Alps Appreciation

[Polecat]

I believe that only the middle one works on modern systems. One is modified XT and the other is normal XT, I think; the middle is AT/PS2, if I recall correctly.

2 dip switches would allow 4 modes, so 3 dip switches would mean there are at least 5 modes and as many as 8 modes, but you only listed 3.

It's a three position slide switch, not three dipswitches, so there are only three possible modes. As //gainsborough said only the center position works on AT or PS/2 computers. The other two positions are XT modes.

[rich1051414]

I believe that only the middle one works on modern systems. One is modified XT and the other is normal XT, I think; the middle is AT/PS2, if I recall correctly.

2 dip switches would allow 4 modes, so 3 dip switches would mean there are at least 5 modes and as many as 8 modes, but you only listed 3.

It's a three position slide switch, not three dipswitches, so there are only three possible modes. As //gainsborough said only the center position works on AT or PS/2 computers. The other two positions are XT modes.

Oh ok, that makes sense now

[Slom]

Now you are really tempting me to buy a 6011 tomorrow

Decided against it in the end ... somebody got a nice deal I guess:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/282816517838

[Halvar]

I appreciate it, thanks slom!

[pansku]

And the last info. Switchplates are long(?) and white and top housing has markings "X" and "5P", no logo.

Switchplate

IMG_20180128_182118.jpg (2.23 MiB) Viewed 7053 times

Top housing

IMG_20180128_182105~2.jpg (1.88 MiB) Viewed 7053 times

The slider is also way lighter color than the loose one I have laying around. The loose one says "F" and "36" and has a gray switchplate.

[Lbibass]

So I bought an AEK II not that long ago, and it felt really scratchy, so I cleaned the switches. (white dampened alps) They still feel really crappy though (super scratchy.) Anyone have any ideas on how to clean them up so they feel decent at least?

[rich1051414]

So I bought an AEK II not that long ago, and it felt really scratchy, so I cleaned the switches. (white dampened alps) They still feel really crappy though (super scratchy.) Anyone have any ideas on how to clean them up so they feel decent at least?

Alps came lubed. After cleaning them, you should replace the lube, you only need to do the sliders. Throw the sliders in a bag with a little dry PTFE lube and shake.

The older alps switches were scratchy without the lube, they later used smoother plastic to save money on lube.

Also, in the above, I am assuming you cleaned the inner tracks the slider rides in. If there is dust and grime in there, it will always feel crappy.

[Mattr567]

And the last info. Switchplates are long(?) and white and top housing has markings "X" and "5P", no logo.

IMG_20180128_182118.jpg

IMG_20180128_182105~2.jpg

The slider is also way lighter color than the loose one I have laying around. The loose one says "F" and "36" and has a gray switchplate.

Yes those are long white no logo SKCM Blues. Nice board! PB is the only board I know of that came with logo short white plate Blues

[TuxKey]

Alas i have never tried Alps before to be honest if it wasn't for 'Chyros' i would have never heard of the switch.. i used to think that having tried the "Matias Ergo Pro" i would know everything i needed to know about Alps..
But i keep hearing Chyros mention them in his reviews so i figured there's more to them than i thought..
so i decided to start with a bit of History...btw the silencing solution i see in silent mx-reds and the new silent Zealio switches isn't a new idea ??!! what !! there i was thinking that's an original idea ... hearing Chyros mention Cream dampened Alps...hmmm

Spoiler:

https://youtu.be/57HPGCdBFwk

Decided to have a look at what the fuss is all about..

Spoiler:

https://youtu.be/QmJ-IEEBQAI

very informative..
Tactile dampened 13 part count Amazing..
Perhaps there needs to be a Try Before you buy of Alps but to be honest if they are not obtainable why bother i guess..
...
Back to my Topre switches..
and watching the Cleaning tutorial Chyros posted a while back ..fascinating..

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Tactile dampened 13 part count Amazing..

Still fails to beat [wiki]Futaba MD series[/wiki], at 16 parts per switch! And those are linear. I think that still stands as a record.

[Blaise170]

Even though I have sold most of my keyboards since going on hiatus, I still hold my Alps keyboards close at heart.

[TicTocTom]

[quote="Mr.JAM" post_id=398142]


This is amazing!

[//gainsborough]

What mods are these? Looks fantastic!

[mike52787]

Even though I have sold most of my keyboards since going on hiatus, I still hold my Alps keyboards close at heart.

I bought all your wyse mx black plates from you!

[Blaise170]

Even though I have sold most of my keyboards since going on hiatus, I still hold my Alps keyboards close at heart.

I bought all your wyse mx black plates from you!

Indeed? Hope they worked out for you.

[Mattr567]

Swapped my SKCM Amber's into my Zenith 163-73 and put its blues into the V60

Found someone who is willing to swap Amber for Blue 1:1 so I will have a fully Amber Zenith soon They are amazing in this chassis, Ambers are the most chassis dependent switch I've ever laid my hands upon. Bad build quality and they're ruined!

[renhanxue]

I'm new to the forum but this seems to be a pretty good place to ask, so here goes, and let me know if there's a better place...

