deskthority

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Carefully...

It doesn't matter if you paint the black casing of the switches, just make sure that you don't get any in the small gap between casing and stem!

longweight wrote:Carefully...

It doesn't matter if you paint the black casing of the switches, just make sure that you don't get any in the small gap between casing and stem!

What about the holes in the housing? If I get paint in there will it get inside the switch?

Good point, I don't think that they do go to the internals of the switch but I could be wrong...

longweight wrote:Good point, I don't think that they do go to the internals of the switch but I could be wrong...

Ah. I want to be really sure before I start.

It will look really cool if you can do it!

Synnro wrote:...Ah. I want to be really sure before I start.

TLDR: I wouldn't do it.

STFU I wanna do this: Use crepe tape and wrap around the switch housings at the very edge to the plate thoroughly, crimple close at their top, stick something in the holes and openings of the plate. Use Qtips and Isopropanol to degrease and clean the Plate thoroughly. Thin, crossed strokes, paint cloudish with distance and a lot of strokes from different sides - you definitely don't want liquid paint on the plate. GL.

But why:
Paint requires open surfaces to stick permanently. Sanding the plate would be adequate work prep, also cleaning with Isopropanol to degrease after that of course. Which require the switches to be removed. Solvents of the paint may harm the PCB plastic/coating under the plate maybe resulting in unwanted operation. So better remove it too. It's also hard to paint thin gaps evenly when you can't reach them and have to be careful not to overapply. The MX switch has a gap between upper and lower housing too, right where it sits on the plate. The most likely entry point for paint and solvents is the gap where the Diodes are located, not the round hole on the top but the opening underneath it.
Bottom line: I'm not the best in soldering too, but I would at least try to remove all the switches that can be done easily to make painting easier, be able to do at least some work prep, and therefore gain a more durable result.

Thanks for the response.

Do you know how hard it is to remove the switches? I have the time to remove them/resolder them I just worry that I might break one or the board (Which would be a lot worse).

Given your advice I'll probably steer clear of the tape and paint method.

I think it's a durability problem. Just painting over some already painted surface isn't very likely to last. If you rather think of months to years than decades you might try it nevertheless.
To me, soldering becomes proportionally harder the more crowded the PCB is.
You can get a thin tipped soldering iron which is always helpful for electronics for ~20€. Desoldering pump 5€.
If you have that imo it's just a problem of potential SMD components like controller ICs beneath switches.
I guess it would be very hard to break the switches by desoldering them. They can be removed easily.
As for crowded PCBs: depends on your skill, hard to judge.

Argh. I've only soldered a few times and I wasn't very good at it then.
I suppose I'll just leave it as it is ;_;

White on white? I would leave it as it is.

Easy way - if you just want black, find someone with a black leopold to trade you that want white. If I still had my old Leopold I would have. If that is not feasable due to your location for some reason, like very high shipping maybe have it done pro. See if you could find electronics shop willing to remove and assemble after you have the plate painted maybe at an autoshop or something for a good finish. Personally though if I was going to go through so much trouble to get plate painted, I would go with something more daring like cyan.

I would not try and paint that at all. I would just leave it alone. If I had a TKL version Leopold I would trade you for sure but I have the full size.

Have you considered cutting something like a piece of black card stock to fit around all the keys? No risk to your switches at all that way.