Alps Appreciation

ppCircle · 27 Nov 2019, 16:38

Fod wrote: 27 Nov 2019, 16:21 Huh. Never knew Video-writers could come with other alps switches.

Haha, really funny

cli · 27 Nov 2019, 16:50

ppCircle wrote: 27 Nov 2019, 16:38
Fod wrote: 27 Nov 2019, 16:21 Huh. Never knew Video-writers could come with other alps switches.
Haha, really funny

Bummers, you are quite unfortunate. Next time ask for photo's of the switches.
I was also scammed with Alps Brown switches. Seller didn't told me the switches are in very bad condition, corroded switch plates...

ppCircle · 27 Nov 2019, 16:58

cli wrote: 27 Nov 2019, 16:50 Bummers, you are quite unfortunate. Next time ask for photo's of the switches.
I was also scammed with Alps Brown switches. Seller didn't told me the switches are in very bad condition, corroded switch plates...

Well i asked him, and i know him really good, i bought few keyboards from him, he always sends me switches photos. But this time his freind shipped keyboards due to absence from the country. And his friend was afraid not to break anything. (caps) So somebody before him has to harvested switches.
I am still on profit but i wanted to build acer 101 on browns from them. And i was 99% sure those was alps.

yuchipashe · 28 Nov 2019, 10:08

Polecat wrote: 26 Nov 2019, 05:24 I'm keeping a database of Northgates (also Focus, Monterey, and a few others) to try to learn more about them.

I'm interested in checking out your database, and might contribute to it since I'm planning on researching more on the history of these board manufacturers. This got me more and more intrigued

Rezene · 28 Nov 2019, 22:22

How do zealios compare to alps tactitltiy and smoothness? I'm thinking about building a board and wanted to know if they would be disappointing compared to orange alps. Reddit seems to like them a lot but I feel like thats just compared to other mx style switches.

Muirium · 29 Nov 2019, 08:43

Rezene wrote: 28 Nov 2019, 22:22Reddit seems to like them a lot but I feel like thats just compared to other mx style switches.

I reckon you’ve read the situation well!

I haven’t tried Zealios, but I know Alps. Alps tactiles are very different beasts from MX tactiles, just as clicky Alps are a whole breed apart from clicky MX. There’s only so much you can do to tweak the MX design while staying within its shell.

Muirium · 29 Nov 2019, 11:31

Cover that thing already for the love of Alps!

Chyros · 29 Nov 2019, 14:32

A dust cover is always a good precaution, but really, it's not that bad. They just take issue to being stored for decades in the rain, that sort of shit

.

fohat · 29 Nov 2019, 15:27

Also bad are environments where really tiny particulates are always hanging in the air. Warehouses are bad about that because forklift tires relentlessly shed tiny bits of rubber.

The cheapest and easiest dust cover is a small folded towel.

snacksthecat · 29 Nov 2019, 20:43

Just found this user manual for Siig Minitouch.

On the first page, in the diagram, it makes mention of an optional keypad (connected to the RJ11 plug). Anyone ever gotten their hands on one of these? I think that would be a fun addition to this nifty little board.

Polecat · 30 Nov 2019, 03:18

snacksthecat wrote: 29 Nov 2019, 20:43 Just found this user manual for Siig Minitouch.

On the first page, in the diagram, it makes mention of an optional keypad (connected to the RJ11 plug). Anyone ever gotten their hands on one of these? I think that would be a fun addition to this nifty little board.

Snacks, good to see you back! We've talked about those keypads here before, but I don't remember exactly when or where. If I remember correctly only the early MiniTouchs had a working interface for the keypad. Some later ones had the connector, but it was just there to fill the hole after keypad support was eliminated from the main PC board. On even later ones the cases didn't have an opening for the keypad jack. I have three or four MiniTouchs here, but I don't remember if any of mine have the jack, or if it's functional if they do. I also have an Ortek MCK-84 with what might be a keypad connection, but that's a 15 pin D-sub instead of a modular connector,

Polecat · 30 Nov 2019, 03:39

ntv242 wrote: 29 Nov 2019, 10:19 How do you guys generally maintain your alps keyboard? Even though I clean my desk often, I notice that there is some dust underneath the cap. I am afraid to blast it with air duster can though, worryying that the dust might go even deeper. For the future, should I get some sort of dust cover?

