KBparadise V60 Alps board switch mod experience

[XMIT]

I spent some of the morning converting a KBparadise V60MTS to have Orange Alps switches. This has made an almost unusable board into my favorite mini board.

I was expecting quick switch mod but instead it was a giant pain in the rear. Some of the confounding factors:

1. The stabilizer clips for the stabilized keys, apart from the space bar, are these tiny clips that pull out easily.

2. There are four screws that hold the case together. Two of them are located underneath the rubber feet on the front edge of the board. Ugh.

3. Every single switch through hole mount is also a via with a pad on the top and the bottom of the board. Who does this!? I had a hell of a time desoldering these because even when the solder sucker appeared to remove all of the solder, the pin was still soldered just a tiny bit to the top pad, just under the key switch and on the other side of the PCB.

4. One pin on every switch is wired to ground - and specifically, to the ground plane. This pulls heat away from the pin really quickly and exacerbates problem #3.

5. Because of #3 and #4, the only way I could get switches off was to pull them off one at a time while heating the legs with a soldering iron. But, I still maanged to rip one pad off because...

6. My desoldering station has an "auto shutdown" feature. Even if you are using it continuously, after about 10 minutes or so it cuts heat to the element if it hasn't been docked in a little while (specifically, I think, if the controller doesn't think that the tip of the iron has been grounded in a little while). So, I ripped a pad while pulling without enough heat.

7. The Alps boards in Apple Standard Keyboards have really thin traces. I destroyed a couple of pads being really careful.

8. Many of the Alps Orange switches in the Apple Standard Keyboard donor were bent. Removing bent switches is always a giant pain even with a nice desoldering station.

9. I broke one of the legs of one of the Alps Orange switches because it was bent and I wiggled it too much. You can bend the legs back straight, but don't flex them much more than that.

Next up will be some photos and putting some of the Apple key caps on this little board. I've done enough for today. I want to print little side stickers to give me legends for all the V60's special features on the Fn layer.

That aside, this is a neat little board. Alps Orange is definitely lighter - way ligher - than Matias Quiet Click. I like them more than I like Alps Salmon. That's a shame because I have more Alps Salmon donors at this point. Whoops.

In the near future I'm planning to convert a V80MTS to either Blue Alps or Orange Alps. I haven't decided which yet!

[vivalarevolución]

I couldn't even open the case when I tried. Why did you feel the board was unusable? I find it good enough, for a stock keyboard.

[Redmaus]

8. Many of the Alps Orange switches in the Apple Standard Keyboard donor were bent. Removing bent switches is always a giant pain even with a nice desoldering station.

This times a thousand. Bent switches are so frustrating. When desoldering a Microtrend board I broke 14 switch feet because of it.

Also, have you seen this XMIT? https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=77 ... msg1952047

Hot swapping sounds awesome. I don't think you could attempt this on a V80 PCB though.

[vivalarevolución]

When we talk about bent switches are we talking about the legs that you solder to the PCB? Because for those, I heat up the solder and then bend the leg so it is standing up straight. Then I desolder the switch. Makes it a whole lot easier to remove.

[XMIT]

When we talk about bent switches are we talking about the legs that you solder to the PCB? Because for those, I heat up the solder and then bend the leg so it is standing up straight. Then I desolder the switch. Makes it a whole lot easier to remove.

It's easy enough to do this in one go with a desoldering iron. The trick is to just bend it back up, not wiggle it around.

Redmaus: Yes, I've seen the hot-swappable switch design before. It's neat. I wouldn't trust it for production boards - I like a real solder joint, thank you very much. But I'd very much like to try one some time.

[Redmaus]

Wish there were more alps PCB's around. Specifically for TKL and full size...

[itzmeluigi]

Awesome write up very good read. I had the same issues desoldering my V60MTS, it was certainly the most difficult board i had to desolder even with the S-993A. I hope i never have to desolder it again. Aghh the bent pins are always a huge PITA, i wish there was an easier way to deal with them.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures Also the V60MTS works perfectly in a TEX alu case and improves the typing feel a ton, even the older revision V60MTS can be installed into a TEX case with a really small screw driver and some patience.

I wonder if the V80MTS will be difficult to desolder as well.

[XMIT]

I used a ZD-985 for this project.

I didn't take too many photos but I've posted what I did take below. I'll take the caps off again when I have a moment to find a set of PBT Apple caps, clean them, print front stickers, and put it all together.

Front of board, showing very helpful front legends.

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Build plate and serial number: KB Paradise V60MTS.

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Artistic three-quarters view of V60, with RC930 in background.

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Opening the V60. These two screws come out first.

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Two more screws hidden under the V60's front feet.

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Back side of V60 PCB. Diodes and unknown controller visible.

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Front side of V60 PCB. Multiple configuration options visible including possible HHKB.

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Broken solder pad on V60. I was able to fix this with a bypass wire on the back side.

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[Hypersphere]

@XMIT: Thanks for posting this. I really like my V60MTS boards. My favorite is the V60MTS with Matias Click switches. The feel is better than with the Matias Quiet switches, although the Click switches are certainly loud.

Despite liking the V60MTS, I am considering converting one of them to brown Alps switches, which I like much better than orange or Salmon Alps. However, your cautionary tale makes me pause. Maybe it would be better for me to start with an Infinity kit.

However, there is another plus for KBP -- I have heard from their sales rep that they are planning to produce a fully programmable V60, at least for Cherry mx. I hope that they will soon follow up with a fully programmable Matias-switch keyboard. I wonder if they could be convinced to release a DIY kit option?

[seaworthy]

@XMIT did you get Apple caps on this and the front printed stickers? Photos?

[XMIT]

@XMIT did you get Apple caps on this and the front printed stickers? Photos?

Patience!

I'll share the photos as soon as I get to it. May be a few weeks.