Deskthority Rabbit Hole kit (2018 Christmas Edition)

[googolplex]

Hello. Has the Cherry Keyboard MX Blue switches as it has in your first post? Would like to try those as well as the Model M. Have only tested linear switches so far.

[Wingklip]

What are the rare drops? Will there be an awp Dlore in the mix as well? or only consumer grade battle scarred alps blacks?

[Wodan]

Hello. Has the Cherry Keyboard MX Blue switches as it has in your first post? Would like to try those as well as the Model M. Have only tested linear switches so far.

Not sure if I currently have an MX Blues G80 but the MX Blue G80s feel a lot different from nice plate mounted MX Blues.

let me know if you're interested!

What are the rare drops? Will there be an awp Dlore in the mix as well? or only consumer grade battle scarred alps blacks?

It's just plain and simple samples of the common switches no RNG

[Harshmallow]

That sexy Cherry G80 with MX Blues in the OP is the one that I got in the original sale. It's quite nice, and I prefer them to modern MX Blues. They sound a bit softer and feel a bit smoother IMO. Easy switches for me to reach my max typing speed on.

[googolplex]

I would like to take part in this round. Especially, I would enjoy to test those much discussed buckling springs. If the cherry was a Blue MX one, it would be even nicer . The boards will go to good hands as you can see in my first two projects (post342160.html?hilit=aekii#p342160). I have only typed on linear switches yet, so would be great to test others as well.

[Wodan]

Well since there's no big catfight over the Rabbit Hole Kits this time, I have just offered @googolplex a kit via PM.

Offer still standing, gotta make some room!

[googolplex]

Woohoo...I'm very excited. Many thanks.

[Petch]

Is this still going? I'd be interested as I've not got any real vintage keyboards (just 1 late 90s 11800 from a server rack that's missing some keys) despite scouring charity shops and recycling centres in the UK for a couple years now

If you have anything with vintage blacks that are otherwise damaged broken (ie good for harvesting) that would also be appreciated, as I'm trying to source some for a TX board. I wouldn't want to ruin an otherwise good board though.

[Wingklip]

Perhaps you have one of those green alps boards that IBM made in japanese?

[Myoth]

I am a bit late to the party, what would be the shipping cost to France, the kit itself is very promising .... plus what would be included ? any ALPS, BS, MX keyboard ? or a AT102, Model M, G80-3000 ?

[pixelheresy]

I would love to be in line for this. Have not touched an IBM Model M since I was a kid, and I had an AEK with some old Mac hardware I saved from the dumpster when I was in college, but no idea what the final fate of that was.

I basically just have Cherry/Cherry clone boards (albeit I am the crazy son of a bitch who one-up kbdfr with is insane Tipro setup). Been trying to track down a Swedish Model M (which is hard... found one, but still has a week of bidding and will probably be sick expensive).

So yeah, kind of new to the game and wanting to get my hands on some Alps/buckling springs and Sweden seems to be a place where anything without a USB cable gets pitched in the trash, so always having to look internationally.

[pixelheresy]

Thanks Woden!!

Got everything today! So excited!

[Wodan]

Awesome, thanks for the feedback. Damn DHL can REALLY be quick. Hasn't been picked up here until Monday and already at your place on Wednesday!

[Harshmallow]

More new people hopping down the rabbit hole - good to see.

[Wingklip]

What boards are left? Any orange or salmon alps perhaps?

[Wodan]

What boards are left? Any orange or salmon alps perhaps?

That's totally not in the scope of this kit

[E3E]

Hey, cool stuff! Very nice of you.

[E3E]

Perhaps you have one of those green alps boards that IBM made in japanese?

I don't think you'll find those at a recycler in Germany. That's better sought after in the Chinese and Japanese markets.

[Harshmallow]

Or if you're talking about the Pingmasters, then your one and only source is Mendelson's / their Ebay listing.

[Wingklip]

Looks like that only leaves cherry, the only boards I have yet to have at all

[Lustique]

Ok, I'm definitely not a new member anymore, but I had been inactive for almost 5 years until Thursday, both regarding the forum and with buying any new keyboard-related stuff (lack of funds and lack of enthusiasm/onset of contentment), so maybe you could make an exception for someone who wants to have another go at the rabbit hole?

TL;DR: Do you have a Cherry with Clears and could leave out the Model M?

