One of my favourite websites! Now, I wish there was a website this simple for caulking - the amount of time I've spent trying to understand what to use for each new project that pops up.
One of my favourite websites! Now, I wish there was a website this simple for caulking - the amount of time I've spent trying to understand what to use for each new project that pops up.
Another fine, long standing, single subject website: Ian's Shoelace Site Everything you ever wanted to know about both lacing shoes and tying shoelaces, including the far superior but little known...
Your handy web-based tool tip of the day. I supposed this could also be a request for other useful single-purpose web-based tools. If you know of one you'd like to share, please glue it to this...
Your handy web-based tool tip of the day. I supposed this could also be a request for other useful single-purpose web-based tools. If you know of one you'd like to share, please glue it to this post in a comment below.
Huh, interesting. I semi-recently broke part of one of the switches off of my mechanical keyboard. The "cross" part you normally use when swapping keys almost cleanly came off, stuck in the Esc...
Huh, interesting. I semi-recently broke part of one of the switches off of my mechanical keyboard. The "cross" part you normally use when swapping keys almost cleanly came off, stuck in the Esc key.
I used E6000 to adhere it again. That worked pretty well in general for a month or so. But now it seems flimsy - the key cap kind of wobbles around, though still adhered.
Would you all recommend trying epoxy since this is plastic to plastic?
E6000 is flexible when dry, that's probably what you're experiencing. I would do a 2 part epoxy - JB Weld is very good. My fridge door handle snapped at the top and I 1. epoxied it with JB Weld...
E6000 is flexible when dry, that's probably what you're experiencing. I would do a 2 part epoxy - JB Weld is very good. My fridge door handle snapped at the top and I 1. epoxied it with JB Weld and 2. bought a replacement handle for when the JB Weld would eventually break. That was 4+ years ago and the handle is still sitting in the closet.
Do you know what kind of key switch it is? I think the site is doing a bit of a disservice by just saying “plastic”, because there are a few very common types (like polyethylene, which I believe...
Do you know what kind of key switch it is? I think the site is doing a bit of a disservice by just saying “plastic”, because there are a few very common types (like polyethylene, which I believe is the most used plastic overall) that have an almost magical resistance to adhesives. If the switch you’re using uses POM or a high molecular weight PE for the stems (which a lot of common ones do) you’ll need something more specific.
The keyboard is a Steelseries Apex Pro (first model/edition). The site doesn't really say what type of plastic is used, and it might be unique due to the adjustable actuation.
That turned into an interesting little research side quest! I couldn’t find anything entirely definitive, but I did see that not all of the keys use the OmniPoint switches - some (including the...
That turned into an interesting little research side quest! I couldn’t find anything entirely definitive, but I did see that not all of the keys use the OmniPoint switches - some (including the function row, so potentially the escape key too?) use mechanical red switches (probably SteelSeries QX2, which seem to be rebranded Gateron reds).
So if that chain of assumptions is correct, it’s probably POM (aka acetal, aka delrin) which is one of those almost implausibly un-sticky low surface energy plastics.
tl;dr you want a two part methyl-methacrylate adhesive, or a more general plastics adhesive in combination with a primer designed for the job like Loctite 770. Both of which are expensive and finicky, especially on such a small area, so if it were me I’d just desolder the existing switch and drop a Gateron red in as a replacement.
Wow, what an incredible amount of detail! It actually makes me feel a bit better that it's not my fault it didn't stick (stiffly) with the E6000. One of these days I will learn to solder. A...
Wow, what an incredible amount of detail! It actually makes me feel a bit better that it's not my fault it didn't stick (stiffly) with the E6000.
One of these days I will learn to solder. A mechanical keyboard will certainly not be my first project. But every so often an opportunity like this presents itself, so maybe I'll get into it sooner rather than later.
I would probably use superglue (aka CA glue) for that. Most epoxies have some amount of flex in them which you really don't want. CA is generally good with most plastics although obviously test...
I would probably use superglue (aka CA glue) for that. Most epoxies have some amount of flex in them which you really don't want. CA is generally good with most plastics although obviously test first if you can. It's sandable post curing so you can get very clean joins if that's a requirement. One possible problem is that CA isn't really gap filling, so removing the epoxy to leave a clean joint will be tricky.
One of my favourite websites! Now, I wish there was a website this simple for caulking - the amount of time I've spent trying to understand what to use for each new project that pops up.
Another fine, long standing, single subject website: Ian's Shoelace Site
Everything you ever wanted to know about both lacing shoes and tying shoelaces, including the far superior but little known "Ian knot"
Not exactly useful, but https://asdfjklsemicolon.com and https://something.com are personal favorites.
Also take a look at their news page. The cuttlefish and 3D glasses one is great!
Your handy web-based tool tip of the day. I supposed this could also be a request for other useful single-purpose web-based tools. If you know of one you'd like to share, please glue it to this post in a comment below.
Huh, interesting. I semi-recently broke part of one of the switches off of my mechanical keyboard. The "cross" part you normally use when swapping keys almost cleanly came off, stuck in the Esc key.
I used E6000 to adhere it again. That worked pretty well in general for a month or so. But now it seems flimsy - the key cap kind of wobbles around, though still adhered.
Would you all recommend trying epoxy since this is plastic to plastic?
E6000 is flexible when dry, that's probably what you're experiencing. I would do a 2 part epoxy - JB Weld is very good. My fridge door handle snapped at the top and I 1. epoxied it with JB Weld and 2. bought a replacement handle for when the JB Weld would eventually break. That was 4+ years ago and the handle is still sitting in the closet.
Do you know what kind of key switch it is? I think the site is doing a bit of a disservice by just saying “plastic”, because there are a few very common types (like polyethylene, which I believe is the most used plastic overall) that have an almost magical resistance to adhesives. If the switch you’re using uses POM or a high molecular weight PE for the stems (which a lot of common ones do) you’ll need something more specific.
The keyboard is a Steelseries Apex Pro (first model/edition).
The site doesn't really say what type of plastic is used, and it might be unique due to the adjustable actuation.
That turned into an interesting little research side quest! I couldn’t find anything entirely definitive, but I did see that not all of the keys use the OmniPoint switches - some (including the function row, so potentially the escape key too?) use mechanical red switches (probably SteelSeries QX2, which seem to be rebranded Gateron reds).
So if that chain of assumptions is correct, it’s probably POM (aka acetal, aka delrin) which is one of those almost implausibly un-sticky low surface energy plastics.
tl;dr you want a two part methyl-methacrylate adhesive, or a more general plastics adhesive in combination with a primer designed for the job like Loctite 770. Both of which are expensive and finicky, especially on such a small area, so if it were me I’d just desolder the existing switch and drop a Gateron red in as a replacement.
[Edit] Typos and clarity
Wow, what an incredible amount of detail! It actually makes me feel a bit better that it's not my fault it didn't stick (stiffly) with the E6000.
One of these days I will learn to solder. A mechanical keyboard will certainly not be my first project. But every so often an opportunity like this presents itself, so maybe I'll get into it sooner rather than later.
I would probably use superglue (aka CA glue) for that. Most epoxies have some amount of flex in them which you really don't want. CA is generally good with most plastics although obviously test first if you can. It's sandable post curing so you can get very clean joins if that's a requirement. One possible problem is that CA isn't really gap filling, so removing the epoxy to leave a clean joint will be tricky.