Great/Interesting Finds

[Harshmallow]

The listing description also says it has White Alps. That may have been updated since you guys took a look though.

[Hypersphere]

I wonder if they are pine or bamboo white Alps in that Packard Bell?

[mike52787]

I wonder if they are pine or bamboo white Alps in that Packard Bell?

Pine. that board is far too early for bamboo.

[Flammberger]

Apple IIC with Apple hairpin switches:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Apple-IIC-2c-Tas ... 2278288115

[Chyros]

Apple IIC with Apple hairpin switches:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Apple-IIC-2c-Tas ... 2278288115

How can you tell?

[mike52787]

Apple IIC with Apple hairpin switches:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Apple-IIC-2c-Tas ... 2278288115

How can you tell?

super easy to tell. There is no plate, and the alps ones have a plate.

[Chyros]

Apple IIC with Apple hairpin switches:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Apple-IIC-2c-Tas ... 2278288115

How can you tell?

super easy to tell. There is no plate, and the alps ones have a plate.

Ah, I see, excellent.

I've heard these switches are super awful. I'm interested 8) .

[mike52787]

I've heard these switches are super awful. I'm interested 8) .

would love to see a video of them!

[Slom]

Here is a pair that is maybe not great but certainly interesting:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Micro-S ... 2504343824
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Micro-S ... 2537573126

So what are the switches on the second board?

[j0d1]

A little bit outside my price range (shipping cost a leg to Canada, sigh):

* http://www.ebay.com/itm/222499908510
* http://www.ebay.com/itm/222499908506

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Since I have vowed not to use eBay, I can neither buy these nor have someone proxy them for me, but they're worth having:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/x1-Mount-Swit ... 2043761222

You'll see that it's one of only two known SMK J-M0404 known variants that I was unable to acquire:

wiki/SMK_J-M0404_series#Known_variants

With one eBay seller I was able to find him outside of eBay to buy the goods, but not this time, otherwise I'd buy that straight away!

However, you can see here something strange — black top and brown slider:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KEYSWITCHES-A ... 2419493348

Assuming that's not a Frankenswitch, that's also worth having if the seller still has one (the listing is for Mitsumi).

[002]

IBM 5576-003: https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/p553408348
Cherry G80-5000: https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d229443877

[XMIT]

For those of you in the US near a Harbor Freight, ultrasonic cleaners are on sale for $70.

https://www.harborfreight.com/25-Liter- ... D%3D%0D%0A

That URL includes coupon code 61918489.

Sometimes automotive trim tools (for opening boards) and digital calipers (for precise measurements) go on sale. I've gotten calipers for $8.

I have no affiliation with Harbor Freight other than sometimes spending too much money there.

[ohaimark]

Don't buy their ultrasonic cleaner. Better to pick one up from eBay. The trim tools and other accoutrements at Hobofarts, I mean Harbor Freight, are reasonable.

[Techno Trousers]

Don't buy their ultrasonic cleaner. Better to pick one up from eBay.

What's a good, yet reasonably priced brand? The larger Branson ones are super expensive, even used.

[gnmar2723]

Ask wodan. He got his from ebay and he says it works great.

[Hypersphere]

Don't buy their ultrasonic cleaner. Better to pick one up from eBay.

What's a good, yet reasonably priced brand? The larger Branson ones are super expensive, even used.

Upon recommendation from XMIT, I got the iSonic P4820-WPB from Amazon for about $88 shipped. It has served me well thus far.

https://www.amazon.com/iSonic-Professio ... +p4820-wpb

[XMIT]

Don't buy their ultrasonic cleaner. Better to pick one up from eBay. The trim tools and other accoutrements at Hobofarts, I mean Harbor Freight, are reasonable.

The one I posted is the same one that I and elecplus have. I'd call it "Chinese OEM Brand", available under a bunch of different labels (iSonic being one of them).

I use this for all my key cap work and it works great. It's not really powerful enough for much more.

[Techno Trousers]

Great, thanks for the recommendation.

[ohaimark]

This is what I have:

http://m.ebay.com/orderDetails?itemId=1 ... 0434451006

Much more powerful and a better deal overall. It has 2x 60 watt transducers, whereas the one XMIT has uses a single transducer. It can handle more keycaps and does a better job with cleaning blind holes.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

That's a private link.

[ohaimark]

My bad. Here is the proper one:

http://m.ebay.com/itm/120W-Stainless-St ... 2412636397

[gnmar2723]

What solution do you guys use to wash keycaps? What about switches?

[ohaimark]

I plop a couple of denture tabs in the water. Otherwise a teaspoon of dish soap works fine.

[XMIT]

My bad. Here is the proper one:

http://m.ebay.com/itm/120W-Stainless-St ... 2412636397

That's probably a better deal assuming it is in stock. That being said I've been reasonably happy with mine. I bought it in 2011 to clean bicycle parts. It was not strong enough for that so I shelved it until it found a second life cleaning key caps.

[XMIT]

What solution do you guys use to wash keycaps? What about switches?

I feel like everyone has their own favorite mixture.

Similar to ohaimark, I use distilled, deionized, or reverse osmosis water (whatever I can get my hands on to avoid calcium scale) and two denture tabs, as well as about 2 tsp of unscented dishwasher fluid (has enzymatic cleaners and doesn't sud). I usually make sure the water is heated to about 150 F - warm enough for a good cleaning but not so hot that it will warp Space bars (which I try to wash by hand anyway unless I *know* they're not ABS plastic).

As for switches: sure, just make sure to open them up before cleaning. The dirt needs to go somewhere.

[gnmar2723]

What solution do you guys use to wash keycaps? What about switches?

I feel like everyone has their own favorite mixture.

Similar to ohaimark, I use distilled, deionized, or reverse osmosis water (whatever I can get my hands on to avoid calcium scale) and two denture tabs, as well as about 2 tsp of unscented dishwasher fluid (has enzymatic cleaners and doesn't sud). I usually make sure the water is heated to about 150 F - warm enough for a good cleaning but not so hot that it will warp Space bars (which I try to wash by hand anyway unless I *know* they're not ABS plastic).

As for switches: sure, just make sure to open them up before cleaning. The dirt needs to go somewhere.

No special solution for switches to avoid corrosion of the contacts? I'm guessing deionized water works well enough on its own anyways.

[ohaimark]

Is this the biggest big-ass enter ever? You be the judge:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TA-ADLER-ROYAL- ... 2466718866

[seebart]

Is this the biggest big-ass enter ever? You be the judge:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TA-ADLER-ROYAL- ... 2466718866

Possibly yes.

b78c4f8d50c07ca31c9a484fd226b6db40ad6a335d422f02d49af84a778fe629.jpg (65.3 KiB) Viewed 5607 times

[emdude]

Is this the biggest big-ass enter ever? You be the judge:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TA-ADLER-ROYAL- ... 2466718866

Big-ass shipping too, $120 to CA!