Search found 361 matches
- 17 Jun 2023, 08:31
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: Harris Digitran leaf switch keyboard
- Replies: 5
- Views: 8528
Re: Harris Digitran leaf switch keyboard
Love these gorgeous old boards. Keep posting as you go along!
- 26 Apr 2023, 04:32
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: Replacing bemaspring coil springs
- Replies: 4
- Views: 2159
Re: Replacing bemaspring coil springs
That's so cool man. I knew a lot of parts were the same but not the coil springs. Really makes me want to grab a Round 2.
- 18 Apr 2023, 06:14
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: IBM Beamspring 5251 Restoration
- Replies: 2
- Views: 4555
IBM Beamspring 5251 Restoration
Hey folks, Been awhile, but I got the itch to do some conversions and restorations again. I got a 5251 for a pretty good deal off ebay but it needed a lot of work. Needed a lot of time in the evaporust. The rust was really bad in the front left corner. A number of coil springs were ruined, two stems...
- 17 Apr 2023, 06:34
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: Replacing bemaspring coil springs
- Replies: 4
- Views: 2159
Re: Replacing bemaspring coil springs
Seems a little high. I got the 90 gold spring set for 75CAD+ shipping for my own restoration. On the plus side, I now have like 70+ original springs in fantastic shape. I'll do $3 apiece if you need them. A little evaporust should save most of yours I would think.
- 15 Mar 2023, 02:39
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Whatever happened to ________?
- Replies: 136
- Views: 239601
Re: Whatever happened to ________?
Where are andrewjoy and Findecanor? They were great guys. What about conversion heros like Sangdrax, OldIsNew and, of course, xwhatsit ? Did this place die or what? 6 month necrobump but I thought I'd share my story at least. I got a new job in 2019, moved states. DMA even visited me in the rundown...
- 06 Mar 2023, 17:59
- Forum: Keyboards
- Topic: Foam and foil conversion on TRS-80 clone
- Replies: 7
- Views: 3388
Re: Foam and foil conversion on TRS-80 clone
Capacitive controllers can be tuned to work with regular switches. The PCB for a capacitive foam and foil usually has pads on two sides and has them lacquered over. These would be in the way of any switch leads. If it has a switchplate, I wouldn't bother with destroying the existing PCB and just han...
- 05 Mar 2023, 19:44
- Forum: Keyboards
- Topic: Foam and foil conversion on TRS-80 clone
- Replies: 7
- Views: 3388
Re: Foam and foil conversion on TRS-80 clone
Magnets are a much bigger mess. Anything capacitive will do the trick. You just need something with a conductor and an insulator over it. I used to use punches from antistatic bags as they were an insulative sandwich of plastic over metalized material. Worked great. I also used harder closed cell fo...
- 03 Dec 2019, 21:37
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: Another KeyTronic F&F with CommonSense
- Replies: 9
- Views: 3032
Re: Another KeyTronic F&F with CommonSense
Topre springs should click right into the 11mm holders, no mods required. The problem is acquiring them in bulk at a non-topre price. I've never had the luck to find their souce. Plus you'd have to lacquer the boards with bare metal pads I suppose. Nice work on the board, OldisNew. Always love seein...
- 03 Dec 2019, 00:19
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: CommonSense: matrix LCR meter with a HID interface
- Replies: 572
- Views: 227553
Re: [Done] CommonSense: matrix LCR meter with a HID interface
Hooked up my PR1ME and having the same initial problem as the Harris. Everything works perfect except two columns which refuse to register at all. I checked the electrical connection for those pins on either side of the ribbon cable with a multimeter and resoldered everything, even the factory jumpe...
