Great/Interesting Finds

[JP!]

I am still waiting for someone to make a "I have 4 beam spring keyboards video".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNQcdThO4ZA

I have 4 beam spring keyboards. One for my main computer, one for my secondary computer, one for my work computer, and one for travel so I can enjoy them 4 times as much.

That's my plan, minus the video part

[seebart]

Heck what you need to do a video on is your Beamdesk. You could shoot a whole movie about that.

[orihalcon]

"PS4s" is a 4 character word, so featuring 4 makes sense in that situation. Therefore, clearly an appropriate "Beamsprings" video would have 11 beamsprings featured.

I do recall an ebay auction a couple years ago where one listing had a quantity of SEVEN 5251 beamspring keyboards available. That would have been a good start, but alas, I did not yet know about the importance of making such video and purchased none of them :/

[depletedvespene]

That's nothing man, I had a shipping quote of $900 once.

I think the highest one Ive ever seen was around $300, but damn $900? What the hell is heavy enough and/or far enough that you need almost 1k just for shipping?

It wasn't even a giant room full of computer stuff or anything either, it was just a beamspring keyboard or something.

Frankly, at that price point, it'd probably have been cheaper to go pick it up yourself...

[FXT]

That 3101 just sold for $1218. I want to know which one of you guys bought it lol. I was in the running until it went over $1000.

[Chyros]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/263415760757/

Long dispute finally settled. The best keyboard in the world, officially.

Hmmm....come on now Wodan..."get real".

On the other hand KeyTronic is dissed too much in general though. Also notice the seller calls it "Keytonic".

Man, Key Tronic had some serious minerals on them. I found those things constantly at the recycling centre and they're not even particularly good for rubber domes. Even a mediocre dome with slider board is noticeably better IMO.

[JP!]

That 3101 just sold for $1218. I want to know which one of you guys bought it lol. I was in the running until it went over $1000.

I thought these were in the $500 range I didn't think they were that rare.

[FXT]

That 3101 just sold for $1218. I want to know which one of you guys bought it lol. I was in the running until it went over $1000.

I thought these were in the $500 range I didn't think they were that rare.

Yeah I'm pretty surprised. I was bidding up until the last 20 seconds when it went from ~$700 to $1000 and then $1200 a few seconds later. I want a beam spring board, but not badly enough to pay over $1000 for one.

[JP!]

I think it's almost time again for me to search some abandoned buildings in subzero weather for beam springs.

[digital_matthew]

That 3101 just sold for $1218. I want to know which one of you guys bought it lol. I was in the running until it went over $1000.

Yeah that's totally crazy. I thought it would get $700 tops. It's not even Xwhatsit converted.

[IKSLM]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Topre-Realforc ... 2449651146

100$ BIN

[seebart]

Man, Key Tronic had some serious minerals on them. I found those things constantly at the recycling centre and they're not even particularly good for rubber domes. Even a mediocre dome with slider board is noticeably better IMO.

Yeah I know Tom, but the older ones like my 1980 F&F are way nicer, completely different keyboards. And I'll add that I don't believe we shall find the ominous KeyTronic tactile vintage "butterfly" switch in 2018 either.

keyboards-f2/key-tronic-foam-and-foil-t ... le#p385069

[//gainsborough]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Topre-Realforc ... 2449651146

100$ BIN

Noooooooo! I was hoping this wouldn't be picked up on here, hahaha. I wanted to try and bid the minimum closer to closure date =P

[FXT]

Back with a $49 BIN
https://m.ebay.com/itm/IBM-KEYBOARD-609 ... 3004777842

[fohat]

Back with a $49 BIN

If I didn't already have one in parts sitting on my work bench I would snap it up.

[Techno Trousers]

Anyone who would spend $1200 on a 3101 keyboard would certainly want to spend an additional $20 on some vintage advertising to accompany it!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162829946329

[seebart]

The 3101 is one of the nicer Beams but $1200 is just silly unless it's NIB'ish.

[JP!]

The 3101 is one of the nicer Beams but $1200 is just silly unless it's NIB'ish.

I blame Elrick since he predicted it would reach 4 figures

[mike52787]

Back with a $49 BIN

If I didn't already have one in parts sitting on my work bench I would snap it up.

i'm in the exact same spot. I would wager a guess that mine needs more work done to it than yours... the entire top plate is covered in rust!

[IKSLM]

Back with a $49 BIN
https://m.ebay.com/itm/IBM-KEYBOARD-609 ... 3004777842

Well it's 85$ now

[FXT]

Apparently this sold in less than a minute. I feel cheated.
https://m.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-IBM-5251 ... cvip-panel

[orihalcon]

Well, with these crazy prices perhaps it would be a "great find" if I would put my supposedly factory refurbished 5251 beamspring preconverted with Xwhatsit and solenoid driver out there for $1K. I say "supposedly" because it is currently still in the plastic wrap that it came in. We'll see if I get any PM's

[xxhellfirexx]

Just how rare are beam springs? They seem to pop up more often than kishsavers.

[codemonkeymike]

Just how rare are beam springs? They seem to pop up more often than kishsavers.

That specific model is not all that rare, a kishsaver is significantly more rare. I personally wouldn't pay $300 for a 5251.

[seebart]

Just how rare are beam springs? They seem to pop up more often than kishsavers.

That specific model is not all that rare, a kishsaver is significantly more rare. I personally wouldn't pay $300 for a 5251.

That's correct, last year well over twenty 5251's popped up in Germany alone. The Kishaver is "unobtanium".

[just_add_coffee]

Well, with these crazy prices perhaps it would be a "great find" if I would put my supposedly factory refurbished 5251 beamspring preconverted with Xwhatsit and solenoid driver out there for $1K. I say "supposedly" because it is currently still in the plastic wrap that it came in. We'll see if I get any PM's

PMed.




Edit: I misread this post and thought we were still talking about the 3101 that sold today.

[alh84001]

The 3101 is one of the nicer Beams but $1200 is just silly unless it's NIB'ish.

RIP my chances to get a Displaywriter.

This is not great, but certainly interesting
https://www.ebay.com/itm/122893570176/?autorefresh=true

[Chyros]

The 3101 is one of the nicer Beams but $1200 is just silly unless it's NIB'ish.

RIP my chances to get a Displaywriter.

This is not great, but certainly interesting
https://www.ebay.com/itm/122893570176/?autorefresh=true

That uses MEI switches iirc. From what I've heard those are extremely awful.

[seebart]

That uses MEI switches iirc. From what I've heard those are extremely awful.

True. Supposedly there is also a version with Cherry ML.

wiki/Datalux_SpaceSaver

[xxhellfirexx]

The 3101 is one of the nicer Beams but $1200 is just silly unless it's NIB'ish.

RIP my chances to get a Displaywriter.

This is not great, but certainly interesting
https://www.ebay.com/itm/122893570176/?autorefresh=true

At first I thought it was a great compact layout, but upon seeing the other pictures nope.... Also that enter key is quite tall.