I intentionally didn’t include those washer gaskets in the instructional video because I don’t consider them part of the standard install. They are there in case anyone wants to experiment with a very soft build, but as you noted it’s quite tricky to get the torque on the screws right without tearing them. I’ve had success with it after a bit of fiddling, but it helps to not stress too much if it isn’t the most beautiful thing in the world but instead just gets the job done, as inevitably the washer will get a little deformed. My general advice is: don’t mess with it and just install the upper gasket. 
I haven’t really been able to tell much of a difference with those backing washers installed.
Is the purpose of the two elastic waistband looking things to hold the box shut?
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Correct.
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thanks ryan,
My biggest concern was that i was missing something haha. I’ll experiement with applying them around the spacebar area (maybe double layering them) to try and soften that up a bit.
Have to say it blew my expectations out of the water.
So happy to see this. Confirms I have made the right choice
Thanks for taking the time to illustrate, it really is incredibly useful for those of us a little less technically literate.
A question. I’m a pro 3 hybrid user (4-device bluetooth pairing with usb c and AAA batteries bump) and I’m still waiting for my housing. Based on your experience would you say it could be possible to use a rechargeable battery unit like the one you have whilst keeping the original HHKB controller? As far as I understand hasu does not allow for 4-device bluetooth pairing/switching and may not offer some of the layout mapping functionality the original HHKB controller offers.
Thanks
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It’s not possible, there’s no charging circuit. Furthermore, the yang and hasu controllers are incompatible with the pro 3 models. Only pro 2.
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Bummer. Thanks.
On that note, do you think keeping some good quality AAAs inside the Heavy Grail housing and replacing them every once in a while by opening the case a possibility?
EDIT: actually nevermind answering, it’s simply something I’ll have to test and prototype when my housing arrives.
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Interestingly, there’s a Pro 1 version of the Yang BLE controller, for all of you lovely fossils out there (I mean this in the best way possible!)
I used yoycart to get a usb-c version of his Bluetooth controller. Based on previous reports here it should work with the pro2 heavy grail.
Thanks again for your hardwork into this project, love how it looks in the setup. Hoping the 23u housing will be offered in sunset blvd so i can pair it up.
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How do you power the keyboard up and down when not cabled? I mean there is no power button with heavy grail housing anymore, right?
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Mostly I’m super happy with this but one of the first things i noticed is rough finishing around the USB hole. It is no big drama but wondering if anyone else noticed this, particularly on the veracity Steel? it is mostly just surprising because everything else is finished to meticulous a standard but the Usb port looks rougher than a typical kbdfans aluminium case
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You’re right, the dip switch ‘area’ isn’t accessible on the Pro 2 Heavy Grail so the actual power switch on the controller, I keep in the ‘on’ position all the time. So technically, the battery is always powering the keyboard.
The Yang controller has two power saving modes, and the ultra low energy mode is ‘Lock Mode’. You can enter this either through 2.5 hours of idle time, or by pressing a key combination (default: Fn + Z → if you do this then you can only use F + J key combo to wake up the keyboard). The latter is how I ‘turn off’ the keyboard (the Bluetooth also disconnects), and Yang actually recommends this as the method rather than using the physical power switch. Works pretty well for me so far, I once left my HHKB in storage for over a month like this and I came back to it at 90% battery remaining.
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Oh snap… I completely forgot that there is a power-saving feature on the dip switches with the Pro 3 Hybrid! Haha. It’s funny how many little permutations of can / can’t dos you have here between controllers, housings, openings et cetera.
So, technically as a Hybrid user who can’t use a Yang controller, I could put a nice big battery inside the Heavy Grail and just set the pins to disable the power-saving mode. Indeed, I suppose this could work.
Wish there was a Hasu/Yang with 4 bluetooth devices and usb C for the hybrid yet - that would be ideal.
That area isn’t physically accessible for polishing, particularly on the Pro 2. One solution to conceal this would be to plug a USB cable into the keyboard. 
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Got around to installing the 1u Deskeys sliders into my Heavy Grail. Before I delve into first impressions, specs are as follows:
Internals: Pro 3 Classic
Domes: Stock
Sliders: Deskeys 1u, KBDfans mods, stock Topre spacebar
Special Prep: hand-drilled mod holes, lubed with 205g0, #3 Deskeys rings
Keycaps: EnjoyPBT Classic Beige
Caveat emptor - I’ve only installed and tested these on a Norbauer plate and NOT the original HHKB plate, so this review is only in regards to the 1u sliders with the Norbauer plate.
I wish I could immediately come out and say whether or not I would recommend these for a Heavy Grail build, but the truth is, it’s sort of a mixed bag. After all the hype surrounding these, I hate to say it but there are still major trade offs here. While Deskeys developed an incredibly stable slider with minimal wobble and snug keycap fit, the typing experience is substantially heavier. There is also a performance inconsistency across all the keys, where some keys return with ease after pressing and others are more sluggish. I don’t know if it’s an issue that will resolve itself after more use/breaking-in the sliders, but that is the immediate impression upon installation.
I’ve yet to hear impressions from other Heavy Grail users with these sliders to compare experiences. I really wanted to love these, but for me, the trade off between MX compatible keycaps and the unadulterated typing experience that came with the stock sliders in the Norbauer plate is not one that I am particularly eager to make.
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Very interesting. I can’t say I’ve had the same experience at all. My sliders have very consistent feel, are no heavier than stock and always return properly. I trust that your domes are installed properly? I lubed with 205g0. I had the same experience with my hhkb case before the heavy grail, it felt the same as my heavy grail does now.
One of my observations while installing the 1u units through the plate was that not all of them would return and fall into place as I turned the plate upside down and upside up. I ended up filing the sockets of the plate with the included file until all the sliders were uniform. This may help if youre planning a rebuild.
EDIT: for reference i was using HHKB Type-S sliders.
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Exactly this.
About 2-to-3 deskeys 1u would not return when doing the flip test and had to be manually reset. I swapped with other deskeys 1u to eliminate that variable (no change), then tried filing the slider (rather than the rails on the plate) to no avail, until I finally just caved in and used kbdfans 1u for those problematic keys 
. I may try to file just a little more away from the cylindrical openings…
@joshuarubin Because I so desperately want to be wrong, I just opened up the case and made sure all the domes were indeed installed properly. Same results.
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