Stuff you just bought

snufflecat · 28 Jun 2018, 14:02

Did not really buy it, but got is as a donation from a colleague! Super excited to have this in my collection.

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mcmaxmcmc · 03 Jul 2018, 03:35

Bought a Beamspring keychain just to test buying things with a Visa gift card. This thing is awesome, but man! the switch is VERY loud! Much louder than what I imagined. Looks awesome too.

(I know the cap is mounted backwards.)

Elrick · 03 Jul 2018, 04:09

mcmaxmcmc wrote: ↑Bought a Beamspring keychain just to test buying things with a Visa gift card. This thing is awesome, but man! the switch is VERY loud! Much louder than what I imagined. Looks awesome too.

(I know the cap is mounted backwards.)

The WORLD's most lusted after switch mechanism

.

I have that same key chain and I always lose the key-cap for some strange reason (it goes everywhere inside my pocket).

If anyone today could COPY that switch and put it in some modern keyboards, they would make some serious moolah

.

andrewjoy · 03 Jul 2018, 10:53

I think you could make a beamspring lower profile by changing the mount to be shorter and having the keycap go down slightly into the housing.

Its not going to make it as low profile as a MX or alps but it would cut it down for sure!

Bass · 04 Jul 2018, 05:36

Very excited to share this find:

That's right, a Selectric I with the rare accent blue keycaps! The previous owner of this machine was a typewriter specialist who kept it in storage for at least 20 years. It has been kept under a dust cover in a low humidity environment so the keycaps are squeaky clean, and in pretty good condition overall. Unfortunately it does not fully work as the carrier is stuck. Of course I will try out placing the caps on my 3278 and post pictures of that later, but I am thinking that it would be worthwhile to at least put some replacement keycaps on it (either from a beamspring or another Selectric I if I can get a more busted one locally for dirt cheap) and then get it repaired at a local typewriter shop, particularly gray ones since the platen knobs on this are also gray rather than blue for some reason. Would be a shame to just let this go to waste.

JP! · 04 Jul 2018, 05:56

Bass wrote: ↑Very excited to share this find:

That's right, a Selectric I with the rare accent blue keycaps! The previous owner of this machine was a typewriter specialist who kept it in storage for at least 20 years. It has been kept under a dust cover in a low humidity environment so the keycaps are squeaky clean, and in pretty good condition overall. Unfortunately it does not fully work as the carrier is stuck. Of course I will try out placing the caps on my 3278 and post pictures of that later, but I am thinking that it would be worthwhile to at least put some replacement keycaps on it (either from a beamspring or another Selectric I if I can get a more busted one locally for dirt cheap) and then get it repaired at a local typewriter shop, particularly gray ones since the platen knobs on this are also gray rather than blue for some reason. Would be a shame to just let this go to waste.

I can't wait to see how they look on a beamer. I've been looking for those keys for a while now.

Bass · 04 Jul 2018, 06:28

Just finished pulling the caps that I will use. For the most part it was about as difficult as pulling them from a beamspring but there were a few stubborn ones that took me over a minute each to get off.

They are a bit dirty underneath so I think I am going to give them a quick clean after all. Before that, here's some comparison pics with other beamspring caps:

Overall these caps are basically identical to beamspring caps other than the lack of homing dishes on F/J and the glossier finish on top. I wanted to remove the spacebar too since I have seen one put onto a 3276 but I can't seem to figure out how and I am not sure if the one in this particular selectric will be compatible anyway due to an apparent lack of mounting holes for the stabilizer wire.

snacksthecat · 04 Jul 2018, 16:06

Got this yellowed beauty to replace my SSK as my daily driver (welcome back, numpad!)

These little ice cream pints make the perfect container for keycaps. Definitely an upgrade from my baggies.

Bass · 05 Jul 2018, 01:32

snacksthecat wrote: ↑ These little ice cream pints make the perfect container for keycaps. Definitely an upgrade from my baggies.

That's a rather neat idea. I currently store all my spare keycaps in bags inside of a large drawer full of all sorts of other spare parts. Would be a pretty cool way to show them all off if I ever get an extensive collection myself.

Meanwhile I have now put the blue selectric keycaps on my 3278:

So far I am actually not minding the lack of homing dishes too much. This is surprising to me since I had more difficulty adjusting to using my Model F's without homing bumps to the point where I literally purchased some extra Model M keycaps just to bring them back. Might just be because the difference in feel between homing bumps is much more distinct than homing dishes. I might still look into adding some makeshift bumps with some tape.

