Build Log - R2-968

Eschew · January 9

Introduction

Hey there! Welcome to another ‘Chew keeb build log, featuring the REALFORCE R2 TKL (Status Update)!

REALFORCE R2 TKL (Topre 55g)

Rubber Dome Keeb!

In the same vein as Hoshī, the object of this build log has already been built -- ‘tis a pre-built keyboard, actually -- but its parts go through significant enough disassembly and reassembly that it’s not so different from building a keeb out of a keyboard kit.

How It Started

I blame sexy people. Sexy people made me do dis.

It's my fault entirely.

Big Sexy: BKE domes are baaaaaaaaack and they have Extremes (95g) @chopsticks

Me: [NOSEBLEEDS,]

Big Sexy: Keyclack is back in business, so they're in stock and were being sold at a 20% discount as an apology for disappearing.

Me: [HURLS MONEY BRICK INTO KEYCLACK'S FACE.]

It's Black Friday impulses all over again.

So! Time to mod a Topre keeb!

Name

“R2” comes from REALFORCE R2 TKL. Simple and sweet -- just as I like it.

“968” is based off Japanese homophones and me overthinking names -- just as I tend to.

...No, seriously, I overthought this waaaaaay too much. Wouldn’t blame ya if you wanted to skip ahead to the build-y part.

9-6-8 (くろば, or "kuroba") ⇒ 黒羽 (くろば, also "kuroba")

黒 translates to "Black," a nod to the keeb's dark color scheme.
羽 translates to "Feather" or "Wing," and the explanation is a bit more esoteric.

Was listening to 五秒革命前夜 by TUMENECO (Vocals: yukina, みぃ) on loop throughout the build and this write-up.

YouTube MV (Official)

Spoiler

At the 2:49 mark:

Quote

生まれた時に決まった | We may be confined by unalterable rules—

覆せない決まりでも | —decided at our births, but do not forget

紛れた闇に育った | Brought up under the cover of darkness,

小さな羽がある | We have these small wings.

Based off a translation by kafka-fuura.

That last line, strangely, always catches my attention. Perhaps it’s みぃ’s stunning vocals. Perhaps it’s just a simple phrase that sticks easily. I fully recognize that I’m so fixated on that single character -- 羽 -- that I’m coming up with odd reasons to make the name fit the keyboard.

Odd reasons will come later, after I’ve described the finger-feel of the R2-968’s switches. For now, the song.

To me, song lyrics and context are important. Big reason I don’t listen to English songs nowadays is I don’t feel any attachment to them. Not to say they aren’t relatable -- bloat up the lyrics with enough colorful metaphors and wishy-washy ambiguities, and any songwriter can make any tune relatable. But there’s background context behind many songs, and, honestly speaking, I lack the interest to discover said context. Especially if that context is buried in some distant celebrity’s social drama or some random stranger’s desire to be edgy.

The song above is based entirely on the Touhou Project (東方Project) game series and it’s Hifuu Club (秘封倶楽部, lit. "Secret Sealing Club"). The grossly condensed TLDR is that the Touhou universe draws a lot of inspiration from Japanese mythology, and the Hifuu Club is just a pair of friendos (best “friends” [Ahem]) probing the mysterious borders of that universe. If the lyrics come off as fantastical and fictitious, that’s why. Touhou is an saturated amalgam of myths, stories, and legends -- of cultures, adventures, and imaginations -- of wonderous things, people, entities, and concepts that don’t and can’t exist in our reality.

Touhou’s fandom, as with any obsessed fanbase, is a bit of a mixed bag. There’s astonishing content, and there’s also, erm, astonishing content. Two of my absolute favorite Touhou content creators are TUMENECO and GET IN THE RING -- their songs are always a joy to listen to, and range anywhere from upbeat and cheerful to downright dramatic and ominous. What makes them stand out in my mind, though, is their Hifuu Club songs and their accompanying lyrics. There’s clever wordplay, homonyms, and obscure references abound, for those that can catch them.

Hence, R2-968. It takes direct inspiration from the lyrics of a song by one of my favorite artists, and is an attempt to emulate their double/triple-meaning lyrical prowess out of admiration.

