Thinkpad Trackpoint Cap/Stem Adapter

thingiverse

This adapter makes it possible to use the soft rim caps from old Thinkpads with newer models. The new Thinkpad x280 comes with a new touchstick style - the stem is smaller (2.x mm vs. 4.2 mm in the old ones). Lenovo wisely decides not to make soft rim caps for that stem size, leaving users with only one option: uncomfortable soft domes. This, I believe, is the main reason people dislike touchsticks overall. Neither Lenovo nor anyone else sells adapters for new stems. I recall fond memories of IBM days when each ThinkPad came with a selection of caps. The old x200 also had thin stems, and it used an adapter. However, the keys in this older model were higher, so the old adapter isn't entirely effective. Thanks to @petolone for suggesting this solution. I improved upon it by creating an inner tube instead of a square hole. This makes the printed part come out of my printer much better. The hole still needs drilling - I used a 1/8" bit and set my drill to counter-clockwise rotation, effectively softening the material rather than cutting it.