Great/Interesting Finds

[Elrick]

but as a general thing, you stand to gain a lot more if you offer free shipping and then just increase the item price by the amount you would've charged anyways.

My experience has been just the opposite. Many times I have had items sit there with free shipping, but as soon as I broke out the shipping as a separate charge, they sold quickly.

Weird but maybe it's due to your own citizens that applies to.

For us foreigners we ALL get screwed with elevated shipping prices, hence it NEVER works for us.

If we are desperate in buying something, you have to usually pay three times extra just in shipping and that so-called cheap keyboard item becomes atrocious.

[fohat]

I sell more than keyboards, too, and/but I have nearly stopped selling internationally because outbound postage from the US has gotten so absurd. Perhaps more than the one-way shipping fee, if there ever is a problem then paying double shipping to get it returned is ruinous.

Maybe the key factor is the ratio of item value to postage - if the item is small and valuable then the postage is rather incidental, where with heavy bulky items the postage can equal or exceed the selling price - and make it look inflated?

I don't think that way, I see $9.99 simply as $10 and think that it is kind of goofy to try to camouflage reality.

[Blaise170]

Americans (and the market as a whole) aren't exactly good with numbers. In fact, selling products at $0.01 less ($9.99 instead of $10.00 in this case) increases sales by 24% in average!

People also think 1/4 > 1/3. http://mentalfloss.com/article/76144/wh ... und-burger

[Elrick]

I sell more than keyboards, too, and/but I have nearly stopped selling internationally because outbound postage from the US has gotten so absurd. Perhaps more than the one-way shipping fee, if there ever is a problem then paying double shipping to get it returned is ruinous.

AGREED but I try to never return any Keyboard simply because even if the Seller lied about the condition or switch, I just throw it downstairs into the cellar.

Far cheaper than sending it all the way back to the dubious 'ratbag' seller. I usually leave them a 1 star feedback saying why, which is the most I can do to scumbags like that on Flebay.

And you have an awful lot of them selling their dodgy wares, like shysters on a street corner.

[xxhellfirexx]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/273210926877?rmvSB=true



Where is this guy getting his keyboards from? Remember that rusted to hell Alps SKCM Blue keyboard? This is the same seller.

[digital_matthew]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/273210926877?rmvSB=true

s-l1600.jpg

Where is this guy getting his keyboards from? Remember that rusted to hell Alps SKCM Blue keyboard? This is the same seller.

He uses an anchor emoji in his description, so maybe salvaged from the ocean depths?

[mike52787]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/273210926877?rmvSB=true

s-l1600.jpg

Where is this guy getting his keyboards from? Remember that rusted to hell Alps SKCM Blue keyboard? This is the same seller.

He uses an anchor emoji in his description, so maybe salvaged from the ocean depths?

Aw shit... that's the guy I bought my dc-3014 from. the switches were in great condition, but the controller ic was so badly corroded that half the legs were either missing or stuck in the socket.

edit- nevermind, they just have very similar names.

[green-squid]

You already saw this one ?

https://www.ebay.de/itm/163030220747

…

I am the lucky winner of this auction, went much cheaper than expected

Congratulations!

I have to wonder if this can be fully restored or, failing that, partially gutting it to add a Raspberry Pi or something like that, to make it work as a "modern" computer while keeping the keyboard and monitor functioning and, perhaps, even adding a video output to a secondary monitor! Seeing this with a modern HD monitor, plus the most garish "gaming" mouse you could find would make for a fantastic frankenputer!

Noooooooooooooo! Don't gut it!

[Elrick]

You already saw this one ?

https://www.ebay.de/itm/163030220747

…

I am the lucky winner of this auction, went much cheaper than expected

Congratulations!

I have to wonder if this can be fully restored or, failing that, partially gutting it to add a Raspberry Pi or something like that, to make it work as a "modern" computer while keeping the keyboard and monitor functioning and, perhaps, even adding a video output to a secondary monitor! Seeing this with a modern HD monitor, plus the most garish "gaming" mouse you could find would make for a fantastic frankenputer!

Noooooooooooooo! Don't gut it!

YES gut it.

Keep all the external casing but make sure you put in an up to date motherboard and CPU (you choose either AMD or Intel). Then adapt the keyboard to operate with your new setup.

I would keep it for years and even use it when visiting this place and offer my lame advice forever more .

[Blaise170]

Well the seller's name is treasure chest... So perhaps he found some pirate loot?

But seriously, no reason not to gut it, maxi switches aren't even that nice anyways.

[depletedvespene]

Congratulations!

I have to wonder if this can be fully restored or, failing that, partially gutting it to add a Raspberry Pi or something like that, to make it work as a "modern" computer while keeping the keyboard and monitor functioning and, perhaps, even adding a video output to a secondary monitor! Seeing this with a modern HD monitor, plus the most garish "gaming" mouse you could find would make for a fantastic frankenputer!

