Great/Interesting Finds

[depletedvespene]

World's biggest numpad? Oo

In size, perhaps, but not in number of keys.

[ScottPaladin]

https://www.willhaben.at/iad/kaufen-und ... -250725304

That's so big and dumb for so few keys; I love it.

[digital_matthew]

If all I did was add, subtract, and multiply integers all day that would be my keyboard of choice.

[Abstractions]

All of these eventually get posted here, and it has all the right words in the title, so here's another 5251 Beamspring:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-5251-I ... 3119814832

Not sure if it being in China will affect what it goes for due to possible customs issues or the long journey it will likely have to take to the main markets in Europe and the USA?

Does look to be in nice shape though!

Singapore is not in China... It should be better than shipping from China for custom issues, but it is still a long ways away and won't be cheap.

[Elrick]

Another ibm 5251 beamer on offer from the same seller in Singapore;

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ibm-5251-beams ... 0011.m1850

Now for the DT addicts to go in deep with this one.....

[Gamuholic]

Another ibm 5251 beamer on offer from the same seller in Singapore;

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ibm-5251-beams ... 0011.m1850

Now for the DT addicts to go in deep with this one.....

That's a relisting of the original.

For those who have watched/bidded previously, my apologies for the relisting as I was unable to edit the listing to include shipping to ROW. I have now included a flat rate fee given the enormous size and weight of this vintage keyboard. Please let me know if you have any questions, thanks!

[Elrick]

Another ibm 5251 beamer on offer from the same seller in Singapore;

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ibm-5251-beams ... 0011.m1850

Now for the DT addicts to go in deep with this one.....

That's a relisting of the original.

For those who have watched/bidded previously, my apologies for the relisting as I was unable to edit the listing to include shipping to ROW. I have now included a flat rate fee given the enormous size and weight of this vintage keyboard. Please let me know if you have any questions, thanks!

Even better, a SECOND time to jump on this baby before it disappears permanently .

[wobbled]

I wonder how long it's going to take these ebay fools to realize that they're not at all that rare (we have seen a shit load these past months) and are nowhere near worth a grand.

[Ir0n]

I wonder how long it's going to take these ebay fools to realize that they're not at all that rare (we have seen a shit load these past months) and are nowhere near worth a grand.

When people stop paying 800+ for them.. which sadly won't happen. ;(

Only thing that's going to make these cheaper at this point is if someone remakes them..which I'm sure will happen some day. lol

[Blaise170]

Even reproduction beamsprings would be quite expensive, due to the tooling costs and all.

[DustGod]

Even reproduction beamsprings would be quite expensive, due to the tooling costs and all.

Insanely expensive, and out of the question for anyone that doesn't manage a quite rich company I'd say.

[codemonkeymike]

Even reproduction beamsprings would be quite expensive, due to the tooling costs and all.

Insanely expensive, and out of the question for anyone that doesn't manage a quite rich company I'd say.

Repro would be expensive, but just remaking the switch modules and putting them in a redesigned(cheaper) case/plate may actually bring it down to a cost which is much less then what they are selling for today. The switch modules are only 8 parts (spring, leaf 1, leaf 2, rubber O ring, slider, metal keystem, housing, carbon enfused pad)

[Blaise170]

I think you are grossly underestimating the cost of "only" 8 different parts.

[codemonkeymike]

I think you are grossly underestimating the cost of "only" 8 different parts.

Doesn't have to be that cheap when the price you are trying to beat is $800 for a 70ish switch keyboard.

[orihalcon]

Interesting thing is that when Ellipse made his reproductions, the going rate for original Model F's actually seemed to increase, though they could be independent variables here. I guess people like new stuff, but also original stuff?

[digital_matthew]

Interesting thing is that when Ellipse made his reproductions, the going rate for original Model F's actually seemed to increase, though they could be independent variables here. I guess people like new stuff, but also original stuff?

It's the same counter-intuitive phenomenon in the art world. The more van Gogh's "Sunflowers" becomes a poster cliche, the more you have to pay for the original.

[DustGod]

Repro would be expensive, but just remaking the switch modules and putting them in a redesigned(cheaper) case/plate may actually bring it down to a cost which is much less then what they are selling for today. The switch modules are only 8 parts (spring, leaf 1, leaf 2, rubber O ring, slider, metal keystem, housing, carbon enfused pad)

It kind of depends imho.
Within an approximation error there are zero people in the world that would use a beamspring as daily driver. This is mainly due to the height of the switches. So, beamspring keayboards are currently sought after by collectors.
Modern beamspring keyboard reproductions would lose this attractiveness. So, to have a chance to sell you'd have to redesign the switch to have the same keyfeel AND reduced profile AND cost effectiveness.
Needless to say, if this was possible IBM would have done it in 1982, very probably.