Also, it’s a lot more memorable than a strange jumble of foreign words. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Current Parts List

Component	Selection	Price
Keyboard	REALFORCE R2 TKL (Topre 55g)	$174.77
Other Mods	Keyclack BKE Extreme Redux Rubber Domes (110 pcs) Deskeys DES Topre Silencing Rings (#7) (120 pcs)	$57.60 $28.00

	Grand Total	$260.37
	(Shipping and Taxes Excluded)

Parts Update History

Spoiler

[01/07/2021]: EXTREME to the MAX - BKE Extreme Redux Rubber Domes (90g Bottom Out)
[06/01/2021]: Silencing Rings - Deskeys DES Topre Silencing Rings (#7)

Disassembly and Reassembly

The agenda -- to install BKE Extreme Redux Rubber Domes in the REALFORCE T2 TKL! This requires a full disassembly and reassembly. Note that keycaps probably do not need to be removed (for the rubber dome mod, at least). Mine were, 'cos I had to take pwetty pictures.

...It was also eating away at me, not knowing what color the Topre sliders were.

Resources

The guides below were absolutely helpful, and incredibly appreciated.

Ingredients and Utensils

REALFORCE R2 TKL Keyboard*
- PCB, Mounting Plate, Keycaps, Cable: The standard stuff.
- Springs: Important, with a capital “I”. Take extreme care not to lose these, if the plan is to have a fully functional keeb.
- 87 × Rubber Domes: The staple of a Topre keeb. Lovely stuff!
87 × BKE Extreme Redux Rubber Domes from Keyclack
1 × Small Screwdriver (#0 Phillips)
1 × Plastic Spudger / Disposable Plastic Card
1 × Pair of Tweezers
1 × Keycap Puller / Twist Ties

*In theory, Topre boards of other sizes and from other manufacturers should work with rubber dome modding as well. Would suggest double-checking with the product page and/or the merchant before ordering, though.

Honestly, one of the things I love about this hobby is the simplicity when it comes to tools, and the amount of jank you can get away with. No particular equipment, protective gear, or special training necessary. Anyone that’s got a pair of dexterous hands, a bit o’ patience and perception, and a pocket full of cash can jump straight in and do it too

Disassembly

Referred to the REALFORCE R2 TKL Disassembly Guide a ton, particularly when it came to out-of-sight things.

REALFORCE R2 TKL - Bottom ()

The first thing I notice is there are no visible screws.

Aesthetically, that’s awesome. For a neat, scratch-free disassembly? That scares me.

REALFORCE R2 TKL - Case Clips + Case Screw (Under Warranty Sticker)

A closelier inspection of the butt () reveals smol clips. They look like my way in.

Scratch the warranty sticker off, ‘cos screw that. (Geddit? Screw? Because, ah, nevermind.)

REALFORCE R2 TKL - Case Clips (North-Side)

Clips detached from the north-side, or the side with the cable jutting out of the keeb.

REALFORCE R2 TKL - Case Clips (South-Side)

There are clips hidden on the south-side, not visible from the exterior.

If there’s no plastic spudger and a jank solution is needed, I’d recommend using a disposable card that you wouldn’t mind breaking accidentally.

REALFORCE R2 TKL - Top Case Removed

Note the four clips on the south-side of the case: two below both Win keys, one below the spacebar, and one below the down arrow.

Sneaky lil’ buggers.

REALFORCE R2 TKL - Topre Sliders + Topre Keycaps

HECK YEAH THEY’RE BLACK!

Topre Keycaps - Underside

Another oddity with the Topre keycaps. There’s the circular stem shape, sure, but the keycap stem extends beyond the bottom of the keycap.

Keycap stems for MX-stem keycaps don’t usually protrude further than the lip of the keycap; they lie nice and flat on even surfaces, after all.

REALFORCE R2 TKL - Topre Sliders

omgomgomgomgomg

REALFORCE R2 TKL - Bottom Case Removal

There’s no screws, clips, or glue holding the PCB + Plate assembly to the bottom case. Easy to separate by hand.

Or, y’know, get some cute lil’ helpers to lend you a few hands!

(Keycaps are back on ‘cos I took this photo before removing the keycaps. Shhh.)

REALFORCE R2 TKL - PCB + Bottom Case Removed

Ah... Daaamn, that’s lovely.