Bah, humbug! Alps worry is, to me, overrated. I've been using Alps keyboards for thirty years now, and other than making a halfhearted effort not to spill food and drink into them I've never done anything special. My last driver was a Monterey K104, and I used it for about ten years until the printing wore off the caps. It literally never missed a beat in all that time, and was still working perfectly when I finally retired it. I've spent more time typing this reply than I ever did keeping my Alps keyboards working.

cli · 04 Dec 2019, 13:43

Polecat wrote: 30 Nov 2019, 03:39
ntv242 wrote: 29 Nov 2019, 10:19 How do you guys generally maintain your alps keyboard? Even though I clean my desk often, I notice that there is some dust underneath the cap. I am afraid to blast it with air duster can though, worryying that the dust might go even deeper. For the future, should I get some sort of dust cover?
Bah, humbug! Alps worry is, to me, overrated. I've been using Alps keyboards for thirty years now, and other than making a halfhearted effort not to spill food and drink into them I've never done anything special. My last driver was a Monterey K104, and I used it for about ten years until the printing wore off the caps. It literally never missed a beat in all that time, and was still working perfectly when I finally retired it. I've spent more time typing this reply than I ever did keeping my Alps keyboards working.

Agree, little bit dust will not hurt the switches.

IMO, the reputation that Alps boards are dust sensitive are caused by the assholes that sell keyboards in bad condition that had been stored in a dusty environment. Most of them can be saved (some cleaning and lubing), but I had two that I that I had to write off. Lots of rust, oxidized switch plates and so on... was not worth the pain to restore it.

Rezene · 04 Dec 2019, 20:11

How rare/expensive are focus fk 2001's in black? I think that they look absolutely amazing and I want one.

E3E · 04 Dec 2019, 20:20

Rezene wrote: 04 Dec 2019, 20:11 How rare/expensive are focus fk 2001's in black? I think that they look absolutely amazing and I want one.

I found two off of eBay about two years apart from each other in time. Those were sold to Chyros later on as they're not my cuppa.

I'd say they're pretty rare and not something you should expect to see, but there's a small possibility of running into one.

ppCircle · 04 Dec 2019, 20:24

Rezene wrote: 04 Dec 2019, 20:11 How rare/expensive are focus fk 2001's in black? I think that they look absolutely amazing and I want one.

Quite rare. And how expensive? I think it depends on condition/ switches. My guess ~50 to 100$ to standard price.

Polecat · 05 Dec 2019, 02:48

Rezene wrote: 04 Dec 2019, 20:11 How rare/expensive are focus fk 2001's in black? I think that they look absolutely amazing and I want one.

I made mine a few months back from a black FK-2002 and a beige FK-2001 with blue Alps switches:

viewtopic.php?f=62&t=22072

I bought the black 2002 new almost thirty years ago, and I can count the black Focus boards I've seen since on one hand. Not too long ago someone was selling a rough black FK-3002 in the Marketplace here; it may still be available if that's of any interest.

Rezene · 05 Dec 2019, 19:20

Polecat wrote: 05 Dec 2019, 02:48
Rezene wrote: 04 Dec 2019, 20:11 How rare/expensive are focus fk 2001's in black? I think that they look absolutely amazing and I want one.
I made mine a few months back from a black FK-2002 and a beige FK-2001 with blue Alps switches:

viewtopic.php?f=62&t=22072

I bought the black 2002 new almost thirty years ago, and I can count the black Focus boards I've seen since on one hand. Not too long ago someone was selling a rough black FK-3002 in the Marketplace here; it may still be available if that's of any interest.

