Maltron Switch Change Project

vivalarevolución · 19 Dec 2012, 01:22

Title says it all. I'm thinking of changing the switches on my Maltron from Cherry MX Black to something tactile. Anybody ever take a stab at such a project? Will I destroy the Maltron in the process?

Kurk · 19 Dec 2012, 09:20

Should be relatively easy but tedious work as the switches are just held by the case and they are hand-wired. Here's a thread that touches the issue of replacing the switches. No information provided if it has actually been done.

http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8 ... t1416.html

fossala · 19 Dec 2012, 09:26

It's not easy, it's nearly impossible. By the time you pull the switch out the wires are too short and gives you nothing to grip onto. I'm sure you could do it if you too your time but it would take hours. It may be a little easier if you can get your hands on the switch opener thebeast is making.

Jim66 · 19 Dec 2012, 10:12

It should be really easy to just swap the innards of the switch out with what you want.

1. Pop the switch out; not difficult.
2. Remove the 4 clips holding the top to the bottom of the switch to the bottom.
3. Replace inside and put back together.

fossala · 19 Dec 2012, 10:26

Did you try Jim? It's harder than first apparent.

Jim66 · 19 Dec 2012, 10:29

I tried it on a couple of the switches round the edge... I'm guessing that some wires aren't as long as others.

fossala · 19 Dec 2012, 10:35

It's almost impossible on the middle switches.

EDIT: each is hand made though, lenghts of wire could differ.

vivalarevolución · 19 Dec 2012, 21:43

Jim66 wrote:It should be really easy to just swap the innards of the switch out with what you want.

1. Pop the switch out; not difficult.
2. Remove the 4 clips holding the top to the bottom of the switch to the bottom.
3. Replace inside and put back together.

So you did this without having to remove the wire on the switch?

vivalarevolución · 19 Dec 2012, 21:45

fossala wrote:It's almost impossible on the middle switches.

EDIT: each is hand made though, lenghts of wire could differ.

Which middle switches? The ones for the number pad or the ones for the thumb keys?

Jim66 · 19 Dec 2012, 21:48

prdlm2009 wrote:
Jim66 wrote:It should be really easy to just swap the innards of the switch out with what you want.

1. Pop the switch out; not difficult.
2. Remove the 4 clips holding the top to the bottom of the switch to the bottom.
3. Replace inside and put back together.
So you did this without having to remove the wire on the switch?

Yes, you can pull the switch out of the case with the wires still attached. Fossala was just pointing out that, given the handmade nature of the maltron keyboards, some wires are longer than others which makes it slightly more difficult on some keys.

vivalarevolución · 19 Dec 2012, 22:05

prdlm2009 wrote:
fossala wrote:It's almost impossible on the middle switches.

EDIT: each is hand made though, lenghts of wire could differ.
Which middle switches? The ones for the number pad or the ones for the thumb keys?

Ok I looked at the innards of the Maltron and answered my own question.

vivalarevolución · 20 Dec 2012, 02:37

I popped out the switch this evening and was able to open the switch using some random objects laying around, but the wires on each switch are going to make this a tough project. But I might go through with it.

I really need to find a better method of separating the top and bottom of the switch.

UPDATE: Figured out a better way to open up the switch using a variety of small objects. I probably will get myself some tactile cherry switches, but haven't figured out which ones yet. Good chance I might have myself a tactile Maltron.

Exciting times in my keyboard world.

fossala · 20 Dec 2012, 08:41

Can you share your better way of opening them?

vivalarevolución · 20 Dec 2012, 23:13

Fossala, I looked at some of the other threads about opening Cherry switches, and pulled some ideas from those. I apologize in advance if any Maltron enthusiasts will be offended by the pictures of my butchered Maltron.

Instead of a modified paper clip, I used a modified safety pin for the top slots to pull apart the legs on the top part if the switch from the bottom. The next night, I realized larger paper clips are a much better idea and filed down a couple of those. I did this one side at a time. With a small flathead screw driver or just my fingernail, I applied downward pressure on the corner of bottom part of the switch with the paper clip pulling up in the top slots.

I had some trouble with the top legs reattaching to the bottom, so I slid another safety pin in between the top and bottom of the switch to keep the legs from reattaching. Also applied downward pressure on the lip at the corner bottom part of the switch when I opened the second side.

The attached wires and surrounding switches really make it a tight operation and it will take awhile. I did most of it in one night while watching TV, but it took a few hours. I'm sure I could fashion a better switch opener, but I did it with whatever I had lying around.

Below is a picture of all the opened switches. I will not change the switch on the F keys and a few thumbs key because they are tough to reach, and I will not change the lock keys. I ordered some MX Clear switches from 7bit's group buy for the potential of Ergo Clear switches. If I can get my hands on some lighter springs than MX Black/MX Clear, I will make ergo clears.

I will include pictures and any suggestions to improve my process are welcome.

vivalarevolución · 21 Dec 2012, 15:55

In other news, I now have 93 MX Black springs and sliders if anybody wants those. Will swap for 93 MX Red/Blue/Brown springs.

Unless I really like the feel of the MX clear springs. I do find the MX Blues almost too light.

vivalarevolución · 27 Jan 2013, 20:11

Here is my Maltron with all the Cherry MX Clear switches, expect for the F keys, the four lock keys, and Qwerty/maltron layout switch keys. The F keys were hard to reach and I wanted to keep the lock keys different from the rest of the keyboard. I switched the springs and stems in each switch from Cherry MX Black to Cherry MX Clear.

As for the typing feel: The MX Clear springs offer just about the same resistance as the MX Black springs. The big change, of course, is the tactile feel of the MX Clear stems. They do offer better feedback than the MX Black. The whole project took quite a few hours, but I just threw in some DVDs and started working away.

I only have a MAC at home, so I have to bring the keyboard into work on my PC and see if everything still works like it should. We'll see.

fossala · 27 Jan 2013, 20:13

Do you find the keyboard flexes with clears in it?

vivalarevolución · 27 Jan 2013, 22:24

fossala wrote:Do you find the keyboard flexes with clears in it?

I don't know, let me try.

(A couple minutes later.....)

Not really feeling much flexing in the keyboard with the MX clears. But the big keys like the Shift and Space might be better off with linear switches.

vivalarevolución · 04 Feb 2013, 00:28

In case anybody cares, I changed the shift keys back to linear switches because I found tactile switches on the Maltron shift keys were not a better fit.

In general, I am enjoying the tactile feel over the linear MX Black switches that were there before. However, I'm sort of kicking myself for not going all the way with Ergo Clears because I don't like the resistance of Clear springs. Or Black springs, for that matter.