looking for something cheap that I can find in Canada to silent the NovaTouch

[Neo.X]

I got a NovaTouch recently, which turns out to be the worse keyboard I've ever had. The UPSTROKE noise and the loose feel on the stabilizer just drive me crazy. I tried all the keycaps I have, GMK, BSP, IMSTO, Vortex, etc, the only one that makes it a little bit tolerable is the SA profile keysets. So I think I have to either silent it or sale it. 

I like to try to silent it first, the procedure is pretty straight forward, but I need to get the silent ring. The only two types of silent ring I know is the EK soft pad and Hipersphere's premium ring. Both are from US.

I wonder if anyone had tried to make their own silent ring using material finding in Canada, like CanadianTire or Rona or HD?

Thanks in advance.

[KaminKevCrew]

Using dental bands is a pretty common thing, and I'm sure you'd be able to get some for cheap in Canada.

[kekman]

i heard maple syrup is aplenty in canada :^)

[ajx]

Using dental bands is a pretty common thing, and I'm sure you'd be able to get some for cheap in Canada.

Landing pads seem to be better because dental bands reduce travel key

[dgneo]

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/107-Silencing-Rings-for-Topre-Switch-Keyboards-/252220084152?hash=item3ab97d0fb8:g:zjAAAOSwLVZVtoi4

Not gonna be cheap with shipping and whatnot, but the best option out there.

Alternatively making your own landing pads is another option.

[tronbeaver]

Just put better keycaps on it.

[SpAmRaY]

Just put better keycaps on it.

How will that silence anything?

[Neo.X]

Thanks all for the replies. I guess I don't have many options here. I will go for the Hipersphere's slient ring, hope they worth the money.

[codywanks]

I got a NovaTouch recently, which turns out to be the worse keyboard I've ever had. The UPSTROKE noise and the loose feel on the stabilizer just drive me crazy. I tried all the keycaps I have, GMK, BSP, IMSTO, Vortex, etc, the only one that makes it a little bit tolerable is the SA profile keysets. So I think I have to either silent it or sale it.

I have that exact same opinion (my daily drivers are all Cherry MX Blue).

Bought into the Topre hype and got a Novatouch... The upstroke is horrible and the rattling sensation jars my fingers. I'm using DSA keycaps with it now, as the shorter profile helps slightly.

But unlike you, I'm not willing nor do I know how to open it up to silence it... So I might just give it away to a family member or sell it.

[codywanks]

Using dental bands is a pretty common thing, and I'm sure you'd be able to get some for cheap in Canada.

Dental bands / o-rings don't work with Topre switches the same way they do with Cherries.

The problem is the slider hitting the roof of the switch housing from beneath on the upstroke... Not the keycaps hitting the top of the switch housing.

[1deeg]

IMO you shouldn't even buy a Novatouch if you don't plan on silencing it and putting better caps on it. It's necessary to give your board the proper quality feel that you expect and not have it sound like ****. Luckily silencing it is pretty easy, it's just tedious and takes a few hours.

Here are some resources for doing it the way that I did, with the EK landing pads:

https://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,slpads&pid=sl120_cs
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=65821.msg1540860#msg1540860
http://imgur.com/gallery/iGzCV
http://imgur.com/a/6sg9f

With a little effort you can turn a poopy unsilenced Novatouch into a thocky dream. Definitely worth it. 

P.S. EK does ship to Canada according to their FAQ
http://www.elitekeyboards.com/support.php?lang=en#2

[codywanks]

IMO you shouldn't even buy a Novatouch if you don't plan on silencing it and putting better caps on it. It's necessary to give your board the proper quality feel that you expect and not have it sound like ****. Luckily silencing it is pretty easy, it's just tedious and takes a few hours.

That's not a fair comment to make; some of us are new to mechs and see the Novatouch as a good entry point for trying Topre due to its lower price compared to HHKB / Realforce.

All the same, it still isn't a cheap keyboard and I expect it to work comfortably right out of the box instead of needing to tweak or tinker with it. None of the YouTube reviews I watched prior to purchasing mentioned anything about the clacking either.

