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keyswitch mystery, can you solve it? [is there a solution?]
Posted: 23 Dec 2015, 18:06
by courtesi
Are there any high quality full size ANSI boards that use silent/quiet Linear switches?
I'm interested in things outside the realm of Alps. I heard Space Invaders and Futaba(?) sometimes come in linear variants. Not sure how loud they would be.
Posted: 23 Dec 2015, 19:07
by elecplus
Space invaders definitely come in silent linear mode. Ask Xmit; he has some that we just picked up from the recycler.
Posted: 23 Dec 2015, 19:26
by Muirium
ANSI Space Invaders are quite hard to come by. (I'm still hunting one for myself, and have dibs way before you on XMIT's stuff!)
But if you can put up with Big Ass Return, you'll be fine.
Posted: 23 Dec 2015, 19:45
by fohat
Muirium wrote:
But if you can put up with Big Ass Return, you'll be fine.
I would second this motion. With the bigass Enter and small backspace they are fairly common and reasonably cheap.
Posted: 23 Dec 2015, 20:14
by XMIT
elecplus wrote: Space invaders definitely come in silent linear mode. Ask Xmit; he has some that we just picked up from the recycler.
Yes, but everything that I picked out is a funny terminal layout, something like this:
ANSI Space Invaders are rare (or they will be until I figure out how to make replica keys for them, perhaps 3D printed or something). Any clicky Space Invader switch can easily be modified to be linear. (Not sure if this is true for the tactile switches or not.)
Posted: 23 Dec 2015, 20:22
by Muirium
So long as "or something" is injection molded ABS or even better: PBT, then I'm all in! 3D printed caps, however, downright suck.
Posted: 23 Dec 2015, 22:29
by courtesi
I just watched Chryos video review on the white linear. Hmm I'll have to think about this one. I definitely want ANSI but I could always remap backspace to the capslock key to even be more ergonomic.
Although it is true XMIT has some terminal boards - these could be useful with soldering into cleaner examples with PS/2. My hesitation is that from past forum posts these switches are not at all a fan of dust/dirt. Plus they sound like a pain in the ass to disassemble and even put caps on. I think Chyros busted one up plus had to rebend a spring on his space bar.
Maybe I'm a sissy and it just takes a certain amount of finesse?
Posted: 23 Dec 2015, 22:57
by fohat
courtesi wrote:
terminal boards - these could be useful with soldering into cleaner examples with PS/2
it just takes a certain amount of finesse?
You have to learn to work with these key caps. For all other styles, I prefer a wire puller and I grab diagonal corners, but you absolutely cannot do it that way with Hi-Teks. I like to use a ring puller and stay in the middle of both sides, pulling straight up.
As for the terminal boards, I have an exquisite new white Hi-Tek with the RJ14 connector that I would love to get up and running, but, as far as I know, no one has ever successfully gotten one to work. And no, Soarer's WYSE does nothing there.
Posted: 24 Dec 2015, 01:17
by XMIT
I've spent a lot of time elsewhere describing how to pull these caps (can't find the link now). The sort story is to think about rolling the cap off to the side. Don't pull up at all!
Posted: 24 Dec 2015, 01:43
by Chyros
I made a (little-known) tutorial video on how I pull Space Invader caps. Hope it helps!
Posted: 24 Dec 2015, 01:43
by fohat
XMIT wrote:
think about rolling the cap off to the side. Don't pull up at all!
I think that the trick is to always use the sides and never use the tops or corners.
Posted: 24 Dec 2015, 03:46
by courtesi
Space Invaders are giving me an ulcer. I've spent a couple hours tonight sifting through forum posts trying to piece together everything ... Unlike Alps it doesn't appear that there are any guides to describe the different weights of the various colors?
Is it a general consensus that Yellow SI are the lightest linear switches?
Posted: 24 Dec 2015, 04:06
by XMIT
fohat wrote: XMIT wrote:
think about rolling the cap off to the side. Don't pull up at all!
I think that the trick is to always use the sides and never use the tops or corners.
Ideally, yes. In practice if the switches are at all gummed up, e.g. from poor storage conditions at a recycler, the key caps grip the switch tops with more force than usual and it becomes very easy to remove the entire assembly by accident even with the best tools and pulling straight up. The only method I've found to work 100% of the time is to rotate to the side.
My earlier recommendation is here:
http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/nec ... ml#p235674
XMIT wrote:
Your very best bet is a Topre style stainless steel puller. That should work nicely. (Confirmed: Topre puller works great! Just pulled five keys easily this way.) I usually use a wire key cap puller.
But yes: if you pull straight up you will remove the slider and possibly lose the spring and damage the hands. This is bad. Instead you want to roll the key cap off of the slider. I wouldn't use a rocking motion so much as a rolling motion.
I usually hold the key cap puller with the handle straight up and down (north/south) aligned with the center line of the key cap. Get the wires just barely under the left and right hand sides of the keycaps: enough to get a good grip but no more. Apply upward pressure until both wires have tension in them but not so much that you remove a key cap. Then, while still maintaining upward pressure, start moving the key cap puller to the right, rotating around the point where the right wire touches the key cap. lifting only the left wire.
Also, a helpful video is linked here:
http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/nec ... ml#p238305
Turns out blue ovals and space invaders have the same quirks for key cap removal: pulling straight up is a bad idea. For the blue oval it's even worse: this results in irreparable switch damage.