Long version:

Spoiler:

I already have a couple of mechanical keyboards but recently got more interested in keyboards, again (probably because I'm currently typing a lot more than usual). I have the following boards: G81-3004 HAD / 10, G80-3000LSMDE-0, G80-1851LUCDE-2, G80-1851LUCDE-0, G80-11800LPADE-0, IBM Model M 1391403. As you can see, I already have a Model M and quite a few Cherries (another OEM G81 from eBay is going to join the ranks in the next few days as well (I want to try white MYs…)), covering Blacks, Blues, and Browns (and vintage MYs), but I always wanted to try Clears, and I never had a chance to try any kind of Alps (clones). So my question is whether 1. I'm qualified for a kit at all, and 2. (if 1. is a ‘yes’) whether you have a Cherry with Clears and could leave out the Model M (to save on shipping, and because I already have a very nice one).

I'm already quite experienced with cleaning nasty boards (see here), but I'm not sure I could repair anything. The only thing I have soldered before was a replacement 3.5 mm headphone jack. I also don't have any proper soldering equipment right now, although I'll probably buy a proper (but inexpensive) soldering station in the future, because I want to build my own kit some day, maybe something ortholinear with one of these MX clones that seem to have gotten infinitely better the last couple of years…

[Wodan]

Ok, I'm definitely not a new member anymore, but I had been inactive for almost 5 years until Thursday, both regarding the forum and with buying any new keyboard-related stuff (lack of funds and lack of enthusiasm/onset of contentment), so maybe you could make an exception for someone who wants to have another go at the rabbit hole?

TL;DR: Do you have a Cherry with Clears and could leave out the Model M?

Long version:

Spoiler:

I already have a couple of mechanical keyboards but recently got more interested in keyboards, again (probably because I'm currently typing a lot more than usual). I have the following boards: G81-3004 HAD / 10, G80-3000LSMDE-0, G80-1851LUCDE-2, G80-1851LUCDE-0, G80-11800LPADE-0, IBM Model M 1391403. As you can see, I already have a Model M and quite a few Cherries (another OEM G81 from eBay is going to join the ranks in the next few days as well (I want to try white MYs…)), covering Blacks, Blues, and Browns (and vintage MYs), but I always wanted to try Clears, and I never had a chance to try any kind of Alps (clones). So my question is whether 1. I'm qualified for a kit at all, and 2. (if 1. is a ‘yes’) whether you have a Cherry with Clears and could leave out the Model M (to save on shipping, and because I already have a very nice one).

I'm already quite experienced with cleaning nasty boards (see here), but I'm not sure I could repair anything. The only thing I have soldered before was a replacement 3.5 mm headphone jack. I also don't have any proper soldering equipment right now, although I'll probably buy a proper (but inexpensive) soldering station in the future, because I want to build my own kit some day, maybe something ortholinear with one of these MX clones that seem to have gotten infinitely better the last couple of years…

Great to see you found back to the hobby! I would love to help you out but don't have any MX clear boards that aren't desoldered or part of my personal collection.

I can REALLY REALLY recommend getting one of the Skidata keyboards from Ebay. They are 125€ by now which is a lot but they come with maybe the best MX clears ever (almost 150 clears!) and the best keycaps ever.

[hansichen]

They actually have 159 mx clears and 1 mx grey The board and the caps are really awesome, the only downside is that the upper part is not usable as far as I know.
If you have the money you should really grab one as it's an awesome unique board with smooth vintage clears.

[Wingklip]

I can apply if you can find me a good cherry experience

[Lustique]

Ok, I'm definitely not a new member anymore, but I had been inactive for almost 5 years until Thursday, both regarding the forum and with buying any new keyboard-related stuff (lack of funds and lack of enthusiasm/onset of contentment), so maybe you could make an exception for someone who wants to have another go at the rabbit hole?

TL;DR: Do you have a Cherry with Clears and could leave out the Model M?

Long version:

Spoiler:

I already have a couple of mechanical keyboards but recently got more interested in keyboards, again (probably because I'm currently typing a lot more than usual). I have the following boards: G81-3004 HAD / 10, G80-3000LSMDE-0, G80-1851LUCDE-2, G80-1851LUCDE-0, G80-11800LPADE-0, IBM Model M 1391403. As you can see, I already have a Model M and quite a few Cherries (another OEM G81 from eBay is going to join the ranks in the next few days as well (I want to try white MYs…)), covering Blacks, Blues, and Browns (and vintage MYs), but I always wanted to try Clears, and I never had a chance to try any kind of Alps (clones). So my question is whether 1. I'm qualified for a kit at all, and 2. (if 1. is a ‘yes’) whether you have a Cherry with Clears and could leave out the Model M (to save on shipping, and because I already have a very nice one).

I'm already quite experienced with cleaning nasty boards (see here), but I'm not sure I could repair anything. The only thing I have soldered before was a replacement 3.5 mm headphone jack. I also don't have any proper soldering equipment right now, although I'll probably buy a proper (but inexpensive) soldering station in the future, because I want to build my own kit some day, maybe something ortholinear with one of these MX clones that seem to have gotten infinitely better the last couple of years…

Great to see you found back to the hobby! I would love to help you out but don't have any MX clear boards that aren't desoldered or part of my personal collection.

