Topre Silencing 2.0 Looking for very thin foam sheet

[cookie]

Hello everybody,

I have performed a silencing mod on both my HHKBs and I am verry pleased with the result so far.
(FYI: http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/happ ... lit=Ghetto)
But after watching this video where a guy lubed the Stems with Krytox 104, I am verry shocked how quiet this keyboard can actually be. So I am looking for verry thin foam sheets to make orings out of it. I am aiming for pretty much the same material, Topre is using in their Type-S Products. Also I wan't to make a comparison video how the keyboard sounds wihtout dampering, with the currend dampering (0,5mm thick silicone) and with this foam.

The Problem is that I haven't found thin sheets yet. Can someone help me?

Most silent HHKB I've ever seen:

Thanks a lot!

[Medowy]

What material is used in a Types-S?

[Hypersphere]

I have seen posts on GH about using the black landing pads from EK. To make them thin enough, they ironed them with a clothing iron.

[cookie]

@ Medowy: I am sure the material is verry thin foam:


@rjrich: I am not going to purchase any products from EK, because the shipping is to expensive and so are their products (Overpriced). But I would be really interested in this ironing techique. I will try to search them myself but it would be nice if you could post a link here. The only problem I see with ironing the foam is that you will take away the spongieness and this is what I try to avoid. If I'd like to use a harder rubberlike material, I'd keep my silicone orings.

[Hypersphere]

Here is one of the GH posts about ironing the soft landing pads for silencing Topres in a Leopold FC660C:http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49046.0

There were others, I think, about other Topre-switch keyboards.

Note that the design of the Type-S switch is different from that of a standard Topre switch; they have done more than just adding a foam ring. I think that the modifications include adjusting the travel length to compensate for the thickness of the foam and making closer tolerances between the slider and the switch housing.

[Hypersphere]

Impressive video. Most of the keys are so quiet that the slight clatter of the spacebar is deafening by comparison!

[cookie]

Yes I know that the stem and housing is slightly different to adapt to the foam ring. I currently have 0,5mm silicone Orings in my boards and I can't notice any difference in travel at all. I only need a good sheet of foam to make the O-Rings out of it. Already ordered krytox lubricant to make my boards as buttery as possible

Yes indeed, the video is verry impressive and a great motivation for me to get same results!

Foam is superior over silicone because it is softer and if compressed by the domes, even thinner than equally thick silicone.
Only downside is that foam gets brittle faster but this is something I do not care atm.

[quantalume]

I've bought thin foam sheets from craft stores in the past. Just going from memory, I'd say they were about 1,5mm thick. Can you tell me the thickness you require? If you cannot find something local, I'd be happy to pick some up and send it to you.

[Medowy]

@ Medowy: I am sure the material is verry thin foam:

Thanks cookie for that picture. Made things more clear to me.

I'm interested about this mod too. Keep us updated

[cookie]

@quantalume: Thank you verry much for your offer, I appreciate it! But 1,5 mm is way to thick for what I've planed. I'd like to stick to 0.5mm to not impact the travel that much. The most sheets I found are self-sealing and I absolutely want to avoid any kind of glue in that area so I am still searching for good sheets.

@Medowy: You are welcome And I will keep you guys updated ofcourse

[Hypersphere]

Here are three posts showing different ways to make thin plastic washers for silencing Topre-switch keyboards:

https://imgur.com/a/vfjn0

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40582

http://deskthority.net/news-reviews-f4/ ... 3-120.html

The third post uses a material called Dycem. It seems that this might be what you are seeking.

[Medowy]

Good stuff. I'm planning to silence my HHKB soon(ish)..

I'm going to do a little "documentation" of the process. Though there are lots of those already.

[Hypersphere]

Good stuff. I'm planning to silence my HHKB soon(ish)..

I'm going to do a little "documentation" of the process. Though there are lots of those already.

Please do document the process. There is no perfect approach to this. Each mod tends to be a bit different and adds something from which others can learn. Thanks.

[Medowy]

Good stuff. I'm planning to silence my HHKB soon(ish)..

I'm going to do a little "documentation" of the process. Though there are lots of those already.

