Holes in the PCB is how choc stabs work. Just use choc stabs if you are going to put holes into the PCB? The downside of what you just proposed is that Cherry plate mount stabilizers hang below the plate, so you are going to be adding several MM below the PCB now. So the board will still be thick.
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Some OEM keyboards use stabs like this:
I got a similar effect with a drill and a piece of paperclip:
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I don’t know what it is, but that has a nice look to it lol
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Lol, thanks. The plan was to make a low profile TKL keyboard with SA keycaps (an oxymoron, but still lower than normal) with Kailh choc v2. But first I wanted to try if the stabilizers worked and the footprint for the Kailhs. Also test having normal cherry switches at the top row to elevate the first row of R1 SA keycaps. And the first time I use an encoder and a usb-c connector.
So in the end it’s a normal numpad, but a lot of firsts for me.
I got a sample pack of V2 switches, and they’re still shorter than Cherry switches from the plate up.
Are the switches on this numpad able to bottom out fully, or do the stabs reach their limit before they can bottom out?
Costar stabs I imagine would bottom out before the switch, unless the design is tweaked to allow deeper travel. Need to get my 3D printer working again.
The switches do bottom out, but there is about zero play before the stabs do the same. But yes it works, if I press down two keys beside each other where only one uses stabs they stop at the same height.
I first bought a sample pack as well and I found the blue ones be the smoothest, for some reason even the reds where not as smooth. Maybe I’m crazy…
What boards out there are compatible with Kailh Choc v2 switches? From my brief searching, it seems like the Lofree Flow84 and Flow100 were the only ones I could find. Are there any others folks know about?
Looking for something to use these Phantom switches in. >_>
(Also, sorry for the thread necromancy)
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I’m looking for Choc v2 compatible PCBs/kits as well. I just got several lo pro switch samples from SwitchOddities, including the Lowfree clickies.
I would love to build a little travel ortho board with them one of these days.
There is a Sweep PCB revision with Choc V2 support, that I actually have on hand. Did not convince me though tbh, I’m sticking to Choc V1 for that purpose
Think maybe the new IQUNIX Magi65, I could be wrong though.
Oh yeah, the MONOKEI Systems does too:
Thanks! I had seen the Monokei one but it didn’t look to be QMK supported. Neither does the iQunix one, but it was cheap enough that I ordered it just to see.
For the curious, the reason I’m interested in Choc V2 support is that they are the ONLY silent tactile low-profile switches I’ve encountered (which also seem to be unavailable now sigh):
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807168397515.html
I wound up designing my own board (based on the Plain-60C), but it’s absolutely NOT ready to share yet, as I’m not even sure the stabilizers will work.
For those looking into this, do NOT try to use Kailh Choc stabilizers with Choc V2 switches. If you do, they don’t form a straight line for mounting keycaps. The only keycaps that worked were ones for old versions of Keychron low profile boards, along with some from Azio.
I’m trying to use Gateron low-profile plate-mounted stabs, which just seem to need a big rectangular cut-out. I may also make a version with MX footprint stabs, just to test if the Tecsee middle ones work with Choc V2’s.
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Have you seen the new Gateron low profile switches? It’s used in the newly released NuPhy Nos75. Same pin outs as the non-low-profile.
I had not! They definitely look interesting – but they’re not for sale separately (yet, hopefully?) and I’m more interested in a silent tactile version.
But having MX footprint does make a LOT of things simpler to use it. Definitely want to see where they go with this.
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Yeah, I’m hoping Gateron follows with a bunch of other low profile switches based on the same design - silent tactile / linear as well.
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