Anyway, thanks for those resources. The EK landing pads are cheaper than expected and I'll be putting in an order for them right away.

[1deeg]

IMO you shouldn't even buy a Novatouch if you don't plan on silencing it and putting better caps on it. It's necessary to give your board the proper quality feel that you expect and not have it sound like ****. Luckily silencing it is pretty easy, it's just tedious and takes a few hours.

That's not a fair comment to make; some of us are new to mechs and see the Novatouch as a good entry point for trying Topre due to its lower price compared to HHKB / Realforce.

All the same, it still isn't a cheap keyboard and I expect it to work comfortably right out of the box instead of needing to tweak or tinker with it. None of the YouTube reviews I watched prior to purchasing mentioned anything about the clacking either.

Anyway, thanks for those resources. The EK landing pads are cheaper than expected and I'll be putting in an order for them right away.

Hmm, I see your point. It's certainly not unreasonable to expect the keyboard to work comfortably out of the box (especially for one that costs this much). Sorry if my comment came off as harsh. I tend to forget that not everyone goes overboard (like me) with researching. When getting into mechs, there's so much info that isn't available to those who are only casually researching. I think the manufacturers of Novatouch (Cooler Master) pretty much expect you to make some changes to the stock config, hence CM selling a Novatouch "barebones version" without keycaps since people were just replacing their caps anyways.

I just did my silencing last week and it's a beatiful thing. Good luck with your modding, let us know how it goes 

[KaminKevCrew]

Using dental bands is a pretty common thing, and I'm sure you'd be able to get some for cheap in Canada.

Dental bands / o-rings don't work with Topre switches the same way they do with Cherries.

The problem is the slider hitting the roof of the switch housing from beneath on the upstroke... Not the keycaps hitting the top of the switch housing.

I am 100% aware of how silencing a topre board works. In the case of topre, you wouldn't put the band under the keycap, you would put it between the slider and the plate.

[codywanks]

I am 100% aware of how silencing a topre board works. In the case of topre, you wouldn't put the band under the keycap, you would put it between the slider and the plate.

Oops sorry for that, not sure why I assumed the band goes under the keycap.

Since I need to open up the Novatouch, it might be a good time to replace the plastic case as well... Does a CNC aluminum one exist?

[KaminKevCrew]

I am 100% aware of how silencing a topre board works. In the case of topre, you wouldn't put the band under the keycap, you would put it between the slider and the plate.

Oops sorry for that, not sure why I assumed the band goes under the keycap.

Since I need to open up the Novatouch, it might be a good time to replace the plastic case as well... Does a CNC aluminum one exist?

There happens to be one on sale in the classifieds right now. It's a 100% custom, pretty much one off case though, so he's selling it at cost, which is $380.

[derb2k2]

  yep, dental bands can be put on the barrel of the topre slider but it does significantly reduce key travel. This isn't completely a bad thing if you can even fathom it. I have RSI on my left wrist and the lighter actuation and lower profile as a result of the band greatly reduces any pain or discomfort.

And they almost completely remove any clacking that might take place, all the while enjoying the glorious 'thocking'

[Solo]

I am 100% aware of how silencing a topre board works. In the case of topre, you wouldn't put the band under the keycap, you would put it between the slider and the plate.

Oops sorry for that, not sure why I assumed the band goes under the keycap.

Since I need to open up the Novatouch, it might be a good time to replace the plastic case as well... Does a CNC aluminum one exist?

There happens to be one on sale in the classifieds right now. It's a 100% custom, pretty much one off case though, so he's selling it at cost, which is $380.

Here's the link. It's seriously one thick *** brick of a case.

[codywanks]

Thanks guys for pointing me in the right direction.

Even if I could afford the $390, the color doesn't appeal to me at all.

Apparently there's no commercially-available Novatouch cases at this moment either. Guess I'll just have to wait.

[tronbeaver]

Just put better keycaps on it.

How will that silence anything?

Thicker keycaps dull the sound.

Try it and you will see what I mean.

[derb2k2]

Just put better keycaps on it.

