I didn’t realize it had a 1.2mm pcb. Luckily I had a few extras and some shims for the standard leftovers I own. Lichicx yogurt silent linears in this hotswap for now. Similar in feel to the silent Lucy. A bit noisier spring, but overall pleasant. Essentially 4mm travel is appreciated as well.
I really like this form factor. Same idea as the m0lly I recently built but a bit slimmed down. This one doesn’t allow for a traditional split right shift so I went for the Filco SA build with a 6.25u space bar. I adore these keycaps in looks and feel. I haven’t had them on a keyboard in years.
Although I have other final plans for this, I do like the look.
Well, I’m off to bed, but proof of concept is complete. The solenoid works and seems to fit. It’s just running off 3.3v from the RP2040 so it’s not terribly loud, as least as solenoids go, but I will still install a hardware cutoff switch for it when I 3D print the new case.
I know SP makes the Filco SA. Does Maxkey make the Ducky? The Filco seem like a great value proposition, and then I remember that even my most normal stuff generally doesn’t slot in exactly on the 100%/TKL/60% spectrum.
Speaking of Filco-ish things, does anyone know of a M0lly style PCB that supports Minila arrows/‘Z’ row and maybe even their full bottom row? That feels like a good way to get 1800 functionality into a classic footprint, at least for a certain type of typist.
Easy to build and sounds really nice with the included foam. I tried a few different switches. First build was top mount Gateron Sea Salt smoothies. I recommend the case foam for long pole switches. Makes for a nice deep thocky case.
This build was gasket mount with Kailh midnight silent tactile switches. No case foam on this one allows a bit more flex from the gasket mount.
Stabilizers are designer studio adaptive, and perform flawlessly. However, a bit of a “hmmm” moment when I unsealed the package and found a total of zero 2u wires. Oops. Someone in QC sleeping. I have lots of spares so it didn’t slow me down too long.
The only issue I found was that the json file on swagkeys website and discord for the 6.25u version simply doesn’t work. I did find that the 7u Jason file works. I’ll just have to not remap the bottom row ever.
Looks great with Jamon! Also how did you like the sea salt smoothies? Mine from CK had that really good factory lubing that allowed me to use them stock, curious how your batch was before I go & order a bunch of them. Nice to hear the DS adaptive stabs work good too! Got two packs from DK while they were discounted & plan on using one of them for my Virgo. Did you lube yours? I am planning on lubing mine, butextra opinions before you do whatever is always a good thing IMO!
The sea salt smoothies were good and consistently lubed. Very nice switch. As you said before, they are pretty much recolors of the regular smoothies. I don’t notice a slight increase in travel or a spring difference. I’m inclined to think they are simply recolors and the specs are just not accurate.
Yes, I do find that the adaptive stabilizers need to be lubed like any other stabilizer. I tried completely stock at first. They didn’t “tick” but they weren’t quiet. A bit of 205 on the stems and some Nyogel on the wire and they sound and feel great.
Yeah I am dubious if there is really any changes between regular & sea salt smoothies as well. I plan on grabbing more just for the plain fact they have a really good factory lube job again. The regular smoothies seem to be hit or miss with that these days. Also thanks for the heads up about the adaptive stabs. I was figuring they’d benefit from some lube, again though it never hurts to ask!
Spring swapping sea salt smoothies. Just thinking about this switch opener and thought I would share. I ordered this for $4 printed from shapeways in 2016. It’s probably opened 10k switches to date.
To be clear, I own 6 other switch openers. However, this is the weapon of choice. It never grabs the housing too firmly, so it’s quite fast at the job. The downside is that there are a few switches it just won’t open. But I have other openers in that case.
It’s kinda odd to me. I think some people who make tools don’t actually use them. Similar story with my wing latch switches. I own 3 of those openers. The best one is built into a $10 plastic lube station I got off of Amazon. The other two are junk.
First half of the case is done for the solenoid retrofit. TBF, said “case” is really more of a glorified skirt that will be held onto the structural sandwich with some heat-set threaded inserts. I kinda enjoyed typing on it with the little solenoid clack-clacking away. It sounds less like a big Selectric typewriter and more like a movie sound-effect for a telegraph in an Old West town, and I assume it will be yet more muted once the case is on, but it remains disproportionately fun to make every switch a clicky switch.
Just finished up a batch of MX zilent switches this morning. Old zeal zilents from 2018 that never liked. Thanks to @TheNamesTy45 and @Rob27shred for the silent cherry stems!
First batch was really quick work with phenomenal results. One of the best things about using zeal switches for Frankenswitching is that you don’t need films.
I used some dual stage 63.5 g Springs for this batch. They feel just slightly heavy. For the next batch I’ll have to find something closer to 60 g. But I definitely like the longer springs for this mod because they give a nice pop on return.
My favorite thing about this Frankenswitch is the solid feeling on bottom out and return even though it is silent.
My testing shows these things necessary for a solid MX zilent:
Zeal clear housings - I specify clear because I also have some aqua zeal housings and they don’t give the same results for some reason. I’m starting to wonder if they are fakes)
Cherry silent stems - Both red and black perform equally well
205g0 - you need really good dampening to stop random noises, even from silent switches. I tub tub lube the stems and lube the bottom hosing rails as well. Without lubing the bottom housing rails you can get random soft ticking noises while typing.
lubed springs - I hand lubed the bottom of my springs with 205g0 and there is no crunch or ping.
Spring weight is individual preference, but the nice poppy feel and sound of a longer spring works well on these.
