Great/Interesting Finds

[hansichen]

I was actually surprised to see the normal 3278 not selling, a week ago a US one with fire damage sold for 1k so this one with russian caps seemed to be a decent deal in that regard. But maybe the american market was too scared again to buy keyboards from a foreign country.

[kbdfr]

fuck me , i should sell my beam spring.

Or hold onto it and wait for it to be valued even higher !

I’m with you, prices have no where to go but up. The supply is not going to get any bigger and the demand is going up. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were 4000 dollar keyboards in 5 years time.

There will be a point when
- all nerds who had one will have sold (or dumped!) theirs
- AND all keyboard aficionados who had one will have at least jumped on the high-price train and sold theirs
- AND everyone who is ready to pay an insane price has one.

At this point, there will be nearly no demand and potential sellers will fetch only low money.
Including those who have bought hoping to resell with a huge profit

[j0d1]

So, hmmm, that beamspring with a crazy price did sold for 2.5k$... https://www.ebay.com/itm/282867822408.

Damn, I messaged the seller with an offer that I thought was more than fair and never heard back, but I guess they got their asking price.

I did the same, no response.
I'm part of the problem and I asssume it

[tron]

fuck me , i should sell my beam spring.

Or hold onto it and wait for it to be valued even higher !

I’m with you, prices have no where to go but up. The supply is not going to get any bigger and the demand is going up. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were 4000 dollar keyboards in 5 years time.

There will be a point when
- all nerds who had one will have sold (or dumped!) theirs
- AND all keyboard aficionados who had one will have at least jumped on the high-price train and sold theirs
- AND everyone who is ready to pay an insane price has one.

At this point, there will be nearly no demand and potential sellers will fetch only low money.
Including those who have bought hoping to resell with a huge profit

This is assuming that the number of nerds and keyboard aficionados remains constant. What if all the nerds and aficionados post increasing numbers of review/typing videos and hype galleries over time? What if the number of people entering the hobby increases over time? I can almost guarantee the demand curve will shift to the right over time. The near mint condition boards will likely fetch a premium that will increase over time.

The only thing that could lower demand IMO would be a substitute good such as the model F reproduction -or- hopefully a beam spring reproduction

[Blaise170]

Nor will demand continuously increase. The community is far larger than it was a few years ago, sure, but if we assume Reddit to be a benchmark for the number of people in the community (250,000 on Reddit), it is still minuscule compared to the number of computer users. Let's assume an upper limit of 10 million users and the number of people with internet access as of 2016. That gives us:

10,000,000/3,424,971,237 = 0.0029197325 = 0.29% of all internet connected users!

This shows us that even using an insanely high upper bound, the majority of the world (99.3%) doesn't even care!

[webwit]

If we assume Reddit to be a benchmark for the number of people in the community (250,000 on Reddit).

Isn't that 250000 just the total number of "subscribers" over the years? In that case, it will be much less.

[green-squid]

I am very hopeful it will be done. All we need are the same people buying four digit Beamsprings, a designer, and a fab in china.

[hansichen]

But why should you reproduce a switch which needs a condom to not get influenced by dust and an extra table because the keyboard is so high? These boards will always remain a niche thing because they are just not usable at all compared to most other keyboards.

[Blaise170]

If we assume Reddit to be a benchmark for the number of people in the community (250,000 on Reddit).

Isn't that 250000 just the total number of "subscribers" over the years? In that case, it will be much less.

Yes, and I'm even estimating 10M which is 40 times that. In reality I'd guess the active community at around 100,000 (I have no source to hypothesize that from) which means the real number of people on the internet with an interest to be closer to 100,000/3,424,971,237 = 0.00002919732 = 0.0029%!

[green-squid]

If we assume Reddit to be a benchmark for the number of people in the community (250,000 on Reddit).

Isn't that 250000 just the total number of "subscribers" over the years? In that case, it will be much less.

Yes, and I'm even estimating 10M which is 40 times that. In reality I'd guess the active community at around 100,000 (I have no source to hypothesize that from) which means the real number of people on the internet with an interest to be closer to 100,000/3,424,971,237 = 0.00002919732 = 0.0029%!

If this were reddit, I would link to /r/theydidthemath

[tron]

Nor will demand continuously increase. The community is far larger than it was a few years ago, sure, but if we assume Reddit to be a benchmark for the number of people in the community (250,000 on Reddit), it is still minuscule compared to the number of computer users. Let's assume an upper limit of 10 million users and the number of people with internet access as of 2016. That gives us:

10,000,000/3,424,971,237 = 0.0029197325 = 0.29% of all internet connected users!

This shows us that even using an insanely high upper bound, the majority of the world (99.3%) doesn't even care!

I see what you're saying but this is a scarce product we are talking about here. Only a handful have been up for sale this year. Factoring scarcity into the equation, even a modest bump in demand will raise prices. Just look at the damaged units selling for ~1k. The fluctuations could be caused by sellers that don't bother to research current price trends prior to listing. If enough beamers sell for a premium, Ebay will automatically suggest higher listing prices.

