Well I fell down the custom keyboard world.

Raymond Lin · 6 Sep 2022 at 20:43

What are people's methods to make the space bar sound less hollow?

I tried filling it with cotton wool and then sealing it with masking tape, but that really muffle it to the point the space bar is basically silent and sounsd dead. Which would be fine if the rest of the keyboard is silent but mine has a nice thock. Except the space bar which i think sounds a bit hollow.

I ended up taping 3 layers of masking tape on the underside, which seems to help a lot but i think it could be better? What other mods are out there?

Pocket10s · 7 Sep 2022 at 10:37

Raymond Lin said:
What are people's methods to make the space bar sound less hollow?

I tried filling it with cotton wool and then sealing it with masking tape, but that really muffle it to the point the space bar is basically silent and sounsd dead. Which would be fine if the rest of the keyboard is silent but mine has a nice thock. Except the space bar which i think sounds a bit hollow.

I ended up taping 3 layers of masking tape on the underside, which seems to help a lot but i think it could be better? What other mods are out there?

What keyboard/ keycaps do you have?

Edit: Saw you have the Q1; maybe try a long pole linear switch. Or, KBDFans sell spacebar foam

Raymond Lin · 7 Sep 2022 at 10:39

Pocket10s said:
What keyboard/ keycaps do you have?

Edit: Saw you have the Q1; maybe try a long pole linear switch. Or, KBDFans sell spacebar foam

I am using Gateron Oil King and the Novelkeys PBOW caps.

What long pole linear would you recommend?

Pocket10s · 7 Sep 2022 at 10:49

Raymond Lin said:
I am using Gateron Oil King and the Novelkeys PBOW caps.

What long pole linear would you recommend?

If you try sourcing the parts from here: https://mechbox.co.uk/collections/switches-singles/Linear?page=1 - I'd definitely recommend trying to make a Black Cherry Pie frankenswitch.

Raymond Lin · 7 Sep 2022 at 11:00

Pocket10s said:
If you try sourcing the parts from here: https://mechbox.co.uk/collections/switches-singles/Linear?page=1 - I'd definitely recommend trying to make a Black Cherry Pie frankenswitch.

Thanks, I might get a handful and have a fiddle.

I have added another layer of tape in the space bar now and it’s helped more.

Edit - Just ordered a bunch of linear switches and a tester housing to test out a bunch. Would make a nice little fidget thing too I expect !

davetherave2 · 7 Sep 2022 at 16:52

Raymond Lin said:
What are people's methods to make the space bar sound less hollow?

I tried filling it with cotton wool and then sealing it with masking tape, but that really muffle it to the point the space bar is basically silent and sounsd dead. Which would be fine if the rest of the keyboard is silent but mine has a nice thock. Except the space bar which i think sounds a bit hollow.

I ended up taping 3 layers of masking tape on the underside, which seems to help a lot but i think it could be better? What other mods are out there?

Might also be worth just trying the force break mod (just put a tiny piece of tape between the two pieces of the casing on the front) on the Q1 if you can - assuming you haven't tried that already, may help to give the spacebar a bit more room to breath and remove some of that hollowness.

But there is only so much you can do to try and fix the sound profile based on the case design.

Raymond Lin · 7 Sep 2022 at 16:59

Done the force break mod, PE foam too.

I might put a smaller piece of cotton wool and see.

hornetstinger · 10 Sep 2022 at 10:00

Just received keyboard with outemu brown switches, which of the Akko jelly switches are similar?

davetherave2 · 10 Sep 2022 at 22:01

hornetstinger said:
Just received keyboard with outemu brown switches, which of the Akko jelly switches are similar?

Just looking at the pure numbers I would probably say the purple Akko switches would be your closest match. The actuation force is a little bit lighter but is the best option based on a "like to like" comparison.

I don't have any experience with either so maybe worth dropping into one of the more mech keyboard community centric discord servers for a better informed opinion.

Raymond Lin · 10 Sep 2022 at 22:25

Question - Is there a keyboard that fits all these criteria

1 - Metal casing, like the GMMK Pro or Tofu65 or Keychron Q series
2 - Gasket PCB
3 - With a knob
4 - 65 or 75%
5 - Mac or Windows compatibility
6 - Wireless
7 - Screw in Stabs
8 - Hotswap PCB

Bonus point

9 - South facing LED
10 - GMK or VIA compatible

Essentially a Wireless Keychron Q series board.

Does this exist?

Nedb37 · 12 Sep 2022 at 09:36

Pocket10s said:
If you try sourcing the parts from here: https://mechbox.co.uk/collections/switches-singles/Linear?page=1 - I'd definitely recommend trying to make a Black Cherry Pie frankenswitch.

....Black Cherry Pie?? Which parts and where from?

The volume and breadth of switch names is bad enough without throwing frankenstyle names into the ring :cry:

davetherave2 · 12 Sep 2022 at 10:41

Raymond Lin said:
Question - Is there a keyboard that fits all these criteria

1 - Metal casing, like the GMMK Pro or Tofu65 or Keychron Q series
2 - Gasket PCB
3 - With a knob
4 - 65 or 75%
5 - Mac or Windows compatibility
6 - Wireless
7 - Screw in Stabs
8 - Hotswap PCB

Bonus point

9 - South facing LED
10 - GMK or VIA compatible

Essentially a Wireless Keychron Q series board.

