Page 3 - A Closer Look - Disassembly and Internals
The disassembly process of the Epomaker Luma100 is quite simple. I started by unscrewing the bottom case using a Torx head screwdriver. There are twelve easily accessible points where the screwdriver will fit. While I could start by removing all the keycaps, I typically have a preference to remove keycaps and switches after disassembly if necessary. Upon removing the screws, I pulled apart the outer case. This disassembly process was quite familiar with many of the more premium cases I have worked with. It was a good experience to take apart. Upon exposing the interior design, I was quite pleased with the design. As this is a wireless keyboard, there is a nice cutout for the 3000mAh battery and the daughterboard in the bottom case. I will note that the daughterboard is not actually secured in place with any screws, rather it is held in place with mounting points and pressure from the case enclosure.
The interior design was really quite good in my opinion. Taking a quick look, the design is quite simple. The Epomaker Luma100 is a gasket mounted keyboard. There are gasket sleeves placed on the edges of the PCB to better cushion and remove any friction. The implementation is quite good, as we have a decent amount of space to work with to allow for some bounce when typing despite being so thin. I was quite impressed given the limitation of space, I did not think Epomaker could pull off a functional gasket design. To prevent shorting out the PCB, Epomaker opts to use a foam layer to prevent the PCB from touching the metal case. This layer of plastic acts as a safety measure from shorting out your keyboard.
The foam in the case is done well. Epomaker does not hold back when it comes to foam in this case, as inside you will find foam for the bottom of the PCB, switches, and plate. Foam usage in keyboards is quite important, so having access to this much foam is excellent. To explain simply, the more foam you use, the more muted your keyboard will be for the most part. Epomaker does not state the foam being used inside of the case. The Luma100 does have switch pads and a sound-enhancement pad. The Jelly Epoch was the keyboard that popularized the method of placing a layer of foam directly on top of the PCB to fine tune the sound. Switch foam is a strange usage of foam that I personally find to be a cheat code to premium sound with no science to back up my claim.
The plate inside of the Epomaker Luma100 is polycarbonate or PC. PC is a very popular choice when looking for a deeper sound. This plate material will provide a nice “thock”. As an independent factor in the keyboard, the plate properties that affect its sound include its stiffness and density. To be more specific, we want the specific modulus or specific thickness, which is also known as the stiffness-to-weight ratio. The lower this number is, the more “thocky” this material will be for a keyboard. As of writing this review, I have not seen any material with a lower specific modulus than PC.
Upon closer inspection of the Epomaker Mint switches, I was not able to find the exact details of the switch materials. I believe the top and bottom housing are polycarbonate, and the stem is polyoxymethylene, or POM for short based on general appearance and material popularity. POM is known for its high stiffness, low friction, and excellent strength. Specifically, this material has a coefficient of friction of around 0.25 to 0.3, which is low when you consider this is a measurement on a 0 to 1 scale. As such, you can see why you would want a switch stem to be made out of POM. As for the top and bottom housing, polycarbonate is a very commonly used thermoplastic in mechanical keyboards. It is commonly used for translucent switches, which is important for light to shine through. I find PC offers a higher pitched sound when it comes to bottoming out. The spring is quite long at 13mm.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. A Closer Look - Disassembly and Internals
4. Conclusion
