Saving a 2100 From Death: The Unsaver Way!
- Mattr567
- Location: Socal
- Main keyboard: Many things
- Main mouse: G502
- Favorite switch: Alps in general
- DT Pro Member: -
Hey everyone! Haven't posted a new project in a while (college, doh!) but finally, here it is. This saga took place in the course of about 4-5 months.
I had bought a shipping damaged G80-2100, saving it from USPS as they were going to destroy it in order to get insurance money. And I wasn't sure what to do with it. Fix it, but how? The PCB and case were really messed up.
Then it hit me, unsaver time! I knew of one other in existence but documentation was lackluster. So here is my journey.
This got the board running again
Repaired the case with JB Weld plastic epoxy, one little piece at a time
Initial cut
Bridging the seam as well as the shipping damage hole The area of the shipping damage isn't perfect, but considering how warped the case plastic was I'm just happy it's straight
Missing: tons and tons of sanding
Wiring: I programmed a key (on all layers) on the 2100 to be Esc before I cut it since I was losing it with chopping the numpad. I kept the PCB scrap if this programming ever gets reset. Ended up needing to have an IC on a separate cut out section of the PCB for fitment purposes.
Paint wise I ended up needing to do many coats to fill everything in as seen here. Plus more sanding after.
Also, weeks of dry time for it to cure fully underneath the surface. Definitely learned that lesson.
Final coat
Being a German ISO board, I bought a donor board for the US-ISO legends, which included a rare full-size icon mod shift! The PCB has a provision for the full-size shift so it was no big deal to change to. Also red LEDs cause
Finally, the finished product
Hope you enjoyed
I had bought a shipping damaged G80-2100, saving it from USPS as they were going to destroy it in order to get insurance money. And I wasn't sure what to do with it. Fix it, but how? The PCB and case were really messed up.
Then it hit me, unsaver time! I knew of one other in existence but documentation was lackluster. So here is my journey.
This got the board running again
Repaired the case with JB Weld plastic epoxy, one little piece at a time
Initial cut
Bridging the seam as well as the shipping damage hole The area of the shipping damage isn't perfect, but considering how warped the case plastic was I'm just happy it's straight
Missing: tons and tons of sanding
Wiring: I programmed a key (on all layers) on the 2100 to be Esc before I cut it since I was losing it with chopping the numpad. I kept the PCB scrap if this programming ever gets reset. Ended up needing to have an IC on a separate cut out section of the PCB for fitment purposes.
Paint wise I ended up needing to do many coats to fill everything in as seen here. Plus more sanding after.
Also, weeks of dry time for it to cure fully underneath the surface. Definitely learned that lesson.
Final coat
Being a German ISO board, I bought a donor board for the US-ISO legends, which included a rare full-size icon mod shift! The PCB has a provision for the full-size shift so it was no big deal to change to. Also red LEDs cause
Finally, the finished product
Hope you enjoyed
Last edited by Mattr567 on 04 Jun 2019, 08:34, edited 5 times in total.
- Tias
- Location: Finland
- Main keyboard: Various Realforce R1 boards, various Cherry G80's
- Main mouse: MX Master 2
- Favorite switch: Og Sony BKE domes + purple sliders, MX Black
- DT Pro Member: 0214
You certainly did a really great job on bringing this board back to life again considering how horrific the shipping damage was. Such an awesome project and resurection with a beautiful end result. Another Cherry (Un)saved
- depletedvespene
- Location: Chile
- Main keyboard: IBM Model F122
- Main mouse: Logitech G700s
- Favorite switch: buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: 0224
- Contact:
Congratulations! This is excellent work. The battlelimp certainly deserved better than an unceremonious destruction (probably at the hands of the same who damaged it in the first place).
- zrrion
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: F122
- Main mouse: Microsoft IntelliMouse
- Favorite switch: ALPS SKCC Cream
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
This is super nice! Great job.
- ZedTheMan
- Location: Central US
- Main keyboard: IModel F77/IBM 3101/Omnikey 102/96Kee
- Main mouse: Logitech G430/Logitech M570/Kensington Expert
- Favorite switch: Beamsprings. Alps SKCM Blue, Capacitive Buckling S
- DT Pro Member: 0219
That looks clean. Excellent job saving a board otherwise destined to be scrapped.
Thank you so much for saving it! I thought it was too far gone for repair when I got it but you managed to surprise me with how well done this is!
- karlmartin95
- Main keyboard: IBM 4704 F77
- Favorite switch: Model F Capacitive Switch
Good job! glad to see this kind of restorations!
Last edited by Jamie1654 on 29 Jul 2019, 08:28, edited 1 time in total.
- whiffysole
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: S60-X Custom Build
- Main mouse: Mionix Naos 7000
- Favorite switch: Gateron Yellow
- DT Pro Member: -
Look at that 2x2u enter key! I've been looking for one forever
- kbdfr
- The Tiproman
- Location: Berlin, Germany
- Main keyboard: Tipro MID-QM-128A + two Tipro matrix modules
- Main mouse: Contour Rollermouse Pro
- Favorite switch: Cherry black
- DT Pro Member: 0010
You obviously mean the donor board.whiffysole wrote: ↑28 Jul 2019, 06:57Look at that 2x2u enter key! I've been looking for one forever
Perhaps you can obtain that cap (even if with faded print) from Mattr567, otherwise I could send you a 2x2 Tipro relegendable (FIY, 4 stems accommodating a matrix of 4 switches) for shipping costs (from Germany, mind you).
- whiffysole
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: S60-X Custom Build
- Main mouse: Mionix Naos 7000
- Favorite switch: Gateron Yellow
- DT Pro Member: -
Yes, I meant the donor board. I do have a 2x2u key with the POS stem layout, but I'm wondering how it works on that board. Thanks for the offer though.
- depletedvespene
- Location: Chile
- Main keyboard: IBM Model F122
- Main mouse: Logitech G700s
- Favorite switch: buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: 0224
- Contact:
Just don't say "Latin Enter is the best Enter" in this forum.whiffysole wrote: ↑28 Jul 2019, 06:57Look at that 2x2u enter key! I've been looking for one forever
- FletchINKy
- Location: Ky, USA
- Main keyboard: Signum 3.0
- Main mouse: m570, like everyone else
- Favorite switch: Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Brilliant work. Glad this board got a happy ending.