that board had water damage and some keys didn't work right? I don't have any experience repairing pcb's and I'm in the US so probably not worthwhile if its still available not sure

ppCircle · 05 Dec 2019, 20:50

Well, i got today fk-747 with polish sub legends

Fun Fact, "ł" is made of "1" number

More photos: https://imgur.com/a/uxBlQ6n

Rezene · 06 Dec 2019, 04:22

ppCircle wrote: 05 Dec 2019, 20:50 Well, i got today fk-747 with polish sub legends

Fun Fact, "ł" is made of "1" number

More photos: https://imgur.com/a/uxBlQ6n

Old focus boards look so good

4sStylZ · 06 Dec 2019, 16:35

First try to 3D print my M0116 case :

The red PLA is hideous but I am waiting some Marble PLA for the final print with issue corrected.

https://imgur.com/gallery/skKm5e9

Muirium · 06 Dec 2019, 19:22

Hideous? That’s actually kinda neat! Would love a custom case like that for the various boards I have with ruined or entirely absent shells. Various being the word!

flowerlandfilms · 11 Dec 2019, 20:37

Been coveting this for my transparent Alps collection for a long time, finally got one for a sensible price.
It's the Macway version of the Filco Skeleton, and others, from the Strongman series.
Would prefer a PC version but just happy to have one at all.

: fs.jpg (804.74 KiB) Viewed 6686 times

Elrick · 12 Dec 2019, 01:00

4sStylZ wrote: 06 Dec 2019, 16:35 First try to 3D print my M0116 case :

The red PLA is hideous but I am waiting some Marble PLA for the final print with issue corrected.

NOTHING wrong with that particular colour.

Those that LOVE the colour Red, would be far more offended with your statement.

Polecat · 12 Dec 2019, 02:55

flowerlandfilms wrote: 11 Dec 2019, 20:37 Been coveting this for my transparent Alps collection for a long time, finally got one for a sensible price.
It's the Macway version of the Filco Skeleton, and others, from the Strongman series.
Would prefer a PC version but just happy to have one at all.

Nice find, thanks for sharing!

4sStylZ · 12 Dec 2019, 17:34

Lol. Since some people are enjoying it I can probably give this one as giveaway. He need a bit of tweak, a big sand-paper work but if some people want it, no problem.

I have also the little brother ASK10, the keypad in the same color. :p

BTW The filco skeleton in black finish / mac / japanese lettering is my dream keycap set. So I find this one very cool too.

ZedTheMan · 12 Dec 2019, 20:38

Uh, I think it depends on pine vs bamboo as well. Black with slits is better than white without, IMO, and vice versa, due to clunkiness. If they are both "pine" (long slits), I'd argue it's really up to preference.

E3E · 12 Dec 2019, 21:06

ntv242 wrote: 12 Dec 2019, 20:33 Is white alps an absolute upgrade from black alps? Just asking about the regular one, not some fancy early almost - like - blue kind of white alps.

Apples and oranges, really. The more direct upgrade to SKCM Black would be SKCM Cream (not ivory aka damped cream) as several boards exist that originally used SKCM Cream that went to SKCM Black with later models, so Cream can be seen as its most direct predecessor. SKCM Black can be pine or bamboo, as can White, so it really becomes a matter of preference at that point.

I generally do not like any bamboo variant switches myself.

ZedTheMan · 12 Dec 2019, 22:02

Well, I think the bamboo clickies are better than bamboo tactiles, but that's really subjective. I would say most alps in good condition would be an upgrade. Heck, I would say that linearizing your current blacks would be a significant upgrade, but that's really just if you like linears.

Polecat · 13 Dec 2019, 06:14

flowerlandfilms wrote: 11 Dec 2019, 20:37 Been coveting this for my transparent Alps collection for a long time, finally got one for a sensible price.
It's the Macway version of the Filco Skeleton, and others, from the Strongman series.
Would prefer a PC version but just happy to have one at all.

Were the Filco/Macway transparent keyboards available in all the Mac jellybean colors? Apparently I don't have enough things to collect yet.