Remove the cable connector and the dozen or so screws to free the PCB from both the bottom case and the mounting plate.

REALFORCE R2 TKL PCB

Uhhh... Stuff that I don’t understand.

Looks real purdy doe.

REALFORCE R2 TKL - PCB + Mounting Plate Separated

Topre keyboard kits, when?

They probably exist, TBH. I think I’ve seen one or two HHKB kits floating around?

Topre 55g Rubber Dome + Spring

Y’know what they look like?

...............Plungers.

No, I was actually thinking of bobs.

REALFORCE R2 TKL PCB - Rubber Domes + Springs Removed

Hey, look, it’s as flat as my chest.

Topre 55g Rubber Domes

Hope I wiped all my fingerprints off them, ha, ha, ha...

Topre Springs

Keep track of those springs, and keep the springs separated from one another. If one gets yeeted, likely there’s no quick replacement for it.

Flipped keycaps worked for my case, there might be better methods?

Yes, that is a chair. I DON’T HAVE DESK SPACE!

Reassembly

Ah, friendly warning. The photos get sloppier the further I go on. Hour was late, and I was getting super tired.

BKE Extreme Redux Rubber Domes

Tutorial says... Step One: Oogle at rubber domes.

BKE Extreme Redux + Topre 55g Rubber Domes - Side-by-Side Comparison

Gotta love it when slight physical tweaks translate into a perceptible difference.

They look similar, but are wooorlds apart in terms of feel.

REALFORCE R2 TKL Mounting Plate - Underside

Elevate the mounting plate off the workspace by an inch. The idea is to let the sliders extend downwards, pulled by gravity.

Lil’ helpers can help here too!

Or, books and card stacks, if no lil' helpers are available.

BKE Extreme Redux Rubber Domes

Align the rubber dome’s cutouts with the notches on each slider... bottom... housing... thingies.

For the REALFORCE R2 TKL, there’s no real need to trim the domes for both single-key switches and stabilizers, unlike what the tutorial by Keyclack suggests?

Topre Springs

Drop the springs in the domes! 'Tis fun.

R2-968 - Rubber Domes + Springs Installed

It’s coming together!

R2-968 - PCB + Mounting Plate Alignment
Having a ridiculous number of screw holes is a boon, in my case. More things to double-check that PCB-to-plate alignment with.

R2-968 PCB + Bottom Case - Barely Screwed

Not all the screws are in on purpose. At this point, ‘tis a good idea to pull out a keyboard tester (e.g. Keyboard Checker) and test that every keypress registers.

Way easier to fix misaligned domes at this stage, than if the entire keeb was fully assembled.

R2-968 PCB + Bottom Case - Fully Screwed

R2-968 - Mounting Plate + Bottom Case Reassembly

Once again, there’s nothing holding the mounting plate against the bottom case. Gotta take care when flipping the keeb over.

R2-968 - Keycaps Reassembly

Aaaahhh I forget keycap legends are a thing that go in a specific order.

Keycaps were in a mess thanks to a certain floppy, non-detachable cable. I pushed the mess off-screen.

R2-968 - Top Case Reassembly

I’m adding “forcefully snapping plastic clips closed on electronic things” to the list of things that make me nervous.

Also, smol screwdriver that came with my Sceptre E255B-1658A monitor is a real MVP.

R2-968 - Top Case Reassembled

Bippity-bop, close up the shop!

Not much visually different from the first pic, besides the missing warranty sticker.

R2-968 - All Finished!

DONE.

Took me six hours.

And four hours until I need to get up for work. Feckin’ awesome.

Sound Samples

Holy moly, they're loud.

Spoiler

Topre 55g Rubber Domes

BKE Extreme Redux Rubber Domes (Fast)

BKE Extreme Redux Rubber Domes (Slow)

Time: 30 Seconds.

Taken: January 9, 2021.

Typing Feel

Gonna have to compare the R2-968 with the Eighty #391, ‘cos they’re the two heaviest switch keebs I have. Just note that it won’t be an apples-to-apples comparison -- I’m comparing Topres w/BKE Extreme Redux Rubber Domes (tactile, 90g bottom out) versus Modded Ink Blacks (linear, 150g springs).

