I actually went to Digital Mall yesterday to look for demo set to try. Managed to try 1 only cause not many available. And i don't even know what i'm trying lol. Seems like their online business is so good, they're neglecting offline customers 

So if i'm looking for a quiet switch, not clicky i guess, what should I be looking for? Especially for entry level ones. Possible if the switches are short? Low profile i think is the term for it.

Online shopping is fun...but don't just leave them in their boxes ya. Lol

hahaha. that's what im doing now.
buy buy, leave aside.

now wanting to buy a solder station, but no stock.
after buying that, ill start the journey of modding.
i have all the small2 parts oledy. just need the major part to desolder my kibod.

anyway, what solder iron u use to desolder ur board?
is it hard to desolder the factory solder?

KBDFans have not resumed shipping yet, on Discord they said 2 weeks from 11/2/2020, so I have some time to decide on soldering equipment.

Here comes a new contender:
https://www.lazada.com.my/products/ksger-t1....4d5d49fbOAY6aR

Using the supposedly vastly superior T12 tips which are directly heated instead of using a ceramic heating element. With a good review as well:
https://www.rchelicopterfun.com/t12-soldering-station.html

Decisions decisions. 

Mini review of this desoldering iron.
https://shopee.com.my/product/40205456/1568468273?smtt=0.0.9
[attachmentid=10479822]

It works! It really does. It doesn't really get hot enough to melt lead free solder, but there are ways around that:
1. Melt/reflow the solder joint with a normal soldering iron, add some leaded solder with flux to the joint.
2. Use the desoldering iron, it should be able to melt the joint now.
3. Suck!

Once I established my technique, I had about 12 switches left to do in the numpad, so 24 pins. All but 3 I cleaned out with a single suck. Just under 90% success rate. The other 3 I just added more solder and sucked it again.
[attachmentid=10479837]

My harvest this morning.
[attachmentid=10479838]

So happy with this very cheap tool!

ok maybe things have changed during mco. IPA might spoil the paint on stock caps.

normally you should check out switch types (linear, tactile, and clicky; normal or low-profile) to see which one you're more comfortable with; then maybe features, e.g., form factors; layout; typing angle; with detachable cable or fixed; type of keycaps; type of stabilizers (for demo units, most of the times their stabilizers are bad); type of case (low- or high-profile) and plate.

Yea, those are the things i wanna check out. Hence I'm looking for a place that has demo units for those. The best option is still either Digital Mall or Lowyat Plaza? Those distributor of tecware, ducky etc don't have demo sets in their showroom?

I'm using a Hakko Presto with chisel tip plus a cheap desoldering iron. If I didn't already have the Hakko, I'd probably go with a T12 type iron below. Based on the product review on Lazada, I believe one of the regulars here already bought it but he found some issues with the housing?

sorry i have no idea.

another new info for me.

any diff the t12 type iron compare to old one like those 936 soldering stations?

i am actually looking at one specific kasada936. cost only rm70 on shopee without shipping.

the plate is just like hanging/held by switches.

Quick heat up time. T12 is also a Hakko design. Used in the 951 which IINM is the successor to the 936.

another new info for me.

any diff the t12 type iron compare to old one like those 936 soldering stations?

i am actually looking at one specific kasada936. cost only rm70 on shopee without shipping.

hello guys, what is the the type & length of screw that can be use to fix plate and pcb altogether? is it m2 20mm?

because currently if i use stock screw, it will only fix the the pcb over the case and the plate is just like hanging/held by switches.

T12 style iron/tips are "better" then typical 900M style tips for 1 reason. The heatercore is already built into the tips instead of the soldering "gun" attachment, faster heat up, more consistent heat. For a hobbyist, the standard 900M or T18 tips are good enough, I would recommend splurging on original Hakko tips  for better results.

Alright, no worries. More research for me then lol.

so T12 =/= T18 right?
good enough so u mean, T12 is the bestest of 900M and T18 style iron?

and yep, i forgot about splurging on original Hakko tips.
so it would be RM70 + Hakko tips. i donno the price of original Hakko tips.

following GRexer's advice, i also use kasadi 936 + hakko tip hahaha!

kasadi is in stock. just mahal abit.
but me being a cheapo, so finding the cheapest.
shop said maybe mid/end of july will have stock. sanggup tunggu ! lol

so T12 =/= T18 right?
good enough so u mean, T12 is the bestest of 900M and T18 style iron?

and yep, i forgot about splurging on original Hakko tips.
so it would be RM70 + Hakko tips. i donno the price of original Hakko tips.

sweet haha!

for soldering, i still use this one most of the times, with 3.2 chisel tip, https://sea.banggood.com/907-Constant-Tempe...ur_warehouse=CN

T12 is different from T18. T18 is similar to 900M. T12 has the heatercore in the tip, hence the price per tip also costs more. T18/900M has the heatercore in the handle.

i notice for soldering, as long as soldering iron melts the solder, is good enough.
for desoldering, diff story.

or am i wrong?