- 21 Nov 2019, 17:16
- Forum: Other external
- Topic: Great/Interesting Finds
- Replies: 26272
- Views: 9340790
Re: Great/Interesting Finds
That's only an hour drive for me, but I don't know where I would store it all.kmnov2017 wrote: ↑21 Nov 2019, 14:59Another storage unit
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 4106289673
- 20 Nov 2019, 16:55
- Forum: Other external
- Topic: Great/Interesting Finds
- Replies: 26272
- Views: 9340790
Re: Great/Interesting Finds
I grabbed it for $25 shipped so I can't really complain even if it's not.kmnov2017 wrote: ↑19 Nov 2019, 23:23Not a bad price for whats most likely a white alps board https://www.ebay.com/itm/233236468619
- 20 Nov 2019, 15:06
- Forum: Gallery
- Topic: SMK Reed switches
- Replies: 4
- Views: 2888
Re: SMK Reed switches
What a great find! Nice breakdown too.
- 15 Nov 2019, 05:19
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: CommonSense: matrix LCR meter with a HID interface
- Replies: 572
- Views: 227553
Re: [Done] CommonSense: matrix LCR meter with a HID interface
The extra grounding worked great. Everything registers now. I'm typing this on the Harris as I speak. The repeating pressed #16 16 shows up every time I use the upload function. Afterwards, it will still commit and write to the EEPROM but I have to physically disconnect and reconnect the board for i...
- 14 Nov 2019, 19:18
- Forum: Deskthority talk
- Topic: Deskthority Awards 2019 ~ Phase 1: The nominations
- Replies: 48
- Views: 43976
Re: Deskthority Awards 2019 ~ Phase 1: The nominations
I nominate DMA for best project for the Magnetic Valve switch conversion added to Commonsense this year. It made a new legion of beautiful boards usable again on modern PC's.
I know he won last year, but this is different enough to be considered another project I think?
I know he won last year, but this is different enough to be considered another project I think?
- 14 Nov 2019, 17:10
- Forum: Keyboards
- Topic: Mini Mechanical Keyboard with Magnet - Custom Value and Macro
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1963
Re: Mini Mechanical Keyboard with Magnet - Custom Value and Macro
Looks like the magnetic bottoms are snap-in. If that's the case, anything with a cherry compatible plate and pinout should work. Plus they got box switches in the example picture.
- 13 Nov 2019, 19:12
- Forum: Keyboards
- Topic: Wash springs & flippers in IBM Model F XT?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 3279
- 13 Nov 2019, 19:08
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: CommonSense: matrix LCR meter with a HID interface
- Replies: 572
- Views: 227553
Re: [Done] CommonSense: matrix LCR meter with a HID interface
This is the Harris, which you noted might need extra grounding at a couple points to pick up a couple columns. Those I think are the ones not triggering. I'll have an hour or two to fiddle with it tonight and I'll report back. Settings right now are Debounce 8, Threshold 10 (though up to 20 works th...
- 13 Nov 2019, 16:28
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: CommonSense: matrix LCR meter with a HID interface
- Replies: 572
- Views: 227553
Re: [Done] CommonSense: matrix LCR meter with a HID interface
v 1.0.0.4 is out: https://github.com/dmaone/CommonSense/releases/tag/1.0.0.4 It ignores the matrix positions for which threshold is set to zero. Useful if you printed a PCB for your beamspring which has unpopulated pads (like __red__'s 3741) Would've noticed this much faster if I had an actual beam...
- 13 Nov 2019, 16:11
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: CommonSense: matrix LCR meter with a HID interface
- Replies: 572
- Views: 227553
Re: [Done] CommonSense: matrix LCR meter with a HID interface
Finally got some new kits in from Cypress directly (the kits have skyrocketed in price from the distributors for some reason so direct is the only real choice now) and had a chance to fiddle with the Magvalve stuff a little bit. I had to update my PSoC virtual components to get the current bootloade...
- 30 Oct 2019, 14:35
- Forum: Keyboards
- Topic: Key Tronic Corp. Early '70s Keyboard
- Replies: 14
- Views: 7133
Re: Key Tronic Corp. Early '70s Keyboard
It wouldn't bug me much if they weren't the rare magnetic reed variant. I love the old foam and foil myself, but it ain't the end of the world if someone used one of those for some silly project like that instead.
- 24 Oct 2019, 16:09
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: Are there any unconvertible switches left?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 5693
Re: Are there any unconvertible switches left?
