deskthority

Dear all,

Seasons greetings. I find this KB too soft for my needs and have been looking into changing out the rubber domes, to make it heavier. I'd appreciate advice from those who have done this mod... question is, will it make a difference? These days I am mainly using a Cherry MX Green FC660M and SSK.

With thanks,
SY

I guess you have the 45g version, which means that you'd need to find a 55g sheet. Which isn't too hard but if you aren't willing to search through the market to find one, you'll have to buy another boards and swap the domes.

which leads to the biggest problem of Topre fans, buy another board to complete your current keyboard or wait for one with the features you like to pop up in the market ? ^^

And let me tell you, space becomes a problem quickly

Thanks... already under fire from the wife for cameras, keyboards, pencils, computers etc!

As far as I know, this model only comes in 45g - which is a part of the problem. I've seen third party rubber domes made by BKE Redux. Worth a shout?

I have the BKE Redux Heavy, and they're great, for the price and if you aren't willing to harvest boards left and right, they're definitely something you want to look for. I am a fan of 45g and I find the Heavies a bit too ... heavy hehe, soI think they should be in your comfort zone

Well, if you typed the thread title with the keyboard in question, Shiva, it looks to be a touch “to heavy” rather than “tooo soft.”

I agree with the OP. I put Topre 55g domes in my Realforce 104UG HiPro. It feels positively sublime after the conversion.

My favorite aftermarket domes are the "55g Korean Domes" you find on eBay for $20.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/142648222107

These have a measured force curve:
https://plot.ly/~haata/573

Muirium wrote: ↑Well, if you typed the thread title with the keyboard in question, Shiva, it looks to be a touch “to heavy” rather than “tooo soft.”

Noted.

XMIT wrote: ↑I agree with the OP. I put Topre 55g domes in my Realforce 104UG HiPro. It feels positively sublime after the conversion.

My favorite aftermarket domes are the "55g Korean Domes" you find on eBay for $20.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/142648222107

These have a measured force curve:
https://plot.ly/~haata/573

How involved was the mod? I'll try and order from an EU supplier.

XMIT wrote: ↑I agree with the OP. I put Topre 55g domes in my Realforce 104UG HiPro. It feels positively sublime after the conversion.

My favorite aftermarket domes are the "55g Korean Domes" you find on eBay for $20.

As someone who is currently looking to get into modding Topre boards I have a question regarding these "Korean domes".

How do they compare against standard Topre 55g?

I currently only have boards with 45h Topre, but I have tried 55g and I liked the increased weight and tactility compared to 45g. I would therefore like to mod one of my 45g boards to be a little heavier and more tactile.

BKE domes in Light and Heavy are as mentioned also available but they are a little more expensive than these advertised Korean domes. Moreover BKE domes seem to not be as readily available.

Tias wrote: ↑ BKE domes in Light and Heavy are as mentioned also available but they are a little more expensive than these advertised Korean domes...

That's quite an understatement...


As for how good these Korean domes fare in comparison to Topre ones:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=14697

Man, that thread hurts. So much for my 35g temptation.

Topre’s domes are a major ingredient of the magic. Mess them up: your hacking ain’t so happy, and your Realforce just ain’t real no more.

Sugoi wrote: ↑

Tias wrote: ↑ BKE domes in Light and Heavy are as mentioned also available but they are a little more expensive than these advertised Korean domes...

That's quite an understatement...


As for how good these Korean domes fare in comparison to Topre ones:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=14697

Thank you for pointing me toward that thread
And yes, I realize now that BKE domes are quite expensive in comparison but they are still cheaper than buying a whole 55g Topre board just to get the domes for swapping. Finding Topre 55g dome sheets for sale seems to be rare as people usually prefer swapping from lighter to heavier and not the other way around.

It seems that if one wants to try 55g Topre you have to buy a board with said domes or settle for something resembling the feel of those domes, for example BKE domes. From what I gathered from the thread regarding the Korean domes people seem to have mixed opinions about them.

You're welcome.

Tias wrote: ↑ It seems that if one wants to try 55g Topre you have to buy a board with said domes or settle for something resembling the feel of those domes, for example BKE domes...

From what I have heard, those BKE redux domes are apparently quite different in feel. The better tactility comes with a "harsher" typing experience. I also heard that after breaking in (after around 500 - 1000 keystrokes) the feel changes to such a degree that keys not not broken in yet feel noticably stiffer...
I would really be interested in hearing long-term experience reports from users.

As for me, I haven't dared to mess with my Realforce 55g so far. If it ain't broke, don't fix it...
Yeah, I'm a coward when it comes to my precious Realforce...

Sugoi wrote: ↑ As for me, I haven't dared to mess with my Realforce 55g so far. If it ain't broke, don't fix it...
Yeah, I'm a coward when it comes to my precious Realforce...

The thing that attracted me to Topre boards, apart from me really enjoying the keyfeel of Topre switches, was the high out of the box quality of everything in Topre boards. If only they where a bit cheaper just so that one could own several without having to empty ones pockets x)

I also have a Realforce, but a 45g 88UB, and although the 45g weighting is perfect for me I would like to own a board with 55g switches. And as you said I neither would not dare to mess with my Realforce as it is perfect as it is

The board I had the intention of modding was a Novatouch as I feel that 45g switches on it feel almost linear since the silencing ring mod and therefore would be a suitable candidate for some heavier domes

Tias wrote: ↑From what I gathered from the thread regarding the Korean domes people seem to have mixed opinions about them.

Mixed opinions all the way from type 5 through type 7 on the Bristol scale.

Muirium wrote: ↑ Mixed opinions all the way from type 5 through type 7 on the Bristol scale.

I just had to google that because I didn't understand that referens... Are you perhaps refering to the scale by Doctor K. Hering from Bristol University?

Quite a figurative way off describing bad switch feel...

Me, talking shit? Perish the thought!

Tias wrote: ↑How do they compare against standard Topre 55g?

30g lighter.

Ok so I’m leaving my hipro alone.

Happy new year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe some 10g springs from aliexpress?

They can be placed under the keycaps. Won't enhance tactility, just make the pushing a bit harder.

Laser wrote:Maybe some 10g springs from aliexpress?

They can be placed under the keycaps. Won't enhance tactility, just make the pushing a bit harder.

Don’t think the spring has any functionality in terms of force. Its all in the dome. But I’m not a technical person.

Anyone else?


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I'm sorry, you have the springs confused. These are not the springs under the domes, that indeed have no "functionality in terms of force". These are "after-market" springs designed especially to add force, and they are placed under the keycap (they don't replace the original springs under the domes).

Laser wrote: ↑I'm sorry, you have the springs confused. These are not the springs under the domes, that indeed have no "functionality in terms of force". These are "after-market" springs designed especially to add force, and they are placed under the keycap (they don't replace the original springs under the domes).

Thank you for the further information. This seems like a very easy non-invasive mod, I'd be keen to try as I have several Topre boards.

Yup. It may just do the trick for you. Just bear in mind it displaces the force curve, but doesn’t scale it. It adds the same extra weight all the way, effectively reducing tactility. The result will be keys that feel heavier but also more linear. Which might be just fine if tall caps are giving you that leverage effect.