Does this exist?

I am assuming you are looking for a pre-built rather than custom?

I mean other than the RGB the Zoom65 EE seems to tick pretty much all of those boxes.

Raymond Lin · 12 Sep 2022 at 10:55

davetherave2 said:
I am assuming you are looking for a pre-built rather than custom?

I mean other than the RGB the Zoom65 EE seems to tick pretty much all of those boxes.

No RGB is not a dealbreaker.

I am happy to build it myself, I've taken the Keychron apart and put it back together, the only thing I didn't really do is put together the stablisers so I guess the only item i need to buy are the dielectric grease. It can't be that hard.

It seems the next drop for the Zoom is on the 21st. My Nuphy 65 should arrive by then too hopefully, but has no knob and plastic, ticks all the other boxes.

Raymond Lin · 13 Sep 2022 at 15:12

I think my Q1 is finished! I do have to replace the switch to a Milky Yellow Pro so to give more light from the RGB over the Oil Kings.

Raymond Lin · 15 Sep 2022 at 18:43

Bought a bunch of switches and tester to try out some linears

Favourite - Gateron Oil King/Milky Yellow/Bobagum Pink Silent.

Worse one, Glorious Panda - Too loud a ping when it bounce back, makes as loud a noise as it hits the bottom, if not louder.

Pocket10s · 16 Sep 2022 at 08:24

Raymond Lin said:
Bought a bunch of switches and tester to try out some linears

Favourite - Gateron Oil King/Milky Yellow/Bobagum Pink Silent.

Worse one, Glorious Panda - Too loud a ping when it bounce back, makes as loud a noise as it hits the bottom, if not louder.

The Panda is a tactile

- have you lubed them and tried them?

also you can try to make a Cthulhu switch! It's awesome, basically get the:

Gateron Ink Bottom
Milky Yellow Top
Novelkey Cream Stem
Spring of your choice

Combine all together and try it! Also try the switches in a keyboard, they will perform differently.

Raymond Lin · 16 Sep 2022 at 11:24

Pocket10s said:
The Panda is a tactile - have you lubed them and tried them?

also you can try to make a Cthulhu switch! It's awesome, basically get the:

Gateron Ink Bottom
Milky Yellow Top
Novelkey Cream Stem
Spring of your choice

Combine all together and try it! Also try the switches in a keyboard, they will perform differently.

Oh that explains it, if for a tactile then this is good, very smooth.

And no, they are all stock, i don't want to open the can of worms of lubing and filming switches. I am going to only get factory lubed switches from the start.

I have played with it more and I am starting to like the Glorious Lynx a lot, nice teal and white colour combo. The NK Chocolate too is lovely. It is smoother and has a lower sound, but both are scratchy.

The smoothest of them all is the Tangerine, follow by the Bobagum Pink Silent. If only the Tengerine has a nicer bottom out sound. The Glorious Lynx beats it in that regard and 99% of its travel smoothness.

Pocket10s · 17 Sep 2022 at 13:16

Raymond Lin said:
Oh that explains it, if for a tactile then this is good, very smooth.

And no, they are all stock, i don't want to open the can of worms of lubing and filming switches. I am going to only get factory lubed switches from the start.

I have played with it more and I am starting to like the Glorious Lynx a lot, nice teal and white colour combo. The NK Chocolate too is lovely. It is smoother and has a lower sound, but both are scratchy.

The smoothest of them all is the Tangerine, follow by the Bobagum Pink Silent. If only the Tengerine has a nicer bottom out sound. The Glorious Lynx beats it in that regard and 99% of its travel smoothness.

I heavily suggest you try Aqua Kings in that case! They come factory lubed. Gateron Oil Kings I had and liked, but I like something more clacky (mx black are my faves).

You could also try joining the MKUK discord and putting up a WTB for lubed and filmed switches.

Gateron CJ's are another that are especially smooth and you dont need to lube or film them.

Raymond Lin · 17 Sep 2022 at 14:51

Pocket10s said:
I heavily suggest you try Aqua Kings in that case! They come factory lubed. Gateron Oil Kings I had and liked, but I like something more clacky (mx black are my faves).

You could also try joining the MKUK discord and putting up a WTB for lubed and filmed switches.

Gateron CJ's are another that are especially smooth and you dont need to lube or film them.

You know what, the Momoka Frog too might be another bargain. Smooth travel, no spring ping. £5 can get 10.

I bought a set of Oil Kings blind before i did this and at least it is one of my favourite, I probably would still have gone for them too. The Momoka Frog has a slightly poppier sound, that might work well in certain boards with certain dampeningI think.

clone · 18 Sep 2022 at 10:06

I'm very happy with the logitech g915 tkl tenkeyless I got, but it's weird typing on it as my last keyboard was the Microsoft ergonomic 4000 That I got at launch.