If you did purchase the SuperSolid DT-001 mechanical keyboard and was thinking of doing some mods, hopefully this post finds you well. SuperSolid DT-001 is hot-swappable so you can easily switch out the switches in the keyboard. This post will show you how to get inside the keyboard so you can do some mods.
Once you teardown the SuperSolid DT-001, you can add dampening foam or even switch out the stabilisers. I added some foam to the bottom of the case and took some photos of my process.
Warranty disclaimer
Before you follow the steps below and start taking apart your SuperSolid DT-001, do note that modifications of the keyboard from its original state are not covered under SuperSolid’s warranty policy.
Still willing to mod your SuperSolid DT-001? Then let’s get into how to pull apart the components of the keyboard.
1. Remove relevant keycaps
You don’t have to remove all the keycaps and switches. Refer to the photo below and remove the keycaps near the circled screw holes. But if you’re planning to lube your switches, you might as well remove them all and mod everything at once.
There should be 11 small screws in total. Using a standard Phillips screwdriver should get the job done.
2. Remove the feet and sticker
To remove the plastic case on the top, you have to also remove the 3 screws located at the bottom of the SuperSolid DT-001. To reveal those three screws, you need to first remove the two rubber feet. You can do so by pushing the feet to the right/left then peel it out.
Next, remove the sticker in the middle – which will reveal the last screw. Use the same Phillips screwdriver and remove all three screws.
3. Keep the spare parts safe
Time to do a stock check – 11 small screws, 3 large screws, 2 rubber feet.
It’s easy to lose small parts, so keep them safe in a small container so that it will be easier to put everything back together.
4. Remove the top case to reveal the PCB and plate
Once all screws are unscrewed, you can remove the top case. It doesn’t pop off that easily as there are some grooves which the top case latch onto the bottom case. Peel through the grooves slowly to remove the top case, but do note this part it is rather tricky and time consuming.
Once the top case is off, you can carefully remove the PCB from the bottom case. Do note that the PCB is on the steel plate. For me I remove the PCB together with the steel plate as it was easier that way. There is a wire connecting the USB-C port to the PCB. For my foam mod, I didn’t need to remove the wires so I didn’t remove the wiring.
If you want to separate the PCB, you’ll have to unscrew a small screw at the corner and disconnect the cable connected to the daughterboard.
5. Mod to your liking
Once you have the SuperSolid DT-001 taken apart, you can mod to your liking. As the default sound profile, had a slight ping, I added PE foam to the case. Those work well too and help to dampen ping. And course you can try out different mods such as silicon pour, polyfill, tape mod, etc.
For a prototype mod, I tried about 2-3 layers of thin packing foam. You do have to measure and cut the foam accordingly, and trim off any unfitting edges. Make sure the foam do not cover any screw holes.
6. Screw the PCB and plate back to the bottom lid
Once you have added enough foam, put the PCB and plate back on and line them accordingly to the screws. There should be just enough tension coming from the foam and the plate. Screw back the screws starting with the corners then work your way inwards.
7. Put everything back together
If you are done with all your mods, put the SuperSolid DT-001 back together the same way you tore it apart as above. The foam mod should have to dampen the sound of the keys and also provide a more ‘thock’ in your key presses.
There you have it – how to tear apart the SuperSolid DT-001 and put it back together. Hope this helps!