Dell rubber dome conversion to Mechanical (Quietkey SK-8000)
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: Dell QuietKey SK-8000 with Zorro Blue
- Main mouse: Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500
- Favorite switch: Everything except MX Brown
I am working on this idea I had, I got a Dell Quietkey SK-8000 and I am trying to convert it into a mechanical keyboard.
I modified the case with a dremel tool and now I am working on a PCB to replace the original membrane circuits: The PCB will bolt to the original backplate of the keyboard with M2 fasteners. There will be a sheet of kapton to insulate it from the PCB.
It is a slow process to probe the contacts of the membrane.
Any tips and tricks are appreciated.
I modified the case with a dremel tool and now I am working on a PCB to replace the original membrane circuits: The PCB will bolt to the original backplate of the keyboard with M2 fasteners. There will be a sheet of kapton to insulate it from the PCB.
It is a slow process to probe the contacts of the membrane.
Any tips and tricks are appreciated.
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- Location: Stockholm, Sweden
- DT Pro Member: 0011
If you had measured the spacing between key groups, and they had been 1/2 and 1/4 keys, then you could have used a PCB and plate for a Filco Majestouch or similar, because that is quite common.
It looks like vertical spacing between the alphanumeric section and function key row is 1/2u anyway.
BTW, are you going to use quiet switches in your QuietKey ?![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
It looks like vertical spacing between the alphanumeric section and function key row is 1/2u anyway.
BTW, are you going to use quiet switches in your QuietKey ?
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: Dell QuietKey SK-8000 with Zorro Blue
- Main mouse: Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500
- Favorite switch: Everything except MX Brown
If this PCB design works, I will have 5 from JLCPCB. The first prototype I will use these cheap MX Blue knockoffs, so it will be a LOUD key! I do want to build some more with better switches including quiet switches like the new silent T1s.
So if anyone has junk SK-8000s, hang on to them so I can mod them in the future!
I can't use an existing PCB there is a 7.05 mm island between the key groups which isn't standard.
An ALPS version is possible in the future but it would require special plate design and more modifications to the top case. I used an ALPS/Cherry hybrid footprint on this PCB
In the future I want to do similar projects with the Dell Oval and IBM/Lenovo Preferred Pro keyboards.
So if anyone has junk SK-8000s, hang on to them so I can mod them in the future!
I can't use an existing PCB there is a 7.05 mm island between the key groups which isn't standard.
An ALPS version is possible in the future but it would require special plate design and more modifications to the top case. I used an ALPS/Cherry hybrid footprint on this PCB
In the future I want to do similar projects with the Dell Oval and IBM/Lenovo Preferred Pro keyboards.
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: Dell QuietKey SK-8000 with Zorro Blue
- Main mouse: Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500
- Favorite switch: Everything except MX Brown
I decided to do Cherry only for now to save on drill costs. In the future I may just make my own controller board because tracing out the matrix was very stressful to do. Maybe I will use this controller:
https://www.sprintek.com/en/products/ke ... K5126.aspx
https://www.sprintek.com/en/products/ke ... K5126.aspx
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- Location: Texas
- Main keyboard: Kinesis Model 130
- Main mouse: Logitech M-S48, Razer Viper
- Favorite switch: MX Browns
- DT Pro Member: -
I reccomend just using a pro micro and QMK.SK-8K wrote: ↑05 Sep 2021, 02:21I decided to do Cherry only for now to save on drill costs. In the future I may just make my own controller board because tracing out the matrix was very stressful to do. Maybe I will use this controller:
https://www.sprintek.com/en/products/ke ... K5126.aspx
But that might work as well.
Do you have any extra PCBs?
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: Dell QuietKey SK-8000 with Zorro Blue
- Main mouse: Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500
- Favorite switch: Everything except MX Brown
I have 3 extras which I will use. I am making a Revision 2 PCB which I will release to the public. It will correct some misallignment issues and hole placement and will have support for ALPS and I-Rocks switches.
On Ebay I have found some 0.6mm plastic pieces that I will use instead of the backplate.This prototype just has foam there.
On Ebay I have found some 0.6mm plastic pieces that I will use instead of the backplate.This prototype just has foam there.
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: Dell QuietKey SK-8000 with Zorro Blue
- Main mouse: Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500
- Favorite switch: Everything except MX Brown
Without any lubrication, foam, etc. these switches have quite a deep sound in the QuietKey chassis! It may sound better when I install the plastic sheets I got to support the PCB.
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- Location: Texas
- Main keyboard: Kinesis Model 130
- Main mouse: Logitech M-S48, Razer Viper
- Favorite switch: MX Browns
- DT Pro Member: -
Really looks solid. Does the PCB support winkeyless as well (winkeyless Quietkeys exists but they might have a different controller/matrix)?
What happened with the GH mods? They can be a bit up tight but I haven't had any bad experiences myself.
At least GH actually has mods
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Indeed!
I've long been on the record as one in favour of more moderation here: kicking shit-stirrers and politics trolls. (Keyboard trolling is fine.) Better and for worse, Webwit was always against intervention. I wasn't around for the Ripster Incident. I imagine it must have involved noodles.
Hopefully Someone's still deleting spam these days…
GH, meanwhile, has a longstanding reputation for dodgy moderation in its marketplace. Fingers on the scales and such.
- fohat
- Elder Messenger
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Main keyboard: Model F 122-key terminal
- Main mouse: Microsoft Optical Mouse
- Favorite switch: Model F Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: 0158
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: Dell QuietKey SK-8000 with Zorro Blue
- Main mouse: Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500
- Favorite switch: Everything except MX Brown
It was an off-topic thread and I just casually floated some experiences and opinions on the subject because I was bored.
They shadowbanned and eventually fully-banned me when a simple "I disagree, and here's why..." would have sufficed.
Why not let fellow keyboard nerds be adults and respectfully chat, even if our opinions on a subject are radically different?
But I've moved on from all that, Deskthority and Nexthority are my home bases now to continue making cool keyboards.
They shadowbanned and eventually fully-banned me when a simple "I disagree, and here's why..." would have sufficed.
Why not let fellow keyboard nerds be adults and respectfully chat, even if our opinions on a subject are radically different?
But I've moved on from all that, Deskthority and Nexthority are my home bases now to continue making cool keyboards.
- ifohancroft
- Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
- Main keyboard: ErgoDox w/ SA Carbon on Box Jades
- Main mouse: Razer Viper Ultimate
- Favorite switch: Beamspring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Do you happen to have any progress on the project?