Alps specifications

[Minskleip]

Does anyone have the footprint specifications for Alps?

Also, which boards are good for harvesting Alps switches? It would be cool to change the XMs in my Minitouch for better ones.

[sixty]

DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED.

[Minskleip]

Yes I know you want to

Are the size and pins different too, not just inconsistent colours etc?

[kidchunks]

I wanted to do this at one point. My choices would be blues or white complicated dampened ALPS as from the various responses of those who have actually done the mod. You can get damps from a apple extended II and blues from didjamatic (if he still has them). I may end up selling the board(couldn't get passed the layout) so if you're looking for one to kill, let me know.

Here is a pasted convo I had with chimera from GH.

Kidchunks:
How hard was it to mod the switches?

Chimera:
It's not hard. The toughest part is prying up the tabs and not damaging the contacts. Get a $10 or so desolderer from radioshack with the red bulb. Those work great. Use the desolderer to clean as much of the solder away, keep the heat on, then use a sharpened flathead screwdriver or knife to pry the contact up while it's still hot. Stripping an entire 105 keyboard usually takes me no more than 30-60 minutes.

Kidchunks:
Did you also mod the F row? I saw on some of the siig mods that it shouldn't be done.

Chimera:
No, don't mod the f row. They have special switches in them that only depress 3/4ths of the way, and fit the keystems where normal ones won't. I've modded all 7 of my minitouches and always leave that row.

Chimera sure loves his minitouches!

[Pylon]

If you want brand new Alps, Solidtek's KB-6600/ASK-6600 uses Fukkas (Type 1 clicky simplifieds) and goes for $44. People don't like it though because of the L-shaped enter, but you could theoretically harvest switches off them just fine.If you want to harvest some complicated whites off a used board, then possibly the Focus FK-2001.

You could theoretically also get complicated whites and simplified blacks too by buying a Dell AT101W (complicated blacks) and the aforementioned KB-6600 and swapping the leaves and springs (whites and blacks have different springs).

[Minskleip]

Thanks guys, I'll have these boards in the back of my head and do some recon

[webwit]

Where is Ripster when you need him? I always redirect all Alps questions to him.


Alps experts

[sixty]

I suggest real ancient white or blue ALPS. None of the clones get close imo, including the Fukka. That is all advice I can give you, I ignore ALPS mentally.

[Minskleip]

I've only tried XMs. They're fun, but mine are not uniform and they're a bit hard at the top. I use them for gaming so I don't use up the HHKB.

What about the pin placement etc? Would it be possible to have a PCB with option for both Alps and Cherry? Or would it look like cheese?

[sixty]

I believe I have seen it done before, but its not gonna work out for a proper full size board since stabilizers and such work differently.

There is this guy who builds midi controllers for audio guys, his PCBs fit pretty much everything you throw at it:

[Minskleip]

That does look like cheese indeed. Maybe I should consentrate on one thing first. Thanks!

[EverythingIBM]

I believe I have seen it done before, but its not gonna work out for a proper full size board since stabilizers and such work differently.

There is this guy who builds midi controllers for audio guys, his PCBs fit pretty much everything you throw at it:

Did you just say MIDI controllers?!?!

What I'd love is a few buckling spring midi controllers, that would be fantastic. It would be great to customize controllers for my synths...

[microsoft windows]

One problem I've found with harvesting ALPS switches out of old keyboards is that they can be worn out and not feel the way they're supposed to.

[keyboardlover]

I thought you were happy just posting at GH?

[sixty]

Windows runs the world, apparently.