Now I need to figure out what keycaps to use for my Selectric I. I am thinking some gray keycaps either from my 5251 or another Selectric would give it a nice space cadet sort of vibe since the blue modifiers are still on the typewriter. Perhaps I might also want to replace the remaining few white keycaps on my 3278 with a different color?

snacksthecat · 05 Jul 2018, 02:04

those caps are

JP! · 05 Jul 2018, 02:46

You just need some red keys to make a red, white, and blue beamer

Bass · 05 Jul 2018, 03:27

JP! wrote: ↑You just need some red keys to make a red, white, and blue beamer

Indeed, it's a pity that I don't even have any red SA keycaps I could use for this

. I remember seeing this old selectric I picture and thought that there was an apparently even rarer red trim that existed:

But later I found out that these were just your standard gray keycaps, which looked misleadingly red due to the lighting in the picture.

EDIT: Decided to cannibalize some caps from my 5251 and I have to say it looks much better now:

.

I still would like to source some extra gray and black Selectric caps, so I have made a thread in the marketplace forum in case anyone has extras they'd like to get rid of.

snacksthecat · 11 Jul 2018, 16:43

Bunch of keyboard boxes from ULINE. Perfect fit for a 101.

Noobmaen · 12 Jul 2018, 01:38

Got some big beamspring board today

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lemur · 12 Jul 2018, 10:53

snacksthecat wrote: ↑Bunch of keyboard boxes from ULINE. Perfect fit for a 101.

have you got a model/part number on these? please?

snacksthecat · 12 Jul 2018, 13:33

lemur wrote: ↑
snacksthecat wrote: ↑Bunch of keyboard boxes from ULINE. Perfect fit for a 101.

have you got a model/part number on these? please?

S-6496

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S- ... lsrc=aw.ds

Blaise170 · 12 Jul 2018, 15:15

FYI, if you register a UPS account as a business, you can get their Large Express boxes for free and they are a perfect fit for most keyboards.

JP! · 12 Jul 2018, 16:38

Noobmaen wrote: ↑Got some big beamspring board today ]

You weren't kidding. Can't wait to see more pics. That is in super nice shape as well. I believe you acquired a terminal with this as well? These must be super rare though with only one other posted here on DT.

haanuman · 17 Jul 2018, 11:21

Blaise170 wrote: ↑

How are they? Planning to get some new ones as well.

Blaise170 · 17 Jul 2018, 15:51

They are nice, very comfortable but unfortunately a bit hard to use in an open office environment since they leak so much sound. I can hear them well at just 10-15% of my Macbook's volume though so it's not too bad.

davkol · 17 Jul 2018, 18:07

Comfortable if you have the right head shape. I don't a proper fit with the Air construction.

Muirium · 17 Jul 2018, 18:24

I’m glad my headphones even fit me. Bose QC-35 with all the stops. Many headphones won’t even stretch from ear to ear, when forced to bridge my head! Those Bose though, so cosy.

Blaise170 · 17 Jul 2018, 18:25

Mine are huge. I suppose it could be problematic for those with smaller heads.

Bass · 25 Jul 2018, 05:36

Got this '87 SSK for $220 shipped:

Very happy with the condition it's in. It's not bolt modded but I don't think it really needs one either.

mcmaxmcmc · 25 Jul 2018, 07:36

Got an Alps-clone Focus FK-2001 for $44. The condition was okay, though it was quite dirty. It needs some retrobriting too. This keyboard is going to have one hell of a modification

(2 posts in one page. This is what you guys have done to me

)

zrrion · 25 Jul 2018, 12:58

Yours even has nice caps! Mine had crappy pad printed caps so I am a little envious of yours. Good luck with the stabs on the big ass enter.

Darkshado · 27 Jul 2018, 01:30

Two AppleDesign donor boards:

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The Czech-made variant has Alps mount slider-over-dome construction, OEM profile PBT dye sub caps, ABS spacebar.

Update: all cleaned up! Salvaged the ADB connectors and fixed cables for future converters, scrapping the rest, cleaned one of the assemblies to use as a tray for the following photo:

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Update 2: the stabilized keys are non-standard, the wires are fixed to the keys and move in recesses within the plastic barrel plate.

mcmaxmcmc · 28 Jul 2018, 20:44

I bought myself some dampened cream alps switches, 101 + Lock + 6 blacks = $22. They're not in a very good condition, and I don't have an ultrasonic cleaner, so I have no idea what to do with it right now. They also feel very dry so I'm going to lube this too. (3 posts...)

zrrion · 29 Jul 2018, 06:00

Just ordered two Cherry MX G80s. One G80-11900LTMUS and one G80-8113LRDUS-2 both NIB. I'm pretty sure they'll have vintage blacks so it will be interesting to see how NIB vintage blacks will stand up to NIB SKCC greens. They'll also be my first MX boards so I guess If I don't like MX black Ill be able to swap them out for something else a little easier than I can with my KPT and SKCC boards.
Card reader on one of them should be cool too I guess.