How will that silence anything?

Thicker keycaps dull the sound.

Try it and you will see what I mean.

They might dull it, but they will certainly alter the sound a bit. At what cost though? Because if it' s PBT we're talking, then more money shall be wasted for a probably minimal silencing effect.

[kekman]

Just put better keycaps on it.

How will that silence anything?

Thicker keycaps dull the sound.

Try it and you will see what I mean.

They might dull it, but they will certainly alter the sound a bit. At what cost though? Because if it' s PBT we're talking, then more money shall be wasted for a probably minimal silencing effect.

I don't see why would spend several hundred dollars on a keyboard and keep the $5 ABS caps on them anyway. You can get cheap PBT sets for around 30, and thicker ones aren't that much more expensive, if you go for the ones by Ducky and IMSTO.

[phoible]

Has anyone tried the silencing rings on eBay, and if so, how do they compare to the dental bands?

I'm actually not bothered by the sound of my Novatouch with PBT keycaps (and I like the way it feels), but it isn't super-quiet, so I've been thinking of silencing it. The quietest keyboard I own right now is a v80-MTS (with quiet click switches), and I'm hoping to get something quieter than that with a silenced Novatouch.

[ajx]

Use ironed landing pads from EK, the best one for Novatouch

[Polymer]

All the same, it still isn't a cheap keyboard and I expect it to work comfortably right out of the box instead of needing to tweak or tinker with it. None of the YouTube reviews I watched prior to purchasing mentioned anything about the clacking either.

It doesn't work comfortably for YOU out of the box.  There are thousands of users who will never mod their keyboard that enjoy it.

It isn't that I disagree with you on the sound of the Novatouch I do...I'd definitely mod it because compared to a normal Topre it sounds like junk...but that sound is very apparent on the youtube videos as well...

[codywanks]

All the same, it still isn't a cheap keyboard and I expect it to work comfortably right out of the box instead of needing to tweak or tinker with it. None of the YouTube reviews I watched prior to purchasing mentioned anything about the clacking either.

It doesn't work comfortably for YOU out of the box.  There are thousands of users who will never mod their keyboard that enjoy it.

It isn't that I disagree with you on the sound of the Novatouch I do...I'd definitely mod it because compared to a normal Topre it sounds like junk...but that sound is very apparent on the youtube videos as well...

Allegory of the cave. The users who don't mod their Novatouch might have just accepted the upstroke clack & jarring sensation as something normal. Their eyes will be opened after trying an original Topre or Type-S.

Same thing for the sound on the YouTube vids. Back then it meant nothing to a noob like myself, especially when the reviewer doesn't point out "by the way guys, this is louder than a normal Topre".

Now it's easy to criticize after re-watching the vid as a Novatouch owner.

[codywanks]

yep, dental bands can be put on the barrel of the topre slider but it does significantly reduce key travel. This isn't completely a bad thing if you can even fathom it. I have RSI on my left wrist and the lighter actuation and lower profile as a result of the band greatly reduces any pain or discomfort.

And they almost completely remove any clacking that might take place, all the while enjoying the glorious 'thocking'

Finally did the dental band mod after gathering the courage to open up my Novatouch and void its warranty.

The difference is really night and day. I couldn't recommend this mod highly enough. It is quite beginner-friendly as well.

I actually love the reduced key travel / lower profile; I thought the stock Topre travel was too much to begin with (this factor alone was enough to deter me from making the Novatouch my daily driver). For those who prefer the travel to remain as close to the original as possible, not all dental bands are made equal. Some are thinner than others. Get a few different gauges and try them out.

[codywanks]

With a little effort you can turn a poopy unsilenced Novatouch into a thocky dream. Definitely worth it. 

It's definitely a thocky dream right now 

[phoible]

Which dental bands did you use?

[codywanks]

Which dental bands did you use?

Got these off eB*y.

If I were to purchase more in the future, I'd probably get something a little wider than 3/16" in diameter. 3/16" works fine but they are quite tight thus requiring more effort to put on.