Noooooooooooooo! Don't gut it!

I did say "partially" and only as a second option if a full restoration did not work.

[Brett MacK]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/273210926877?rmvSB=true
Where is this guy getting his keyboards from? Remember that rusted to hell Alps SKCM Blue keyboard? This is the same seller.

I've talked to that seller on numerous occasions, and his source for all of these keyboards is a huge storage unit/building he inherited/bought. He has been slowly sorting and selling all of the stuff in there. I think the unit he has is damp because everything I've ever bought from him has come back rusted to some degree.

[tigpha]

A beautiful HP85 for sale in Preston, UK. EEVblog video about this solid awesome vintage kit:

[Slom]

Micro Switch SD, funky legends, GBP 159.00

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Honeywell-Mi ... 3134836386

That clare pendar board has become really cheap by now (beware of the missing key cap)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Clare-Pender-V ... 2960239803

[green-squid]

No Elrick, please don't, unless things are really bad.

Maybe a local vintage computer collector can use it for better.

[FXT]

No Elrick, please don't, unless things are really bad.

Maybe a local vintage computer collector can use it for better.

There's really not much you can do with an old terminal like that. I'm fine with repurposing the case so it gets used instead of thrown away. Besides, you could always put the old hardware back in if you really wanted to.

[Elrick]

No Elrick, please don't, unless things are really bad.

Maybe a local vintage computer collector can use it for better.

There's really not much you can do with an old terminal like that. I'm fine with repurposing the case so it gets used instead of thrown away. Besides, you could always put the old hardware back in if you really wanted to.

I totally understand the hard-core collectors wanting the really old terminals and hoping to restore them BUT when an average person gets one of these babies instead of tossing it out into land fill, far better to re-use it again.

So that from 2018 on wards it becomes another usable PC outfit that all the family could enjoy using but keeping it as a standard terminal means only a single person could ever use it.

Also where I live there is no chance in hell anyone here in Crap-town perth would know anything about these type of old terminals because most where in fact thrown into land fill from Government Institutions during the mid 80's. Those that actually knew about them, are all now permanently residing next door in the cemeteries .

[xxhellfirexx]

Anyone knows what switches these have?

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vintage-Key ... noapp=true

[codemonkeymike]

Anyone knows what switches these have?

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vintage-Key ... noapp=true

Most likely
wiki/Hi-Tek_High_Profile

[Elrick]

Here's a whole PC setup for the Authentic ones here on DT central;

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-Lea ... Sw1cNZ50Hs

Also this for bidding on;

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-IBM ... SwheFatAYT

You 'Yanks' have all the Good stuff available right on your front doorstep, jealous as hell .

[Slom]

These could be interesting for switch collectors:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Microswitch-1P ... 3690226820
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Microswitch-1P ... 3690218445

[IKSLM]

Anyone knows what switches these have?

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vintage-Key ... noapp=true

Most likely
wiki/Hi-Tek_High_Profile

wiki/HP_9816

[Vewy_nice]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Heathkit-HD-89 ... Sw8RJa9QIH

Heathkit HD-8999. These have SKCC Greens and some sweet caps. See my thread for some preliminary info on conversion.

Damn, anyone here buy this? I need to check this thread more often I love heathkit stuff, I didn't know they had a keyboard!

Also: This is what happens when I have money in my Paypal... I buy things like that ridiculous orange greek hall-effect board

My heart be like
But my wallet be like

[Iggy]

[removed]

[Chyros]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Honeyw ... 3295690576

I've got half a mind to get his for myself but couldn't find any information on it (as usual, searching on a wiki seems arduous and most of the time futile for me).

I wouldn't; it's rubber dome.

[Iggy]

I wouldn't; it's rubber dome.

Thanks for the warning Sir, I removed the link. Can't have that lingering around here.

[Gamuholic]

Also: This is what happens when I have money in my Paypal... I buy things like that ridiculous orange greek hall-effect board

I snagged one too. It was just too cool to pass up

[Elrick]

I wouldn't; it's rubber dome.

Thanks for the warning Sir, I removed the link. Can't have that lingering around here.

So what's the hell wrong with a decent Rubber-dome?

Damn you elitists, always segregating and discriminating against others according to switch and design .

[AndyTC]

Zenith Z-150 that needs a bit of TLC

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Zenith ... 150?_ul=GB

[Chyros]

I wouldn't; it's rubber dome.

Thanks for the warning Sir, I removed the link. Can't have that lingering around here.

So what's the hell wrong with a decent Rubber-dome?

Damn you elitists, always segregating and discriminating against others according to switch and design .

There's nothing wrong with a decent rubber dome at all. But that's not one of them :p .