Hi,
My key cluster mini-trackball stopped scrolling in one direction and mini-trackball module doesn’t seem to be serviceable, so I suppose I need to replace it (the key cluster module was bought more than 2 years ago, so the warranty has expired already).
A replacement key cluster is ~EUR14 in the UHK store, but shipping via DHL is another 30, which is excessive. Are alternative delivery options possible at all? Or maybe it’s possible to buy key cluster trackball module elsewhere?
Thanks!
Hi there,
It should be possible to replace the mini trackball with a BlackBerry trackball that can be purchased from other shops. It’s glued to the PCB, but you should be able to remove it with sufficient force, then use super glue for the new trackball. (No electrical connection is needed as it uses magnets.)
As for shipping, we’re sorry, but there’s no other way: Alternative shipping options? - Ultimate Hacking Keyboard
Thanks, László!
I took another look at the trackball module yesterday and managed to remove the top metal part that keeps the ball and spindles in place. Turns out there was dirt on one of spindles that caused poor traction. Works as new after cleaning!
re: Blackberry trackball - this is very useful, thank you!
I must back this. Paying 25$ for shipping a couple of spare parts is just ridiculous.
As for customs paperwork - is that something you (not the end customer) have to deal with?
As for those other points listed in the blogpost - I find them to be quite irrelevant. You just don’t need tracking information for an envelope that contains just a handful of screws.
As for reliability, it should be mostly as reliable as the destination country national post, should it not?
Is there no chance of having a third party plaform (think of ebay or aliexpress) take care of taxes, paperwork and the like?
At least for shipping in EU. No customs.
I went to buy 100 euro of stuff. Shipping a third of that again.
Didn’t order.
Yes, the paperwork on our end is also excessive.
Sorry, but we don’t plan to provide an alternative shipping option until a better shipping provider becomes available.
Yes, the paperwork on our end is also excessive.
Allright, that sucks.
How about authorized redistributors? I mean, you could send a whole lot of parts to key locations (Europe, America, Australia 
) and have them distributed form there. Surely you know where your customers are and where the parts need to be?
There are so many ever-expanding spare part types that the operational overhead is too high to manage redistributors.
If only you knew how many times I decided not to buy something from your shop just because of the expensive shipping. And not just spare parts, but much more expensive things too. And how many times I did not recommend uhk keyboards to someone. I even, intentionally or not, discouraged a couple of people from buying them by being honest. If something happens to my uhk60, which is kind of perfect, I won’t feel like it’s worth repairing, because a couple of parts + shipping could cost ~1/3 of the uhk60 price when I bought it, and half the price of another good keyboard (one with free shipping and parts available everywhere). So just now I had to remove quite a few things from my cart only to justify the purchase instead of going for the other keyboard. I’m not complaining, it is what it is. I just came back here one last time after a long while, worrying that the shop might not be alive anymore (I hope you thrive forever). I won’t be buying parts from you a second time, unfortunately, because it does not make financial sense.