If you don't want to cut key travel down by too much, maybe get 2.5oz instead of the 3.5oz I bought.

[Fullcream]

I understand that you would expect a not cheap board like the Novatouch to be satisfying straight out of the box but unfortunately you're right, when I got mine it was completely unusable. Immediately I opened it up and silenced the upstroke with thin silicone sheet from amazon. And greased the stabs with stab grease from EK.
 
And then realized my hhkb type S and RF are just a fiasco compared with lubed and silenced novatouch.

Also beside the point. Novatouch sliders have been made correctly and the outside of the slider is actually smooth. Unlike topre sliders which for some reason come from moulds with scratched up and coarse sides. Look at a close up of a topre slider. Not sure why no one notices this. And yet the whole point of topre is smooth. Novatouch is smooth so silence it.
Cool.

[XMIT]

I've tried both dental bands and Hypersphere's rings on my Novatouch.

The dental bands, I found, reduced key travel by way too much and ruined the good tactile bump at the top of the key stroke. They relegated my Novatouch to the "maybe later" bin.

Hypersphere's rings still reduce key travel some but not nearly so much. They are the best option I've found for the Novatouch now and what I am using to type this post. My Novatouch has Vortex double shot PBT caps in the OEM profile. Works great.

I like this setup even more than my actual Topre 45g keyboard. I need to put some Hypersphere rings on that one too.

[codywanks]

I understand that you would expect a not cheap board like the Novatouch to be satisfying straight out of the box but unfortunately you're right, when I got mine it was completely unusable. Immediately I opened it up and silenced the upstroke with thin silicone sheet from amazon. And greased the stabs with stab grease from EK.
 
And then realized my hhkb type S and RF are just a fiasco compared with lubed and silenced novatouch.

Good to know someone else agrees with me on the 'unusable' part. But dammit, I forgot to lube the stabs when I took the board apart...

That's a bold claim about the HHKB / RF... I need to try them out 

The dental bands, I found, reduced key travel by way too much and ruined the good tactile bump at the top of the key stroke. They relegated my Novatouch to the "maybe later" bin.

Yeah, some people complain that having dental bands on keeps the key in a "semi-actuated state" and the slightest brush of the fingers will register a keystroke.

But as I mentioned in a previous post, thin dental bands do exist and might be worth searching out. I get the impression some people here unknowingly use 4.5oz or 5oz bands which ruin the typing experience.

[XMIT]

The dental bands, I found, reduced key travel by way too much and ruined the good tactile bump at the top of the key stroke. They relegated my Novatouch to the "maybe later" bin.

Yeah, some people complain that having dental bands on keeps the key in a "semi-actuated state" and the slightest brush of the fingers will register a keystroke.

But as I mentioned in a previous post, thin dental bands do exist and might be worth searching out. I get the impression some people here unknowingly use 4.5oz or 5oz bands which ruin the typing experience.

I ended up getting 3/16" light 2.5 oz dental bands. I still have them somewhere if someone wants to try them.

Some keyboards - specifically the Chinese made Topre clones, like the Royal Kludge and the Noppoo - ship with dental bands.

[kekman]

The dental bands, I found, reduced key travel by way too much and ruined the good tactile bump at the top of the key stroke. They relegated my Novatouch to the "maybe later" bin.

Yeah, some people complain that having dental bands on keeps the key in a "semi-actuated state" and the slightest brush of the fingers will register a keystroke.

But as I mentioned in a previous post, thin dental bands do exist and might be worth searching out. I get the impression some people here unknowingly use 4.5oz or 5oz bands which ruin the typing experience.

I ended up getting 3/16" light 2.5 oz dental bands. I still have them somewhere if someone wants to try them.

Some keyboards - specifically the Chinese made Topre clones, like the Royal Kludge and the Noppoo - ship with dental bands.

I've heard that RKs are much nicer to type on unsilenced.

[phoible]

I ended up buying the Hypersphere silencing rings off of eBay. The mod was pretty easy to do, and my Novatouch is much quieter now. Definitely worth it.

Maybe the key travel is a bit smaller, but it's barely noticeable.