Btw- refurbishing the foam layer is an easy way to increase the value. I've been working on this how to guide and should have it done in about a week or two- https://imgur.com/a/IqNlH

[Blaise170]

It's a scarce product with relatively low demand. Yes the costs have skyrocketed, but I'd attribute that more to a few people with deep pockets that have to have said keyboards NOW.

[Blaise170]

If this were reddit, I would link to /r/theydidthemath

You can screenshot it and share it as an external post.

[davkol]

Let me introduce you to the world of subjectivist audio. The world of bored rich guys with hearing loss, willing to throw a fortune at fucking cable elevators, while believing that it actually improves sound quality.

[tron]

But why should you reproduce a switch which needs a condom to not get influenced by dust and an extra table because the keyboard is so high? These boards will always remain a niche thing because they are just not usable at all compared to most other keyboards.

The switches don't need a contamination shield. It's there to keep the pcb and fly plates clean (IBM wanted die hard reliability and probably thought nobody would ever want to open them up). In reality most of the dust gets ejected out of the bottom of the switches and the contamination shield is not really needed if you're willing to open it up once a year to wipe the pcb down.

Most people don't realize this but the inner sandwich is actually quite small and compact. The height of the switches doesn't really matter when you remove the bottom pan and factor the pcb doesn't require any space underneath so it could be placed on the very bottom of the case. Take a look at this thread in the workshop section- workshop-f7/ibm-beamspring-5251-great-w ... 14292.html

[green-squid]

Let me introduce you to the world of subjectivist audio. The world of bored rich guys with hearing loss, willing to throw a fortune at fucking cable elevators, while believing that it actually improves sound quality.

[__red__]

because they are just not usable at all compared to most other keyboards.

My lack of carpal tunnel disagrees with you.

[The Whole Nine]

What's the consensus on these? I'm thinking they're just zeal stems in cherry housings. Looks like somebody is trying to fool people or something.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ultra-Rare-Pur ... SwnMBajMgQ

[Myoth]

that's a scam, they're just Zealios stems in Cherry housing

[The Whole Nine]

that's a scam, they're just Zealios stems in Cherry housing

Thought so lol

[Blaise170]

[elecplus]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/332576449004

Wow, I bought a keyboard from that guy two weeks ago and it came without a cable... now I know why.

I sell those new for $20! This guy is offering no bargains! https://www.elecshopper.com/ibm-sdl-to- ... e-new.html

[kokokoy]

What's the consensus on these? I'm thinking they're just zeal stems in cherry housings. Looks like somebody is trying to fool people or something.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ultra-Rare-Pur ... SwnMBajMgQ

They do feel nice though. Have a full tkl with these not by choice. That time I learned that once I put leds on, I can never mess with anymore.

[digital_matthew]

Another pricey 3279:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/253478818203?ul_noapp=true

[green-squid]

Another pricey 3279:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/253478818203?ul_noapp=true

It's literally BURNED UP, and the seller has the audacity to put the buy it now price at $1500.

Same guy is selling a Dell Dimension XPS P166s for $145..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Dell-D ... SwUchaKCDP

[FXT]

Another pricey 3279:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/253478818203?ul_noapp=true

Wonder how much this'll go for. I personally wouldn't touch it because of the condition it's in. I can't imagine what the inside looks like, or how difficult it'd be to track down some replacement keycaps.

[green-squid]

Another pricey 3279:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/253478818203?ul_noapp=true

Wonder how much this'll go for. I personally wouldn't touch it because of the condition it's in. I can't imagine what the inside looks like, or how difficult it'd be to track down some replacement keycaps.

Some idiot will probably buy it.

This is the most depressing DT thread by far

[Techno Trousers]

I guess the thinking is that if a pristine beamspring can go for $2000+, one that's had lit cigarettes on it and most recently been in service as an ashtray is worth at least $1,500.

[digital_matthew]

Another pricey 3279:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/253478818203?ul_noapp=true

Wonder how much this'll go for. I personally wouldn't touch it because of the condition it's in. I can't imagine what the inside looks like, or how difficult it'd be to track down some replacement keycaps.

Yeah it looks like a xenomorph threw up all over it. If someone had access to some Selectric keycaps and used Apoxie Sculpt on the space bar and case it could make for a fun restoration project. But I can't imagine the horror show that lurks inside the case with all of that melted plastic. And that price is a non-starter for a board good condition, let alone one as badly damaged as this.

[Ir0n]

Another pricey 3279:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/253478818203?ul_noapp=true

Wonder how much this'll go for. I personally wouldn't touch it because of the condition it's in. I can't imagine what the inside looks like, or how difficult it'd be to track down some replacement keycaps.

Yeah it looks like a xenomorph threw up all over it. If someone had access to some Selectric keycaps and used Apoxie Sculpt on the space bar and case it could make for a fun restoration project. But I can't imagine the horror show that lurks inside the case with all of that melted plastic. And that price is a non-starter for a board good condition, let alone one as badly damaged as this.

._. I wouldn't be shocked if it still worked some what.