deskthority

Hello once again, DT!

Thanks to @alps suck (nice guy, terrible username =P) I had an out-of-the-box-but-otherwise-new wang 725 with no caps on it. In truth, the board sat in it's plastic bag for about a month or so without me touching it - but I knew I would build something with it at some point. It wasn't until @mattr567 decided to break up his 725 and sell me the caps from his board for a very generous price (thanks again, man!) that I decided to finally do something with the board!

I present to you the Blue Alps Wang 725!





....with some SKCM dampened cream for the switches I don't use often... or at all. I actually really like the dampened switches in the f row, though - they make a really nice sound. They honestly sound like topre to me, but I only know the sound of topre through videos since I don't have a topre board of my own.

Anyway, I actually think these are the best sounding blue alps I own now! This chassis is FANTASTIC for clicky alps, in my opinion. I was orginally really struggling with what type of alps to put in the board. Since they only come with tactile alps, I was kind of leaning towards putting a tactile switch in it, like undampened cream or something - but I didn't have enough of those, so I went with blue to break the mold a little and I think it paid off! The switches sound very bassy in this chassis! Here's a quick video I took:
Overall: SUPER happy =) I would recommend this to anyone who has a wang 725 and some spare blue alps!! Plus, as an added bonus, it's ANSI! Well, mostly ANSI =P

Thanks for reading! On to the next project!





またね。

//gains.

Very nice project. The Wang 725 is one of my favorite "larger" Alps keyboards for it's "edgy" case design and those funky feet. What your project reminds me of is how I initially noticed how different blue Alps sounded in different cases the most extreme example being my NTC KB-6151. These days I prefer tactile SKCM though.

Looks great. I love those blue sub-legends on the numpad keys. I've always been curious to try blue Alps switches.

Very nice! The 725 is an outstanding chassis, good choice. I think this is the first time I've heard blue Alps in one, too.

Chyros wrote: I think this is the first time I've heard blue Alps in one, too.

It's so good! This board has outstanding acoustics! I'm sure the PBT caps are contributing to the sound as well - but man, this soundtrack is on another level for blue alps!

Holy crap that's a huge end key lol

This (Wang 725), the Northgate Omnikey Ultra T, and the SGI Granite are the trinity of larger size Alps keyboards for my taste - they definitely should be loved and treasured.

I am not yet at a position to swap switches for older boards - I lift almost every second pad when I desolder switches with bent pins. So these projects are just for the further me when my desoldering skill gets better.

bent pins really are the worst. I don't particularly feel like my skills are even close to good, but the way that I deal with bent pins is by using a desoldering iron, getting under the bent pin with one of the edges and lifting up. I think as long as the pin is hot, it will separate cleanly from the pad. The main problem with bent pins is that there is solder stick between the pin and the pad - if you can heat that solder up to loosen the grip on the pad, then bending the pin back won't result in lifing the pad.

The desoldering iron that I use doesn't even work as a desoldering iron anymore - the suction is all messed up, I simply use it now as a tool to deal with bent pins, hahaha.

Most of the Alps boards that I want to mod have at least 50% bent pins, as if the practice in the old day was that the workers bent most of the pins before they soldered them.

That stopped me from continuing my projects. :\

yeah =( I've definitely decided not to restore the plates on some of my keyboards because of bent pins >_< Then there are boards like the omnikey 101, where they soldered the screws holding the PCB together with the mounting plate in place. That thing is the worst board to desolder... My first 101 restoration project I couldn't get it apart, so I sanded the top part of the mounting plate only while it was still attached to the PCB. I don't recommend doing that, though....

I wonder if a desoldering gun with the vacuum pump thing is able to make bent pin nightmares a thing of the past. They are so expensive, though.

//gainsborough wrote: yeah =( I've definitely decided not to restore the plates on some of my keyboards because of bent pins >_< Then there are boards like the omnikey 101, where they soldered the screws holding the PCB together with the mounting plate in place. That thing is the worst board to desolder... My first 101 restoration project I couldn't get it apart, so I sanded the top part of the mounting plate only while it was still attached to the PCB. I don't recommend doing that, though....

I wonder if a desoldering gun with the vacuum pump thing is able to make bent pin nightmares a thing of the past. They are so expensive, though.

I've been doing PC board repair for more than forty years now, and I've learned a few tricks that might help. This has probably been covered elsewhere already, so please forgive any redundant info. First, there are two things that cause pads to lift. Physically pulling on the pin before the solder is melted is number one. Heat is number two. Too much heat will destroy the bond between the pad and the board underneath. But...you can do more damage using a soldering iron that isn't hot enough, because you have to hold it against the pad longer, and that puts more heat into the pad and board (and also into the part you're desoldering, not good for switches!). The Weller iron I use has tips that come in three different temperature ratings. Yes, that's controlled by the tip on these irons, because there's a magnet in the tip that becomes a non-magnet at a certain temperature (look up Curie temperature), and that magnet controls a switch inside the iron. Anyway the Weller tips come in 600, 700, or 800 degree ratings (with a 6, 7, or 8 on the flat end of the tip) and I always use the 800 degree ones. That allows me to get in and out more quickly, doing less damage to the pad and switch.