Please do document the process. There is no perfect approach to this. Each mod tends to be a bit different and adds something from which others can learn. Thanks.

Thanks for the support.

Can't wait to see cookie's mod!

[cookie]

@rjich: The last link is from my post HAHA I already know all those threads and this is exactely what I already did. Unfortunately those are not the materials I am looking for

@Medowy: http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/happ ... lit=Ghetto)

[Stabilized]

Hey, didn't want to necro bump that old thread but I have a question about the cutters you used: what size are they? I am thinking of picking up some leather craft ones and hammering them all out by hand (on a rainy day).

Looking forward to seeing how your lubed HHKB turns out

[Hypersphere]

@rjich: The last link is from my post HAHA I already know all those threads and this is exactely what I already did. Unfortunately those are not the materials I am looking for

@Medowy: http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/happ ... lit=Ghetto)

Looks like your message in a bottle washed up on your own shore. Please let us know when you find the right material for the Topre silencing project.

[cookie]

@Stabilized: Feel free to ask questions in the original thread, thats what it is for. I used a 8mm and 11mm punch. It is not 100% the same dimention like topre stem but it works pretty nice.

I will keep you updated as soon as I found good material.

[Stabilized]

Cool, thanks for the information! I was hoping that some of the punches that I already own would do the job but it looks like I will need to purchase some more.

Also, I was wondering about where you plan to get Krytox from in the EU. I have seen a couple of GBs on here but the last one was a while ago, otherwise it's this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/DUPONT-KRYTOX-G ... 1409524035.

[Hypersphere]

Krytox -- sounds like something that could render Superman inactive. Probably safe for earthlings. In any event, here is a link for distributors in Europe:
http://www2.dupont.com/Lubricants/en_US ... utors.html

[cookie]

First of all I need a good dampering material, the Silicone is nice but there are better!
After that I am going to get some krytox

[Stabilized]

Yeah I have had a look around the internet for 0.5mm foam and have found next to nothing. The only thing close were those sheets of white, very thin, packing foam like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-500mm-x-50 ... 27bb3085a1
Does mean you're stuck with 50m of the stuff and I have no idea how good it would be either...

Well, let me know where you end up getting your krytox from, if or when you get some

[cookie]

Exactely this foam I got inside the watch I bought for my father this weekend. Hope to get some good results out of it.
It is not verry flexible, this could be problematic because my Punches are not 100% the size of topre stems.

[Stabilized]

Cool! Looking forward to see if that stuff works.

[Hypersphere]

There is a new post on GH about a silencing mod for an HHKB using very thin silicone (0.010 inch = 0.25 mm) obtained from Amazon:
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=57698.0;topicseen
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005584R1U/ref=biss_dp_t_asn

[cookie]

I guarantee you that 0,25mm silicone will not work. I have verry soft 0.5mm silicone. The sound is dampered but the bottom up noise is still there. Foam is the way to go.

[Hypersphere]

I guarantee you that 0,25mm silicone will not work. I have verry soft 0.5mm silicone. The sound is dampered but the bottom up noise is still there. Foam is the way to go.

So, are you using the Jiffy foam material that is 1.5 mm thick?

[Stabilized]

I guarantee you that 0,25mm silicone will not work. I have verry soft 0.5mm silicone. The sound is dampered but the bottom up noise is still there. Foam is the way to go.

So, are you using the Jiffy foam material that is 1.5 mm thick?

If you're referring to the one in my link, it comes thinner then that; it was just to illustrate the kind of thing I was talking about.

[cookie]

@rjrich: I currently don't have the time to do the mod, but I found verry thin packaging foam (around 0,6mm thick) Currently I have the 0,5mm silicone orings you can see the material in the modification thread.

The Stuff I found is verry similar to the material Sabilized has posted. The good thing is that it is verry even.
I will keep you guys updated.

[cookie]

I finally punched out some dampering rings out of the new material and what can I say, It is awesome!!!
here the pictures:








Foam is definately the way to go, the fluffyness dampers better than a dense Material.
Next step is to lube the sliders and get rid of the rattleing sound.
And I am going to add a compairson video, so you can see the result .

Stay tuned