FC660C with 35g domes and MX stems, lubed and silenced

[ramnes]

This was one of my long-term projects; it took me more than six months to source all the parts needed. The last thing I was waiting for was Hypersphere rings, and they arrived two days ago, so here we are! (Kudos to µ!)

It's funny because most people tend to like heavier Topre domes, but I always found that 45g domes were too tiring for my fingers. I always wanted to try out 35g domes, and they are perfect for my taste. For comparison, I tend to use 62g Korean springs on my MX switches keyboards (linears only), and I feel like both are really close in weight feelings. Edit: after some use, I can say it's definitely lighter, but not so much.

I might replace the TA set by OG Cyrillic double shots soon, but I miss a center-stemmed Caps Lock!




Build log:


Started salvaging my Novatouch at 11PM, ended with Hypersphere rings at 0:30AM.


From 00:30AM to 01:30AM, lubing with Krytox and placing stems.


01:30AM to 02:30AM, back and forth between placing Nissho 35g domes and then FC660C springs (which was a real PITA), and testing that all keys are tactile and register.


02:30AM, starting to put the GMK Triumph Adler keycaps, and then Matt3o's PBT spacebar.


03AM: feels so good!

[Matt_]

Great work! The TA sets looks gorgeous with the dark grey case. I really like this set, too bad about the R5 arrow keys.

[ramnes]

too bad about the R5 arrow keys.

That's actually quite practical on the FC660C to differentiate mods and arrows without looking at the keyboard!

[seebart]

Oh wow that's an awesome FC660C mod. Looks really cool!

[ramnes]

Glad to know that I won't be seebarted today!

[seebart]

Of course not, that FC660C mod of yours is way too nice for any "seebarting". Too bad I don't have a novatouch to do that also.

[scottc]

Good job ramnes! Nice end result. Hurry up and get a proper capslock!

[DanielT]

Wow!!! this is one amazing mod the board looks really cool, very nice I'm a big fan of light switches too 35g must feel great

[ramnes]

Thanks! 35g Topre feels like 60-62g Korean springs to me, and I love it!

[scottc]

How did you get the dome donor?

[ramnes]

How did you get the dome donor?

Got some luck and found a guy with a Nissho board that didn't like 35g, and traded him my NT domes.

[scottc]

That story sounds familiar. Very lucky! Nice job. If 35g Topre are like 62g linear MX then I definitely need to try them.

[ramnes]

You definitely loose at tactility though, and I guess that not everyone would like it. 002, are you here?

Speaking for myself, I won't go back. But I still need to tweak the springs and domes a bit more to improve consistency across all keys.

[seebart]

So has your FC660C gotten any noisier after this mod compared to stock?

[tentator]

and where do you guys buy that "Krytox"?

thanks.

[ramnes]

So has your FC660C gotten any noisier after this mod compared to stock?

I compared with a colleague's Type-S, and my FC660C is more silent.

and where do you guys buy that "Krytox"?

thanks.

Got it from Sprit a while ago, but I don't know where you can currently get some.

[Matt_]

Techkeys sells some. But according to them $8 worth of Krytox should cover ~120 switches, which seems a bit ridiculous.

[Madhias]

That time informations are great! Also very nice keyboard, I am interested in a FC660C.

[vivalarevolución]

Yea, I just bought one of those Plum84 keyboards from Mech Greenhand to test out 35g electrostatic switches. It was a lot less labor intensive than your method...

[ramnes]

Haha, obviously! How do you like it so far?

I remember trying a Noppoo 35g at the first Paris meetup, and it was a bit scratchy but still a nice feeling. This might be what wanted me to use 35g domes, now that I think about it.

[vivalarevolución]

Haha, obviously! How do you like it so far?

I remember trying a Noppoo 35g at the first Paris meetup, and it was a bit scratchy but still a nice feeling. This might be what wanted me to use 35g domes, now that I think about it.

I always thought the spring in Topre determined the weight, not the dome. I guess that shows how much I know.

I like it so far, the weight is insanely light. There is the slightest bit of tactility, and once you become accustomed to the light weight, you feel the tactility more. I enjoy light switches because they are less fatiguing. You cannot have tactile Cherry switches this light because then they cannot overcome the tactile bump when returning to the up/off position. Looking at the construction of the Matias switch, I don't think Alps/Matias switches have a bump to overcome on the return stroke, though, so a light spring will work with those.

I do not have enough experience with Topre to know whether they are scratchy or not. To me, they feel fine, but I cannot compare them to other keyboards.

[002]

Nice mod, ramnes!
I remember when you were talking about doing this on IRC going back some time. It's good to finally see it come to fruition! I am not dead-set against 35g -- I even used an ND31BS (30g uniform) for a long time but definitely 45g is my favourite

[ramnes]

I just recorded a sound test against a stock FC660C and a HHKB Type-S.

I'm pretty happy because the micro captured the subtleties pretty well I think.

Nice mod, ramnes!
I remember when you were talking about doing this on IRC going back some time. It's good to finally see it come to fruition! I am not dead-set against 35g -- I even used an ND31BS (30g uniform) for a long time but definitely 45g is my favourite

Thanks! And yeah, pretty happy that you're here since I planned that project while chatting with you!

[shreebles]

Nice, that modded FC660C easily sounds the best of the lot.

[vivalarevolución]

That custom FC660 has one heck of a unique sound. Nice and quiet. Well done.

[derzemel]

WOW!! just... wow!
That is one fantastic keyboard... I now want one so badly I feel sick

[ramnes]

Thanks guys!

[cookie]

I need this sliders god dammit!