MX keycap to Buckling Springs prototype.

[CallmeJohn]

After wanting more keycaps available for Model M, like many others they've come across the previous attempts at MX to Buckling springs projects and seen them go no where besides some photos. Today (tonight for me) I will be releasing a working MX keycap to Buckling spring adapter, there are a few things that need to be fixed which I have listed down below. If you are more experienced and want to help with the project then a .IPT file with what I've done so far will be available and for those who just want to try it out on there 3D printer a .STL is also provided.

Keycap P2.png (148.63 KiB) Viewed 2958 times

I used a stock Voxelab Aquila with a 0.4mm nozzle with some $30 AUD PLA of amazon, if someone with a better printer and tighter tolerances and better print quality I'd love to see how it turns out. The print settings I used 0.2mm layer height, no supports, raft optional but I did use a skirt.

Current issues/tweaks that are needed:

• The nub inside the stem where the spring sits is a little too small for 3D printer tolerances try a few times before it works properly.

• The cherry mount is smaller than official spec as my 3d printer couldn't print the sizes properly.

• The adapter is too tall for most keycaps as shown in the video but this wouldn't be a hard fix.

• Missing the side rails.

Ill add and remove as I find and improve things.

Here is a demo of it working. You will have to reseat the adapter a few times before the spring rests on the little nub properly.
https://imgur.com/a/rhVDE49


Download:

The attachment MxBS.zip is no longer available

I will be releasing a shorter height version soon but school work is taking my time. If you have any questions ill happily answer them if can. Ill be adding back the download just need to fix a few things.

Credits: Fonzman on Thingiverse https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1849140 which created the model I modified to make this and Sebastian Götte on Github https://github.com/jaseg/Model-M that Fonzman made his models from.

[mysticfakir]

This is amazing work.
I've always thought that a mx-to-buckingspring conversion would raise the key height and in your demo video I see that this looks to be the case.
Will the finished product raise the key height as pictured in the demo?

[Karmel]

Will the finished product raise the key height as pictured in the demo?

I don't think it's possible to make this design without raising the height of the keys, based on how regular buckling spring caps work.

[CallmeJohn]

Will the finished product raise the key height as pictured in the demo?

I don't think it's possible to make this design without raising the height of the keys, based on how regular buckling spring caps work.

Karmel is right, I've been testing 2u keycaps and the cherry stab mount collides with the barrel. 1-1.75u keycaps with cherry profile are at the same height as the current keycaps but OEM or larger profiles would be better as the Model M caps are absolutely compared to cherry profile. I'm planning on a full set of adapters (excluding the space bar for now) to be released in a couple weeks but school may push it another week but we'll see.

Ill update the page once I finish the 2u adapter.

[CallmeJohn]

Quick update on the 2U adapter shown here https://imgur.com/a/G7XhyEh. It is working but there are a few things, the support stab isn't shifted over enough so it binds a bit on the left currently and the stem height needs to be just a little bit taller to get full travel. For some reason it only clicks twice before the click goes away but I'm pretty sure its because my I've changed my printer settings and its under extruding causing the spring get lose. The rattle is just the poor tolerances that will be fixed when the model is improved.

[arcticfox]

Very impressive work!
Do you think printing the model on a resin 3D printer might help with the tolerance issue?