MY magnets - great for fridges and for testing layouts

User avatar
Kurk

04 Feb 2013, 23:39

Here's something you can do with your old G81 boards after harvesting the caps: Use the switches to test new/alternative layouts!
MY magnet
MY magnet
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ErgoDox layout.
ErgoDox layout.
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How? Like this:
  • 1) Harvest the switches (use a chisel to remove the rivets).
    2) Remove the leaf springs. As a side effect, the MY switches will feel much better.
    3) Get some strong neodymium magnets. I've tried discs with d=15 mm and h=3 mm but they were a tad too strong and would repel each other in a staggered arrangement. I finally went for rectangles with a=10 mm, h=3 mm.
    4) Roughen up the surface of the magnets and the switches with sanding paper. Be careful not to damage the magnet's coating or they will corrode away.
    5) Gluing time. Superstrong epoxy is recommended.
    6) Optional: apply squares of rubber tape to prevent skating.
    7) Arrange to your liking. They look also great on a fridge :)
Some thoughts:
These neodymium magnets are STRONG. Even the 10 mm squares tend to repel each other if same polarities are placed next to each other on a smooth surface. Therefore, I made two sets with alternating polarities. Furthermore, anti-skating rubber tape was applied to all of them.
The bottom of MY switches does have large empty spaces, therefore the contact surface between the switch base and the magnet is not exactly large. Square magnets nicely reach into the flat surface at the corners and therefore give a better bonding than disc-shaped magnets of equal or slightly larger size. Slightly larger rectangles than used here, e.g. with a=12 mm would be ideal, I guess. Unfortunately, these were not available at my favorite magnet webshop.
One more thing: you can easily use stabilizers with this setup because the stabilizer bases are built into the MY switches. Oh, and the black switches seem to be less scratchy than the white ones when pressed off-center.

More pics behind the spoiler
Spoiler:
Chisel off the rivets. Switch donors in this picture: a Cherry G81 and a T+A Gabriele.
Chisel off the rivets. Switch donors in this picture: a Cherry G81 and a T+A Gabriele.
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Remove the leaf spring.
Remove the leaf spring.
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Magnets: squares and discs.
Magnets: squares and discs.
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Sanding paper treatment of the switches and the magnets. Note the alternating polarity.
Sanding paper treatment of the switches and the magnets. Note the alternating polarity.
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Epoxy-glue the magnets to the switches.
Epoxy-glue the magnets to the switches.
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Rubber tape against skating.
Rubber tape against skating.
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Finished.
Finished.
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Does a great job my fridge as well.
Does a great job my fridge as well.
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Last edited by Kurk on 05 Feb 2013, 23:37, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Jmneuv

04 Feb 2013, 23:53

well done, now get a beer from that fridge

User avatar
sordna

05 Feb 2013, 00:08

Very cool idea to test layouts!
Hmm you could even use wires and actually make it into a working keyboard with movable switches!

JBert

05 Feb 2013, 12:57

I don't think you can get a working keyboard out of it - it's the leaf spring and membrane which will make a contact.

imp

05 Feb 2013, 13:35

Based on the idea to make a working keyboard with it: use MX switches and magnet rings (such stuff really exists :)), so the "bump" on the lower side of the switches doesn't matter that much (maybe cutting it off is an alternative, if one removes a little bit of the stem too). Then it's all a question of fiddling with cables :D.

User avatar
Kurk

05 Feb 2013, 17:45

CH sells something like that, the "Multi Function Panel"
http://www.chproducts.com/Multi-Functio ... d-724.html
See also this thread: http://deskthority.net/news-reviews-f4/ ... on%20panel

imp

05 Feb 2013, 21:37

Kurrk wrote:CH sells something like that, the "Multi Function Panel"
http://www.chproducts.com/Multi-Functio ... d-724.html
See also this thread: http://deskthority.net/news-reviews-f4/ ... on%20panel
But then you'll loose the option to have different caps / profiles in the end. And that's an important feature for me with the cherry caps :) (unless you tweak the caps of the "Multi Function Panel"). And is there a limit in the number of keys it can handle?

User avatar
Kurk

05 Feb 2013, 23:30

imp wrote:.......... And is there a limit in the number of keys it can handle?
The original Ergodex supports up to 50 unique keys:
http://www.ergodex.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=354
The CH product seems to be a rebranded Ergodex with updated drivers, so I guess it will still be limited to 50 keys. Not sure though.

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