First thing I do, and very important, is to quickly flow a bit of fresh solder (and flux) onto the pad. One second with a hot iron. This will make the existing solder (usually not good quality since most PC boards were wave soldered back in the day) flow better. Then I quickly reheat the pad and use a push button solder sucker to get most of the solder off the pad, again in and out in one second or so. Heat the joint and as soon as it flows hit the button on the solder sucker. Now you'll have a pad with very little solder left, but probably still connected, especially if the pin is bent. Trade the sucker for an Xacto knife and heat quickly a third time and bend the pin straight as soon as it flows. Sometimes a bit more fresh solder and a second shot with the sucker will help, but usually the pin will be free of the pad at this point and the switch can be removed. Again very important not to put a lot of heat onto the pad, and not to pull up on the pin until the solder is melted. Forty years of practice probably helps too.

//gainsborough wrote: Hello once again, DT!

Thanks to @alps suck (nice guy, terrible username =P) I had an out-of-the-box-but-otherwise-new wang 725 with no caps on it. In truth, the board sat in it's plastic bag for about a month or so without me touching it - but I knew I would build something with it at some point. It wasn't until @mattr567 decided to break up his 725 and sell me the caps from his board for a very generous price (thanks again, man!) that I decided to finally do something with the board!

I present to you the Blue Alps Wang 725!

Very nice job! I did a double take when I saw the blue Alps switches until I realized they had been swapped. Wang keyboards were not very common even when new, and it's a joy to see one.

You did it again! Writing this on your brown ALPS Wang, which I took out again this morning. Truly awesome sound vibes on this new project...

The soundtrack is on a whole new level, well done!

Polecat wrote:

//gainsborough wrote: yeah =( I've definitely decided not to restore the plates on some of my keyboards because of bent pins >_< Then there are boards like the omnikey 101, where they soldered the screws holding the PCB together with the mounting plate in place. That thing is the worst board to desolder... My first 101 restoration project I couldn't get it apart, so I sanded the top part of the mounting plate only while it was still attached to the PCB. I don't recommend doing that, though....

I wonder if a desoldering gun with the vacuum pump thing is able to make bent pin nightmares a thing of the past. They are so expensive, though.

I've been doing PC board repair for more than forty years now, and I've learned a few tricks that might help. This has probably been covered elsewhere already, so please forgive any redundant info. First, there are two things that cause pads to lift. Physically pulling on the pin before the solder is melted is number one. Heat is number two. Too much heat will destroy the bond between the pad and the board underneath. But...you can do more damage using a soldering iron that isn't hot enough, because you have to hold it against the pad longer, and that puts more heat into the pad and board (and also into the part you're desoldering, not good for switches!). The Weller iron I use has tips that come in three different temperature ratings. Yes, that's controlled by the tip on these irons, because there's a magnet in the tip that becomes a non-magnet at a certain temperature (look up Curie temperature), and that magnet controls a switch inside the iron. Anyway the Weller tips come in 600, 700, or 800 degree ratings (with a 6, 7, or 8 on the flat end of the tip) and I always use the 800 degree ones. That allows me to get in and out more quickly, doing less damage to the pad and switch.

First thing I do, and very important, is to quickly flow a bit of fresh solder (and flux) onto the pad. One second with a hot iron. This will make the existing solder (usually not good quality since most PC boards were wave soldered back in the day) flow better. Then I quickly reheat the pad and use a push button solder sucker to get most of the solder off the pad, again in and out in one second or so. Heat the joint and as soon as it flows hit the button on the solder sucker. Now you'll have a pad with very little solder left, but probably still connected, especially if the pin is bent. Trade the sucker for an Xacto knife and heat quickly a third time and bend the pin straight as soon as it flows. Sometimes a bit more fresh solder and a second shot with the sucker will help, but usually the pin will be free of the pad at this point and the switch can be removed. Again very important not to put a lot of heat onto the pad, and not to pull up on the pin until the solder is melted. Forty years of practice probably helps too.

That's a nifty trick! Thanks for sharing! I'll have to try that next time I desolder. I have an xacto knife lying around somewhere.

Keybug wrote: You did it again! Writing this on your brown ALPS Wang, which I took out again this morning. Truly awesome sound vibes on this new project...

Thanks man! Glad to hear the first one is in good hands and is being used =)

macboarder wrote: The soundtrack is on a whole new level, well done!

It really is! Thanks!

@Polecat

Thanks for sharing your pro tips with us.
I think I have to further save $$$ to get a soldering iron with higher and more accurate temperature rating, plus a good Xacto knife. But let me get back to my practice PCBs to try your tricks first.

God I love the sound of Alps.

Gave the board a bit of an upgrade!