Author Topic: Is it possible to mod brown switches into red/silver ones  (Read 1076 times)

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Offline AJM

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  • Posts: 88
  • Location: Germany
Is it possible to mod brown switches into red/silver ones
« on: Wed, 13 February 2019, 07:53:03 »
Hi,

I have a Vortex ViBE with MX Brown switches, but I would prefer red or silver switches.
So far I've come up with these solutions:

1. Sell board with MX Brown / buy board with MX red/silver -> difficult because there are none available (with ISO layout)
2. Trade with someone, who has a ViBE with MX red/silver and is looking for brown -> makes a lot of sense, but difficult to find
3. Buy MX red/silver switches and swap them -> a lot of soldering, which I don't have a lot of practice with

4. Maybe brilliant idea:

Is it possible to just open the switches (while they're installed) and swap the brown stem with a red/silver one?
If yes, can someone recommend a tool to open the switches, that makes it easy and save. (If I would have to expect, that every second or third switch gets damaged while doing this, it might not be such a great idea after all.)

Offline Sup

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Re: Is it possible to mod brown switches into red/silver ones
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 13 February 2019, 09:34:31 »
Best way would be to desolder it and solder new switches in other then that it's the other first option you said but the chance finding someone would be slim.
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Filco Zero -  NOS Yellow Alps | Canoe R1 Gateron Red | AEK II JP Cream dampend |Filco Majestouch 2 Tex case Gateron Yellow | HHKB Pro 1 2003 Rev AO Serial 000171 | HHKB Pro 1 2003 Rev A1s|DZ60 OG Panda's with Fei spring and stem. | Sentraq S65_Plus OG Invyr Panda's | A17 Gateron Black TX 65G 3204 | Lubrigrante Wildcard Cherry MX silent blacks 3204 58.5G Springs | Rukia Everglide Tourmaline Blue 58.5G Springs | MGA Standard Greetech brown |
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Offline Sup

  • * Exquisite Elder
  • Posts: 1354
  • Doing university was a mistake
Re: Is it possible to mod brown switches into red/silver ones
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 13 February 2019, 09:35:22 »
Best way would be to desolder it and solder new switches in other then that it's the other first option you said but the chance finding someone would be slim. Also i am pretty sure the plate the vortex vibe uses doesn't support top opening of mx switches.
current
Filco Zero -  NOS Yellow Alps | Canoe R1 Gateron Red | AEK II JP Cream dampend |Filco Majestouch 2 Tex case Gateron Yellow | HHKB Pro 1 2003 Rev AO Serial 000171 | HHKB Pro 1 2003 Rev A1s|DZ60 OG Panda's with Fei spring and stem. | Sentraq S65_Plus OG Invyr Panda's | A17 Gateron Black TX 65G 3204 | Lubrigrante Wildcard Cherry MX silent blacks 3204 58.5G Springs | Rukia Everglide Tourmaline Blue 58.5G Springs | MGA Standard Greetech brown |
Coming soon
Rest in peace Billy Herrington(William Glen Harold Herrington) 1969-2018
Rest in peace Byron Daniel 1989-2020

Offline killyou

  • Posts: 265
  • Location: Poland
Re: Is it possible to mod brown switches into red/silver ones
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 13 February 2019, 13:57:51 »
Either sell/exchange the keyboard OR if you are positive that's your endgame keyboard or you will be sticking with it for a long time you could desolder the switches and make it hot swappable. It's only viable if you are eager to learn soldering and you will be sticking with the board for longer.