I can REALLY REALLY recommend getting one of the Skidata keyboards from Ebay. They are 125€ by now which is a lot but they come with maybe the best MX clears ever (almost 150 clears!) and the best keycaps ever.

Well, I should have guessed… Apparently MX clears were pretty rare until recently (at least that's what the Wiki says, AFAIR), so you probably won't find many of these at the recycler. I guess leaving out both the Cherry and the Model M wouldn't make it much of a kit, right?

These are indeed beautiful boards. I stumbled upon them sometime before, but I thought they might have been a tad overpriced. Until now, the most I have ever spent on a single keyboard was (I think) about 35€ + shipping for my Model M, so 130€ would be quite a step up. I'd probably have to save up quite a bit of ‘pocket/beer money’ for this.

If only the Skidata was USB (just for programming; otherwise I don't mind PS/2 or DIN). The keycaps look great (DS, I assume) and would be my first non-black/grey/white keycaps (except for the green on grey left alt key of my Model M), they have the ‘deep dish’ F/J keys that I love, it, more or less, has the G80-1800 layout which is great, has a built in trackball (kind of like my G80-11800), and most importantly, it's ISO. But I assume these are, like Tipro boards, only programmable via 32 bit Windows, right?

Oh, and what is so special about vintage MX clears? Are these smoother than modern MX clears? Sorry, but I never really got that far into switches, and except for my two MX black boards, I have only ever used one version of a certain switch. I guess I might also be a bit of a ‘switch ignoramus’, as I'm probably one of the only people in existence that think that Cherry MYs are not completely terrible. I'm actually typing on a G81 right now, which I cleaned today/yesterday.

They actually have 159 mx clears and 1 mx grey The board and the caps are really awesome, the only downside is that the upper part is not usable as far as I know.
If you have the money you should really grab one as it's an awesome unique board with smooth vintage clears.

According to the seller the board should be programmable. Or do these have the same ‘issue’ that PS/2 Tipro boards have, i.e. they're only programmable via 32 bit Windows?

I think these have been on eBay for quite some time now, haven't they? If I'm still interested in these in a few months, I might gift myself one of these, but at the moment they're definitely outside of my price range.

[hansichen]

The seller claims that they are programmable and theoretically there should be a software for that, but in reality I haven't been able to get my hands on such a software. The normal 96 key part of the board is normal usable but the whole upper part (except the F keys) only have random scan codes for my board, so this part is not usable. You can use the board with a 2x ps2 to USB adapter and the normal part and the trackball is working fine.

[Lustique]

The seller claims that they are programmable and theoretically there should be a software for that, but in reality I haven't been able to get my hands on such a software. The normal 96 key part of the board is normal usable but the whole upper part (except the F keys) only have random scan codes for my board, so this part is not usable. You can use the board with a 2x ps2 to USB adapter and the normal part and the trackball is working fine.

Did you look at the description recently, because the seller also claims that he would provide the software for download, so he's either lying, or he changed the description since the last time you checked it. If it's the latter case, maybe you can get your hands on the software, after all?

[hansichen]

I've bought it few months ago and it said the same at the time. So if you wanna same some money you can buy it and open a PayPal case after it
He provides you a download link to a fishy looking software which let's you use normal keypress combinations for Media control. So for example F12 to play music or alt+s to stop music, but as the upper part of the board gives the same scan codes as the lower part you won't be able to give them a function without loosing the possibility to use the normal part of the keyboard

[Lustique]

I've bought it few months ago and it said the same at the time. So if you wanna same some money you can buy it and open a PayPal case after it […]

Good idea!

[…]He provides you a download link to a fishy looking software which let's you use normal keypress combinations for Media control. So for example F12 to play music or alt+s to stop music, but as the upper part of the board gives the same scan codes as the lower part you won't be able to give them a function without loosing the possibility to use the normal part of the keyboard

Well, if that's the case, then not only the software seems fishy…

Do you use the keyboard with Windows/*nix or something else? If different keys send the same scan codes, does the keyboard essentially act as two keyboards at once (and also shows up as two separate keyboards)? Should that be the case (it probably isn't, but oh well), you should be able to use both sets of keys for different things on Linux using XKB, and on Windows this might be possible if you use LuaMacros.

[Wodan]

Planning to have a new round of rabbit hole kits again soon. Letme know!

This time you can upgrade your ModelM to ANSI layout for a 40€ markup (I have to pay for them myself and they are quite rare in the EU)

Also the DT club is no longer involved in picking the recipients, it‘s now done by l‘etat!