Even if you wanted identical reproductions of beamsprings I'm still not convinced it'd be doable in a long term cost-effective way. Even for a giant like IBM those boards (and, I suspect, those switches) were hellishly expensive to manufacture, to the point where they switched to a cheaper alternative (which is, apparently, also extremely hard to reproduce). I assume this was for a good part due to the manufacturing tolerances involved in producing those eight parts.

After all, there has to be a reason why there have been zero beamspring switch clones and (for now) zero capacitive buckling spring clones, and just a very small number of (questionably effective) membrane buckling spring designs. I believe that reason is not the lack of buyers

[ramnes]

A keyboard that look very cherry-esque
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132401309367

[ekeppel]

I must be within the approximation error. I use a 5251 as my daily driver, but to be fair I did remove it from its case and fitted an XT case top on it for wrist support and to complete the look. It works great and is not much higher than a Model M. Anything is possible if you like the switches enough (which I do!).

Edit: I just realized that wasn't an up to date picture of my current layout. Fixed. :0)

[DustGod]

I must be within the approximation error. I use a 5251 as my daily driver, but to be fair I did remove it from its case and fitted an XT case top on it for wrist support and to complete the look. It works great and is not much higher than a Model M. Anything is possible if you like the switches enough (which I do!).

I'll probably be inside the approximation error too as soon as I get an xwhatsit... Or at least I'll try

[Ir0n]

I must be within the approximation error. I use a 5251 as my daily driver, but to be fair I did remove it from its case and fitted an XT case top on it for wrist support and to complete the look. It works great and is not much higher than a Model M. Anything is possible if you like the switches enough (which I do!).

Edit: I just realized that wasn't an up to date picture of my current layout. Fixed. :0)

Lmao I love this!

[Hypersphere]

I must be within the approximation error. I use a 5251 as my daily driver, but to be fair I did remove it from its case and fitted an XT case top on it for wrist support and to complete the look. It works great and is not much higher than a Model M. Anything is possible if you like the switches enough (which I do!).

Edit: I just realized that wasn't an up to date picture of my current layout. Fixed. :0)

Beautful! I like your 5251/XT very much!

[ramnes]

Some Digicomp astrology thing
https://www.ebay.com/itm/323229511627

[digital_matthew]

I must be within the approximation error. I use a 5251 as my daily driver, but to be fair I did remove it from its case and fitted an XT case top on it for wrist support and to complete the look. It works great and is not much higher than a Model M. Anything is possible if you like the switches enough (which I do!).

Edit: I just realized that wasn't an up to date picture of my current layout. Fixed. :0)

Okay that's awesome. More pics, please?

[ekeppel]

Thanks! Most of the process was recorded here in this thread a while back in case you want to check it out.

http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/fran ... 17339.html

[ramnes]

Some stuff on Allegro

http://allegro.pl/klawiatura-prl-zbrojo ... ml#thumb/1
http://allegro.pl/stara-klawiatura-komp ... ml#thumb/2
http://allegro.pl/0346-stara-kolekcjone ... l#imglayer

Alps stuff

https://www.olx.pl/oferta/macintosh-app ... 71c5115ba8
http://allegro.pl/klawiatura-at-xt-mech ... ml#thumb/3

[kf1246]

A couple of XT boards just went up on eBay for cheap and with free shipping in the US, one of them looking complete and in good condition:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-PC-Keyboar ... SwAAFa8zEC SOLD
https://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-PC-Keyboar ... Swzvpa8zPA SOLD

A steal for anyone looking for one.

EDIT: Complete... sans feet, but those are usually disgusting and/or missing for almost every fixer upper I've seen. Just get some replacement 1-inch cork feet from Amazon and you're set.

[orihalcon]

5251 Beamspring:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/323248991932

This guy has had a couple recently and lists them for more and more as he sees what they fetch it seems. The first one he had up for $600 about a week ago: https://www.ebay.com/itm/332637556261

Guess he's figured out they will go for more

[fohat]

This guy

Rawko is a huge electronics recycling warehouse near where I work. They buy and sell literally by the pallet. I have gone to their place a few times and once (at least 5 years ago) I was allowed to walk through it - looking for Model Fs which were not to be had at the time. Not long later they sold me 3 true junker 122s for $85 which was reasonable, but not cheap, at the time.

They have a dedicated employee for ebay sales and generally keep abreast of current trends.

[Slom]

black badge zenith $64
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Zenith ... 3218416503