I’d liken the Eighty #391 to boba, and the R2-968 to nata de coco -- very firm nata de coco. With (good) boba, the heavy, glutinous thickness is there throughout the entire bite, from the moment the teeth first digs into the starch, to after the pearl has been cut clean in half. The entire experience is pillowy, chewy, and sweet. For nata de coco, there’s an initial pushback as the jelly’s surface resists pressure from the teeth, until it does break skin, after which the rest of the bite quickly meets the jelly’s bottom. Except, with the BKE Extreme Redux, it’s less of a pushback, and more of a... wall.

Also -- unsure whether it’s due to the rubber dome’s extreme bump, the sheer smoothness of the lubed linears, or some other reason entirely -- but my fingers are getting the impression that the R2-968 uses more force per keystroke than the Eighty #391.

Anywho, remember me mentioning I came up with odd reasons to justify the R2-968’s name? Here’s odd reasons:

Reason One

If I were to translate finger feelings to something visually perceptible:

𠃌

(The first stroke in 羽.)

The keystroke (and brush stroke) starts at the horizontal line -- the key does not budge an inch until the tactile bump is overcome. Then, the key drops the finger straight down the bottom of the switch. To finish off the keystroke, lifting the finger from that position rewards you with a quick kick on the upstroke, if you aren't fast enough.

Reason Two

It's ironic.

Feathers (羽) are light.

The R2-968 is anything but.

Heh.

Closing Comments

The BKE Extreme Redux Rubber Domes are nice. They’re veeery nice, actually, for a heavy switch freak like yours truly. I could flower it up with pretty words: "The distinct resistance pushing against my fingers feels less like mundane typing and more like I’m interacting with a dynamic, opposing personality." But, really, my preference for heavy switches is just that -- I simply like heavy switches. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Although, I do get a kick out of it when heavy-ass () keys and blank/stealth legends deter others from using my keebs. GIT GUD OR GIT OUT.

Disassembling and reassembling a pre-built Topre keeb was also a very new experience for me. Until a month or two ago, rubber dome boards never even registered on my radar. “Psht, they’re all pre-builts,” I thought, “Why bother if it’s barely customizable?” Turns out, plenty of Topre keeb mods exist -- rubber domes, silencing rings, case swaps, Topre-to-MX sliders, so on and so forth. Topre keycaps are a bit of a rare commodity, though. Well, the ones that I’m looking for, anyway.

HIT ME UP IF ANYONE SPOTS A TKL SET OF BLANK PBT TOPRE KEYCAPS!

My one regret is not getting silencing rings. Not because I didn't want or I felt unsure about them, but simply because I forgot to add it to my shopping cart. I plain forgot, FML. And, since: one, shipping fees and taxes are a thing, and two, I'm a cheap bastard, I feel rather reluctant to place another order from Keyclack.

Gaaaaaah why does my brain fart at the worst of times.

Time to stalk Keyclack’s store page until something else catches my eye, so I can bundle the Topre Silencing Rings v2 with another purchase.

...Or spend money on Deskey’s store instead. Those DES Topre Silencing Rings (0.5mm)... Hm...

#TopreGang!

These people are mega sexy, do follow and gib updoots if Topres pique your interest!

ABKO K935P V2 Status Update by @Den-Fi
ABKO K965P V2/Hackerman K965P Status Update by @FakeNSA
Leopold FC660C w/ Topre Silent 45g by @Mateyyy
My Mechanical Machinations - A Keeb Story [Part 2] by @Den-Fi
Topre Keyboards Status Update (Leopold FC660C, Leopold FC980C) by @Den-Fi

Also go tell them they're super sexy.

Mateyyy · January 9

Those domes sound like they're very satisfying to type on .

7 minutes ago, Eschew said:

Also go tell them they're super sexy.

.Apex. · January 9

Dear god this is painfully organized and detailed

(not that it's a bad thing, I salute you on this wonderful post)

Ankh Tech · January 9

You should start looking into custom pcb design, A guide from you would be nice

January 9

Let me start out by saying:

I was soooooo tempted to skip to the typing test first, lol.

I behaved though and took my time though, since 'chew words are a delicacy to be enjoyed one slow sip at a time.

I'm so glad I have someone else that now understand the trap of Topres being pre-builts. Would 100% be easier if they weren't lol.

