Centered stem capslock modding

Prelim · 19 Jan 2015, 23:58

Hi guys,

I saw this thread ( http://deskthority.net/w-a-n-t-t-o-b-u- ... t1956.html ) earlier and was going to do the same capslock mod.

However I only have some spare MX caps left to destroy (G81 last row off-center caps) and was planing to use them for the capslock. The thing is the last row caps stem angle is completely different from the capslock row caps... do you guys made this mod using a stem from the same row?! How can I do this using my last row stems? (I've tried using sandpaper to ajust the stem angle but it is way to difficult due to the little stem size

)

Here's a couple photos, in order to better understand my problem:

- Cherry thick PBT Capslock, with the surface already sanded/prepared for new stem:

- Last row stems cuts:

- Angle difference (comparison between "A" keycap since is same row as capslock):

kbdfr · 20 Jan 2015, 06:38

Prelim wrote: ↑[…] do you guys made this mod using a stem from the same row?! […] (I've tried using sandpaper to ajust the stem angle but it is way to difficult due to the little stem size )

Taken from the thread you linked to:

kbdfr wrote: ↑[…] prepare the new stem, taken from another keycap with a bit of the top (I use old Jarltech relegendables for that), ensuring that the stem will be perpendicular to the base of the keycap:
.

The Jarltech keycaps I use for that are made from a softer material which is much easier to work on, and as they have no "angle" the only thing you have to worry about is adapting the remnant of the top.

Wanted to post a photo, but my camera appears to be on strike (no way to get a sharp pic).
Anyway, I can send you a few caps for shipping costs if you're a DT club member, or for 0.50 € each + shipping if you're not.

tlt · 20 Jan 2015, 09:08

Made this mod recently with ABS caps and epoxy. The result was ok but the center of the cap is to near the lowered part of the cap so that it gets in the way of the switch housing when it is pushed. I carved out some of the plastic in the cap and put the stem slightly of center to make it work. I didn't want to modify the switch to make it fit.

Findecanor · 20 Jan 2015, 10:29

I take a key from the same row and cut the top off first. File that flat just so that there isn't any remnant from the top left. Then cut the stem off from the struts that hold it to the side wall. More difficult with the Caps Lock row though because it is the lowest on the board.

Prelim · 20 Jan 2015, 18:08

thank you guys,

Well I haven't any spare cap from the same row or flat relegendable caps (that's @kbdfr but no need for that), so I'll try to adjust the angle initially using papersand on the entire keycap (to maximize the working area) and then cutting the stem to fit capslock. I can't imagine any other alternative :/

kbdfr · 20 Jan 2015, 18:37

The caps I use are not flat - as a matter of fact, they are rather tall.
They consist of two parts, the one with the stem is a rather soft material and quite easy to cut with a Stanley knife.

: (Sorry for the blurry pic, the autofocus of my camera is on strike); Jarltech relegendables.jpg (51.33 KiB) Viewed 5120 times

Prelim · 28 Jan 2015, 12:55

Hi again,

Yesterday I ended up modding the capslock as promised.

I managed to adjust the angle of the stem perfectly (using sandpaper) and followed the procedure:
1- Fit the stem in the switch.
2- Put the capslock cap above to test how high it was; time for more sandpaper work on stem to adjust height; guarantee everything allowed perfect alignment and height.
3- Put some epoxy inside capslock and position it in the right place; make some pressure and be sure it's perfectly aligned.
4- Wait 24h in order to cure epoxy.

After the 24h I've removed the cap to check the inside (everything was just fine) and when I putted the cap again, the height was completely different!
I thought I've made some error, so I took off some height of the stem once more and put again the cap and: "-OMG, it's with the same height!?"

So I check again it all, and it seems that the part of the stepped capslock is touching the switch housing, so the stem isn't able to enter the switch after some point. I find it very odd no one reporting the same issue, including ripster etc (who did the mod several times).

What do you guys think about this? Here's also some more photos to better document my problem

Nuum · 28 Jan 2015, 13:22

You have to sand down the keycap on that part, I had to do that on my one (made by kbdfr), too! Just take away some of the edge of the step and be careful not to protrude trough the keycap.

kbdfr · 28 Jan 2015, 13:47

And be sure the is nothing inside the stem of the cap.
Also, the epoxy mass around the stem could prevent it from properly entering the switch.

Prelim · 28 Jan 2015, 16:10

Nuum wrote: ↑You have to sand down the keycap on that part, I had to do that on my one (made by kbdfr), too! Just take away some of the edge of the step and be careful not to protrude trough the keycap.

a already took off a bit (just see in the last pic, cutted with x-ato around on the step). I also removed some epoxy and it's the same

tlt · 28 Jan 2015, 20:08

I mentioned this problem in my earlier post. The center of the cap is to close to the lowered side at least on Cherry caps. This mod in not that great but often there aren't any other options. Anyone got a spare center stemed WoB cherry ds capslock?

kbdfr · 28 Jan 2015, 20:49

I don’t really have that problem.
The reason is perhaps that I did not use an epoxy mass surrounding a stem, but rather prepared a stem still having a part of the cap "roof" so as to obtain a contact surface und just glued that "roof" inside the cap.

As I did not think of drilling through the stem prior to glueing it, the slider of the switch does not completely reach through the stem up to the cap, or in other words, the cap sits unnoticeably higher than it should, but that’s nothing you would notice unless you know.

I also removed some material from the "side wall"of the step, still the key travel is also unnoticeably shorter than normal, but again that’s nothing you would notice unless you know.

I have been using it for nearly three years now and am perfectly happy with it.

Prelim · 29 Jan 2015, 12:18

thanks for the help @kbdfr, can you post a photo of yours?

I just fucked it all, guess I sand it too much

and even now its a tad higher grrr...

I quit!... don't have any lasered capslock left to mod

kbdfr · 29 Jan 2015, 12:53

Old photo, but it hasn’t changed since then

I can send you a lasered CapsLock, although the printing seems less dark than on yours. It has thin walls, so you can hardly (but perhaps won’t need to) remove material from the step.
And while I’m at it, I can send you a few old caps like those I use for such modding.
No charge for that, only shipping costs and PayPal fee

Jmneuv · 29 Jan 2015, 15:45

Prelim, your cap might not be at fault here. Did you check if the stem sits flush with the switch slider?
I made a post some time ago how to manage that. If you get the switch open from the top you could seat switch casing top and slider into the cap then click it down on the switch bottom as an alternative.
I'll see if i find my post.

edit: uh-oh it was on gh even:
block switch stem

Prelim · 30 Jan 2015, 01:29

@kbdfr soz for being such a noob but I still don't get how your cap don't have the same problem, since the stepped wall is there

Can you explain?

@Jmneuv I just entered all the donor stem in switch slider before I glue it, as I said before.

tlt · 30 Jan 2015, 09:30

@kbdfr is that cap actually perfectly aligned on the keyboard? I would guess that it is ~1mm too high and ~0.5 mm to the right.

kbdfr · 30 Jan 2015, 16:11

Prelim wrote: ↑[…] I still don't get how your cap dont have the same problem, since wall the stepped wall is there Can you explain? […]

No, I have no explanation, sorry.

tlt wrote: ↑@kbdfr is that cap actually perfectly aligned on the keyboard? I would guess that it is ~1mm too high and ~0.5 mm to the right.

As I wrote before, "the cap sits unnoticeably higher than it should, but that’s nothing you would notice unless you know".
In any case it’s way less than 1mm.
As for a side offset, no, I can’t see any.