Mechanical Keyboards

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maximum reasonable weight for keycaps (feddit.org)

submitted 2 days ago by 5A7A@feddit.org to c/mechanicalkeyboards@lemmy.ml

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Hi,

I've been dabbling in silversmithing lately, and I'm thinking I might want to try and create a keycap from sterling silver.

Does anyone have experience on what the max. reasonable weight is for a keycap on a Gateron Low Profile Brown switch, for it to still feel decent when typing? I'm not worried about it feeling different from other keys, it's only going to be one special key.

I know Keychron sells metal artisan keys for LSA profiles, which are specced at 3.8 grams, but currently I have no clue if I'd be within that using silver and it being manually sculpted instead of die-cast at industrial scale

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[–] toothpaste_sandwich@thebrainbin.org 1 points 18 hours ago

I read in a YouTube comment that the ceramic keycaps that are on the market sometimes have the problem of the spring in the triggers not being strong enough to push the keycap back up. Might be good to look into.

[–] CsXGF8uzUAOh6fqV@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I don't know, it mostly depends on the spring weight of the switch, and a little bit of friction from a bump or click mechanism if present. You could try stacking some coins on a regular keycap? If the keycap ends up being too heavy, you could put a heavier spring in that one special key, if that is something you can tolerate.

[–] 5A7A@feddit.org 2 points 1 day ago

Thats a good idea! With what I have on me, a 13.2g coin still feels mostly alright, stacking a smaller one on top for a total of 22g feels bad.

I'll have to check with finer increments when I find the time.

But it sounds like weight won't be an issue amyways :)

[–] Telorand@reddthat.com 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Based on my rough guesstimate, you would be able to use about a 1" x 2" (2.54cm x 5.08cm) piece of 20ga silver to make something that's about 3.8g. You could possibly go thinner up to 24ga, which would give you more to work with, but I wouldn't go beyond that; you might run the risk of deformation with use, otherwise.

Good luck! Smithing is fun, no?

[–] 5A7A@feddit.org 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Thanks for the math, 20ga should be roughly 0.81mm, correct? That sounds workable, I think the surface afea is going to be smaller anyways for the LSA caps.

Good luck! Smithing is fun, no?

Oh yes, so much fun! :)