The extremes seemed like they were custom made for you. I 100% knew you were going that route.

This would have been 12 hours if you went straight for the dome swap AND silencing rings.

I'd say the DES are quicker since not sticky, but I tried them and they have their own headaches. I won't spoil it for you.

As always, a wonderful log and guide for anyone else who may enter the Topre arena *cough cough* @FakeNSAget the hell in here *cough cough*

Hope you get some rest after work. Though you'll probably just get home and type because now you know there's boobs under your keycaps lol.

Spoiler

FakeNSA · January 10

10 hours ago, Den-Fi said:

Let me start out by saying:

I was soooooo tempted to skip to the typing test first, lol.

I behaved though and took my time though, since 'chew words are a delicacy to be enjoyed one slow sip at a time.

I'm so glad I have someone else that now understand the trap of Topres being pre-builts. Would 100% be easier if they weren't lol.

The extremes seemed like they were custom made for you. I 100% knew you were going that route.

This would have been 12 hours if you went straight for the dome swap AND silencing rings.

I'd say the DES are quicker since not sticky, but I tried them and they have their own headaches. I won't spoil it for you.

As always, a wonderful log and guide for anyone else who may enter the Topre arena *cough cough* @FakeNSAget the hell in here *cough cough*

Hope you get some rest after work. Though you'll probably just get home and type because now you know there's boobs under your keycaps lol.

Reveal hidden contents

I would, but the bill for this semester's tuition is looming :P.

I learned many things about Topre today, thank you 'chew!

FakeNSA · February 22

Just reread through this ^{_{thx for the tag}} and noticed that you have a keeb with 150g springs?

This is..... moderately terrifying to me: I get into typing fatigue with 65g springs!

^{_{I would ask how one builds up such power, but I'm not sure I want to know?}}

Eschew · February 22

7 minutes ago, FakeNSA said:

^{_{thx for the tag}}

#TopreGang! #TopreGang!

7 minutes ago, FakeNSA said:

Just reread through this ^{_{thx for the tag}} and noticed that you have a keeb with 150g springs?

This is..... moderately terrifying to me: I get into typing fatigue with 65g springs!

^{_{I would ask how one builds up such power, but I'm not sure I want to know?}}

Yesss, keeb with 150g springy sprongs is Eighty #391 (Mode Eighty First Edition):

Eighty #391 - Modded Ink Black (150g) Switches + Blank PBT Keycaps

My baby my pride my joy.

Methinks the trick to getting used to heavy springs is to ease your fingers into it? I started with Kailih BOX Blacks (≈80g bottom out) and moved on to Kailh BOX Ancient Grays (≈100g bottom out), before trying out the 150g Ink Blacks. Transition also wasn't totally seamless for me -- the first few days of Kailh BOX Ancient Grays and 150g Ink Blacks was definitely a little jarring. Just gave it some time to "break" my fingers in, like breaking in a pair of headphones if the clamping pressure is too much.

Wait that might've sounded a bit violent.

FakeNSA · February 22

17 minutes ago, Eschew said:

Wait that might've sounded a bit violent.

Is fine!

That is interesting. (Also, 100% #topregang. The outemu blues have sat sadly neglected in my closet ever since Hackerman ^₍^{_{That's what I'm calling it, shush)}} arrived.)

Eschew · June 2

R2-968 Update - Silencing Rings

Silence all the things!

Deskeys DES Topre Silencing Rings

I received these in, uh, early May?

[Checks date.]

...Was not procrastinating.

Deskeys DES Topre Silencing Rings - #7 (0.7mm Thickness)

0.7mm was the thicc’est that Deskeys had.

Would’ve gone thicc’er if possible, but alas, no 1.0mm’s.

R2-968 w/Extreme BKE Redux Domes (90g Bottom Out)

AKA: Keeboob w/90g Erect Nipres.

R2-968 - Top Case + Bottom Case Removed

Went back to the R2-968 Build Log main thread for disassembly steps.

'Chew recommends keeping a journal of things or daily events.

Tho, I haven't kept up with journaling since... high school?

Wow, that's a long time ago, haha.

R2-968 - PCB + Rubber Domes Removed

Topre Sliders - Topside

Topre Slider uh, Housings(?) are labelled with letters in the corners (L, I, J, N, P).

