If you look the pics massdrop posted, you can see its not a RGB led, as it only has two contacts. I wonder if the delivered product will be true RGB.

[Harms]

The biggest drawback is that it requires switches with recesses for the SMD LEDs on the PCB. I don't know of any easy way to get those, so you are basically stuck with the switches that you buy with the board, which defeats the purpose of hot swappable switches.

lmao, yea right so true.

[rpeterclark]

What I find really strange is that massdrop says its RGB, but the tenkeyless board listed on taobao, bangood, and on that review a redditor did does not seem to be.

If you look the pics massdrop posted, you can see its not a RGB led, as it only has two contacts. I wonder if the delivered product will be true RGB.

It uses an RGB SMD LED that sits under the switch, not the 4-pin in-switch LED.



Which is also why it requires special switches that have room for those LEDs underneath.

[Lepidus]

Yes, but even the SMD RGB led has 4 different contacts, like this (from their fullsize board):

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Btw, this morning YanboWu from massdrop staff confirmed that the tenkeyless board is NOT rgb. The fullsize one is tho.
From here: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/team-wolf-swappable-switch-mechanical-keyboard/talk

Hey we checked in with the vendor to verify the specs on this keyboard.
We were told that while the full size keyboard is RGB. The TKL is actually the same LED setup people are seeing elsewhere. However that LED is also SMD and not the usual bulb we see in most keyboards.
Thank you for catching that. I will direct our support team to contact those that bought in the TKL option to let them know this updated information.

[henz]

are we buying? i dont really care about the RGB its just fun to switch switches easily. will just be a hassle to remove keycaps now without pulling out the switch.

[rpeterclark]

Ah, you are right Lepidus!

[Vimto]

In the description it says:

The keyboards also features RGB backlighting for the full size keyboard and rainbow backlight for the TKL

A lot of people in the discussion forum are saying this is half the price on taobao (though without an extra set of swappable switches)

[quasistellar]

Now, I'm pretty new to the game and haven't taken apart enogh switches to answer this myself, but: how hard would it be to simply dremel out a cavity on your switches for the SMD LEDs?  Would most switches have enough material there to do this?

[apolotary]

Has anyone tried opening Outemu switches? Also, I can desolder SMD LEDs and it would still work, right?