Bending a JST connector pin can ruin a PCB, the heart of the keyboard. Replacement is costly and can seriously delay a build. Let alone the deep disappointment. It seems to be a serious and frequent enough problem because vendors write that bending the pins are the purchasers problem. Yet guidance is sorely lacking. Build guides gloss over this critical step. Often the only guidance is be careful. The build videos I’ve watched usually show someone’s hands plugging in a connector that we can’t see. It doesn’t seem like it would take much effort to fix this and I think it would benefit both enthusiasts, especially new ones, and vendors. Incidentally, YouTube has plenty of tutorials showing how to crimp, connect and disconnect the wires. But unless I’ve just missed it, it’s hard to find a simple, well documented video showing us how to connect the JST connector without bending the pins.
I agree, some stronger words of caution about assembling this part are warranted, as well as a video or diagram for new users.
I bent a pin on my Matrix Corsa JST connector. I had also bent it previously and fixed it, but this time it broke off.
I’ve built a few dozen boards with JST connectors. I understand how to properly connect and disconnect the parts, and it still happened. I think that’s why we’re seeing the molex EZ-mate connector and other solutions like the handy connector pins on the recent Neo 70 board. Separating the USB plug from the board was a good idea that helped solve design issues for a lot of board makers. I’m glad there is a community gathered around a standard for daughter boards. But yes, JST certainly has its issues.
Better components would be a better solution than what is currently the norm, but in lieu of this it occurs to me that keyboards should come with the JST cable plugged into the connector and the wires should be two or three times longer. This way we would not have to plug and unplug these fragile components whenever we open and modify our keyboards.
I learned by being careful yeah. I was doing research to use a wilba weirdflex pcb with my thermal and I needed a different jst or something and it needed to be soldered on surface-mount, for which I got solder paste but I could never find a stencil so I just use it with stock pcb. But yeah, connectors like the small jst can be trifly. Other finnicky things I’ve encountered can be switch pins with hotswap. I just got some clickiez, and I’ve had experience with zeal switches before so I was more careful than normal putting them into the hotswap pcb of the board I used because the pins are a bit thin.
I’ve bent a few switch pins being a little impatient. On one build I installed everglide aqua kings, and bent several pins, especially on the space bar. I switched those locations with a UT4 and they went in fine. My rather suspicious mind blamed the aqua king pins. Later I dissembled the keyboard and found that I had not mounted the plate precisely. Once this was sorted, the aqua kings went in fine. Moral of the story: yes be careful when seating switches, but bent pins could also be caused by a poorly mounted board.
Spare parts! This is not universally true and has varied from keyboard to keyboard. But, it happens enough that I have to ask: Why do we get exactly the number of screws needed for a build? I have yet to meet an experienced design engineer who has never lost a screw.
Come on people, we’re you’re customers! We’re keeping you in business! Give us some latitude.
After building a few keyboards, I belatedly came to the understanding that I should review the build guide and build videos BEFORE making a decision to purchase the keyboard. For people who are getting prebuilt boards, this may not seem important. But what happens when you want to disassemble it to lube your stabilizers? Or you decide to change your plate? Or you just want to have some fun and see what’s under the hood? I think that the quality and accessibility of build guides, resources, and videos is an important indicator of the quality of the board. No, it isn’t the only indicator, but it is an integral part of the product itself, and it’s something you can see before you get the keyboard. If you’re uncertain about what a build guide and video should look like, compare it with other suppliers’ versions.
A good build guide, resources and video shows customers how much a vendor values their customers. If you’re buying your keyboard from a supplier, not directly from the producer, then definitely click over to the producer’s website and find their build guide and video. Your supplier should have links to it or should have their own build guide and video. If the supplier does not have their own or provide links to the producer’s guide, resources, and video, reconsider your interest in working with that supplier.
Once you find the material, you will hopefully be pleasantly surprised and you’ll be better prepared when that keyboard arrives. A good build guide video:
• takes us through the entire build.
• shows the assembly, not the assemblers’ hands.
• zooms in on those small parts and keeps them in focus.
• Doesn’t skip over installation details and goes slow. We can always fast forward, but we can’t find what isn’t there.
• tells us where to be careful.
• Shows us part placement clearly. For parts that have a top and bottom, shows us the right orientation (Yes, this includes JST connectors!).
I’m sure I’ve missed points, but it’s a start.
You mean those aren’t extra screws? I always thought putting things back together with all the screws was simply aspirational, a goal, if you will. I mean, why else do laptops have so many screws?
(/s maybe, just barely)
In racing, it’s “weight reduction” or “adding lightness.” 