One last observation: for the last 4 tub lubed stem batches, I’ve begun adding a final step that seems worth it and doesn’t add much time. When the switches are all reassembled, I use a microfiber cloth in my left hand and pick up the switch in my right hand. Then I pinch the stem through the cloth and do one full twist of the switch. This seems to remove almost 100% of the unnecessary exterior lubrication left from tub lubing. I also use this as a time to press the top together (in case I didn’t get it fully snapped together) and look for bent pins. I can clean a set of 70 switches this way in roughly 5 minutes.
I still have some Zilents that I’ve had since 2018 as well (which I never liked), and also have an equal number of Cherry MX silent blacks hanging around. Maybe this should be my next project.
Built my 2nd PCB for the Virgo up with a alum plate, Knight stabs, & BSUN Waves. The Waves are super nice IMO! Really deep bassy sound, awesome factory lube, & great springs (well consistency wise, being 22mm 55g springs they are getting towards being too heavy for me). Running this setup in the Virgo now topped off with NicePBT R-Beige, think I’m gonna keep it this way for now.
Modmusings x Omnitype Bauer Lite X-Ray edition. Easy to build, sounds great, feels great, looks great. I can’t think of a single issue with this board. I guess if I had to nitpick, if you don’t use the pcb standoffs to the plate (which I didn’t) there are screw holes instead of screws showing through the transparent blockers.
Used type-plus stabilizers and roller linears (hoping to get some X-ray roller linears one day to complete the theme)
I’ll probably take some better pics later for Instagram.
I received a working PCB from Daring Run today and have installed it in the board. I built this with clip-in WS Stupid stabs, hand lubed Cherry Blacks and Cherry Ember caps. It’s companion is a GMK26 painted to (kind of) match. The red knob and clear caps came from Ali.
Typing this from the FK-5001 I recently got off eBay. The genuine white Alps on this one are a little bit nicer than Tai Hao clones, and whether it’s from being broken in or what, it doesn’t have nearly the same sticking issue on the BAE. Since the 5001 is (sadly) not a programmable board, and HID console shows no difference at all in the scan codes sent by the XT F-keys versus the triple-gang top ones, I don’t think I can use the converter I have to remap only one set or the other. I’m still trying to figure out if I can do something with the weird scan codes on the diagonal arrows that reduce their usefulness. I don’t think Turbo (for repeat rate when running natively) or most of the dedicated calculator keys will do anything over USB. I did remap the old “Macro” key to be a Windows key. The other funny thing is that the “RWin” asterisk, the numpad asterisk, and the calulator square root key all send the same scancode. I am guessing they wanted to let people easily type in wildcards in DOS, and they didn’t want to confuse people who saw that “X” hiding under the root symbol.
Still, it’s nice to type on, and I’ll clean it up, if it nothing else. Haven’t decided if retrobright would be worthwhile, as the yellowing is very real but hardly horrific. Might spray paint the case, too. I dunno. Lots to consider.
EDIT: I at least partly solved the mystery of the differing BAEs. Experimenting first on the very messed-up FK-7000P trackball board that came in the same lot, I went spelunking. Both boards use Alps stabilizers for the “ANSI” half of the BAE, but where the Focus boards use a 1u Costar stabilizer for the top half, The Tai Hao keycap includes an ABS post that fits in a nylon sleeve mounted in the switch plate. Interestingly, Costar stab inserts seem to sit nicely in the trench between the mounting hooks, waiting for the keycap to be pressed down. I see how they’re less robust and fiddlier than Cherry, but they honestly don’t seem that bad. Alps can kind of work the same way, but you have to eyeball everything or use the little clips… seems iffy.
It’s time, finally gonna build my LZ erGhost! Decided on using the PC plate, Stabies V1 nylon stabs (I’ve had them forever now & think using them with a board that only requires 2u stabs should mitigate the issues I’ve heard about them), & HMK Canglan V2 switches. Will report back later once I got it finished up!
Got lucky with the stabs & the v1 Staebies are working out good for me. Although almost ran into major problem. When I got it all soldered up & went to test it, the JST port on the PCB fell off from me inserting the cable! I was barely pushing on it & it shocked the shit out of me. Thankfully it was just soldered onto the PCB super poorly & all the pads stayed in tact. So I was able to clean up the pads & drag solder it back on. It seemed a lot more stable after that, but I dabbed some hot glue on it also just ot be safe. Not like I’ll ever be able to get a replacement PCB for this, so figure better safe than sorry LOL!
Test the crap out of those stabs before you commit! I have them in a soldered Meridian build which is also all 2u and they ruined it thoroughly. I wouldn’t say they were overlubed, yet even after a while in which lube would have surely migrated and thinned, they still partially bind on press. The lighter the key, the worse the binding.
Will do, thanks for the heads up! I know I could be asking for trouble with these stabs, that’s why I have never used them yet. The only reason I decided to go with them is because all my good stabs are earmarked for upcoming builds (TX & Knight) or ones I haven’t tested yet (Maiz & Designer. Any other stabs I got either are ones I don’t want to use (looking at you Durock V2) or need cleaned + re lubed. Kinda lazy I know, but I’m hoping these will work here. I guess worst case I’ll just use some my good stabs & replace them later.
Similar experience here. Thankfully it was a hotswap board. But I tested several times and after fully built the space bar would bind sometimes. I threw my staebies in the trash. Unfortunately I have some QMX stabilizers that perform about the same soldered into a board.
I can’t think of a single issue with this board. I guess if I had to nitpick, if you don’t use the pcb standoffs to the plate (which I didn’t) there are screw holes instead of screws showing through the transparent blockers.