Not entirely sure what they correspond with?
Housings are also not all aligned/rotated the same way.

They all seem identical, and the Housing’s letter or orientation doesn’t seem to affect typing feel or Keycap/Slider orientation either.

Topre Sliders - Underside

Sliders can only fit in the Housings in the diagonal-looking pattern above.

They’re also not all aligned/rotated the same way.

Topre Slider - Removed

Small notch on the side of the Slider lines up with the notch in the Housing.

Pop it out from its Housing by pushing the Slider down from the Topside.

TaehaTypes seems to like using the butt () of a Sharpie, butfingers + pressure along the notches seem to work as well.

Topre Stabilizer

A bit more finicky to remove, compared to MX-style stabs.

Took a bit of staring and nervous fiddling around, 'cos I didn’t find a guide.

…Also, too impatient to sit through random YT videos. I very dislike watching videos, especially if I can get my info in written (or other) form.

Topre Stabilizer - Removal

This is a legit Step 1, okay?!

Stick a long, solid shaft into the hole.

Happen to have two 6.5mm adapters, this is probably the most use I’ll get out of them.

(Fingers won’t work for Stabilizer Sliders 'cos there’s no notches on these Housings.)

Topre Stabilizer - Slider Removal

Push the shaft against the hole. Expect resistance, but keep pushing – firmly and gently.

Stabilizer Slider should pop out of the Housing.

Please Don’t Ask Why I Capitalize Certain Nouns, My OCD is Annoying.

Topre Stabilizer - Wire Removal

Wire’s held in by two clips, and is easy enough to remove.

Topre Stabilizer - Topside + Underside

Got significantly fewer parts than MX-style stabilizers.

R2-968 - Sliders Removed

All moving parts removed from the plate!

R2-968 - Spacebar

Correction: Most moving parts removed.

Didn’t touch the spacebar wire and side thingymajigs, 'cos it’s irrelevant for Silencing Rings-Mod.

Topre Slider - Silenced + Stock

Silencing Ring goes around the Slider.

Have to pop the Slider out from its Housing precisely because the Silencing Ring is designed to sit between the Slider and the Housing, cushioning both the downstroke and upstroke.

Topre Slider - Ressembly

Simply pop the Silenced Slider back in its housing, bottom () up.

R2-968 - Sliders Reassembled

Enlisted the help of my Nyanbos, 'cos I need the keeb(?) elevated and Sliders hanging downwards for Rubber Dome + Springs reassembly.

R2-968 - Rubber Domes + Springs Reassembled

This is the most time-consuming part.

Nudge a Rubber Dome ever-so-slightly, and there’s a chance the keystroke won’t register.

Off-Screen: Burning that midnight oil, aligning and re-aligning Rubber Domes.

R2-968 - PCB Reassembled

In the above pic, all the screws are screwed in.

I’d strongly suggest putting in a minimum number of screws and double-checking that all keystrokes register in Keyboard Checker (or equivalent checkers) first.

In the event that not all keystrokes register properly, or if certain keys get stuck or feel off after modding, the fewer screws will make things much easier to get to for re-modding and re-aligning.

R2-968 - Bottom Case Reassembled

Hey, look, I finally found a set of blank keycaps for my Topre board!

...They’re blank, 'cos they don’t exist.

R2-968

Extreeeme!

Silenced, too.

Sound Samples

R2-968 w/Extreme BKE Redux Domes

R2-968 w/Silencing Rings (0.7mm) + Extreme BKE Redux Domes

God damn, but modding a Topre keeb is annoyingly time-consuming. Started at 7:00-ish PM yesterday, ended at close to 1:00 AM.

I mean, I love this keeb hecka lots (Extreeeme!!!) – when I’m typing on it. Modding, tho... Modding makes me feel alla way thru, lol.

Modding Topres (Silencing Rings and Rubber Dome Swap) isn’t particularly difficult. Doesn’t need any special instruments or techy know-how. Stable hands are recommended for the Rubber Dome replacement. Also maybe needs half a brain.

Kiiinda was hoping the Silencing Rings would be more... silencing, but, eh, Extreme BKE Rubber Domes are just that violent, I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Silencing Rings might have a more perceptible difference for Rubber Domes with lighter weights, perhaps.