I was talking to my father about old computers from my childhood and what happened to them, and unfortunately it turned out most of them were recycled or given away years ago. However, it turned out he had kept some of his old peripherals for whatever reason, and after some rummaging in the basement I now have in my possession a treasure from my childhood, namely an Apple Extended Keyboard (M0115) that used to belong to dad's Macintosh II from back in his freelancing days, including original cable and an ADB mouse. The mouse I don't really have any use for but the sound of the keyboard immediately sent me on a trip down memory lane, and if it's anywhere near as good as I remember, I really want to try using it as my daily driver, and preferably in its original form for nostalgia reasons.

Here it is, fresh (well, not really...) from the basement:



The keycaps are really grimy but it's not too badly yellowed. It's a Swedish board with Swedish text for "undo", "cut", "copy" and "paste" under the F1-F4 keys. Normally Swedish keyboards tend to have ISO key layouts, but this one's ANSI. I've taken it apart and checked out Chyrosran22's videos on how to clean Alps switches so hopefully I'll manage to get it back in shape.

Would it be reasonable to assume based on these circuit stamps below that it was manufactured in 1989? Dad doesn't remember the exact year he bought it. The mouse has a serial number around 260,000, but the keyboard has a different type of number with both letters and digits, starting with AM91.

[snarfbot]

my quiet click has begun chattering on 2 keys, its weird though its intermittent and it wont happen for days at a time, and then it will chatter like crazy for a while then stop or alternately not work at all, like ill press the key down and nothing happens, or it ill press c and it will make ccc. its the c key and the s key, they were going really bad when i started making this post and now they stopped lol, im stumped should i buy some loose switches and replace them?

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Would it be reasonable to assume based on these circuit stamps below that it was manufactured in 1989?

With two chips both dated at the beginning of 1989, yes, that seems to be the case.

[smithyithy]

Tina, Alps64, custom copper plate, linear-modded un-damped Creams w/ 70cn springs.

Will be putting DCS Alpine Winter on this in 7u HHKB layout, just need to sort out the stabilizers really.

I had originally click-modded the damped Creams after refurbing them but I just wasn't happy with the consistency, so removed the leafs to make them linear. Not the perfect switch, granted, but they' re smooth and have a nice clack on the bottom-out.

[smithyithy]

KBDfans 5 degree case, Alps64 PCB, custom brass plate, cleaned SKCM Brown (70cN gold springs), 85cN in space bar, Alps Lock switch in caps lock. SGI / Focus PBT keycaps (cleaned)

[Elrick]

KBDfans 5 degree case, Alps64 PCB, custom brass plate, cleaned SKCM Brown (70cN gold springs), 85cN in space bar, Alps Lock switch in caps lock. SGI / Focus PBT keycaps (cleaned)

Amazing how there's these Artists who create such unique keyboards today. Truly amazed and you should be proud of what you achieved.

Onya .

[Frazzer]

I have a question for all the Alps experts here:
I recently purchased an Apple M0118 (SKCM Orange ) with ISO-DE Layout and just finished disassembling the switches for the ultrasonic cleaning process. But there is one oddity I noticed ... there are actually at least three different spring variations in the switches silver (short), gold (medium) and bronze (long).
Has anyone here notice something similiar in their M0116 - M0118 yet, and if so, what could it mean?

[Blaise170]

If I had to guess I'd say that you probably have more of the bronze than you do gold, and more gold than you do silver. My guess would be that the modifiers (Caps Lock, Ctrl, etc) are slightly heavier than the alphanumerics. I'd guess that the silver would have been used in the spacebar since space typically uses the most force.

[Frazzer]

That was my guess at first too, but there doesn't seem to be a system as to where they are placed ... In fact I found about 3 golden ones scattered on the numpad keys and the only bronze one on the numpad 0. Before that I didn't really start looking for a pattern and in fact there seems to be none.
After counting and sorting them I found out that i have 7 silver (very short), 41 silver (short), 18 silver (long) and 13 gold/bronze so I guess they are just horribly incosistent ... The difference between the long bronze and gold ones is so minimal that I counted them together.
I have also checked the switchplates, tac leaves and sliders of the three golden different ones I did notice, but there seems to be no difference.

Here is another picture:
f.l.t.r: gold, silver (very short), silver (short), silver (long)



I admit the difference between short and long silver is miniscule, but it is there.

[smithyithy]

Amazing how there's these Artists who create such unique keyboards today. Truly amazed and you should be proud of what you achieved.

Onya .

Thanks!

Finished photo here:



KBDfans Tina-C case in silver; custom polished copper plate; Alps64 PCB; SKCM Cream switches - cleaned, linear-modded, un-dampened, dry-lubed, 70cN springs; DCS Alpine Winter keycaps.

More pics: https://imgur.com/a/6b8Fp

[renhanxue]

Quick question: for lubing Alps sliders, is PFTE-based dry lube pretty much the way to go?

[//gainsborough]

Just finished my first ever custom keyboard. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. The switches are SKCL brown switches! After I use it for a bit I'll probably give it a dedicated thread and talk more about it in the photo/video forums!

[JP!]

Very nice! Looking forward to the full post.

[scottc]

Your caps lock looks a little bit wonky! Is it all the way on, or is there maybe something wrong with the switch?

Looks like a cool board, congrats.