The old Hall Effects (pulse vs hold) are not hammered out yet IIRC. New Hall Effects are made and they are understood but there is no basic conversion process for the old boards. This is as far as anyone has gotten fullsize I think https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=21908 I got an NOS Micro...
- 21 Oct 2019, 04:59
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: Chyron 4046 (Super Scribe) Keyboard, Xwhatsit USB
- Replies: 5
- Views: 4617
Re: Chyron 4046 (Super Scribe) Keyboard, Xwhatsit USB
Now that's how it's done. I got another keytronic in recently I need to give the same treatment to.
- 19 Oct 2019, 19:13
- Forum: Reviews
- Topic: Epson Q703A keyboard review (Fujitsu leaf spring 2nd generation)
- Replies: 1
- Views: 2830
Re: Epson Q703A keyboard review (Fujitsu leaf spring 2nd generation)
New old stock is amazing. Wish my case was still that white instead of a tad yellow. I've been using mine as a daily driver since May and it's great. Gotta say I like the white case more than black though. One thing you forgot to mention between this and the 3rd Gens is that these don't have the dio...
- 10 Oct 2019, 00:09
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: Best replacement foam for keytronic foam and foil switches
- Replies: 26
- Views: 11549
Re: Best replacement foam for keytronic foam and foil switches
Different switch types probably had different thicknesses. The 1978 block style keytronic I'm working on right now seems like it had around 2mm pads instead of the 4'ish of the 1980's tall single switch models.
- 09 Oct 2019, 23:32
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: Best replacement foam for keytronic foam and foil switches
- Replies: 26
- Views: 11549
Re: Best replacement foam for keytronic foam and foil switches
And you guys know I'm a fan of the hard foam. Super Glue brand precut archival grade foam tape ($1 and you need two rolls for the average full size board double stacked) and electrostatic discharge bags because they have both sides insulated and they're basically free and laying around if you do any...
- 07 Oct 2019, 21:17
- Forum: Workshop
- Topic: Another Data General 6246-A
- Replies: 4
- Views: 4290
Re: Another Data General 6246-A
Yeah, these are all 3rd Gen leaf springs IIRC. Great boards. And unlike the 2nd Gen, they have all the diodes integrated already which makes converting so much better. With your matrix now, someone could actually convert one in less than an hour if they knew what they were doing. Really great work a...
- 11 Sep 2019, 16:46
- Forum: Keyboards
- Topic: Are there any benefits to having a mechanical keyboard if you're not a heavy gamer or aren't a power user
- Replies: 20
- Views: 8357
Re: Are there any benefits to having a mechanical keyboard if you're not a heavy gamer or aren't a power user
Memory errors points to RAM or undervolting the CPU/northbridge
- 11 Sep 2019, 16:20
- Forum: Off-topic
- Topic: Taking a break
- Replies: 29
- Views: 27606
Re: Taking a break
I haven't posted hardly at all the last few months because life got in the way. Sometimes you need a break or just to lurk for a bit. Nothing wrong with that. Plus, when you reach a happy endgame board and have tried most of the legends, you're just not in a massive hurry anymore. You KNOW what's go...
- 29 Aug 2019, 15:48
- Forum: Try before you buy
- Topic: [IC] Fall 2019 Austin, TX Meetup
- Replies: 5
- Views: 18432
Re: [IC] Fall 2019 Austin, TX Meetup
Been super busy with my new job but I'm over by Killeen now. I might be able to make a September meetup and bring some oddballs like the Harris Digitran or the Epson QX-10 conversions, plus some common fun oldies like the Pingmaster if nobody else is hauling them.
- 19 May 2019, 00:53
- Forum: Keyboards
- Topic: IBM Model M - Cleaning Membrane. Isopropyl / sterilized water / or?
- Replies: 3
- Views: 2402
Re: IBM Model M - Cleaning Membrane. Isopropyl / sterilized water / or?
Alcohol is the best option because it will dissolve grease and whatnot while leaving everything clean afterward. Dish soap and tap water will do the same job with a little more work.
You'll want some very fine sandpaper to clean any oxidized contacts in either case.
You'll want some very fine sandpaper to clean any oxidized contacts in either case.