Alps Appreciation

[abrahamstechnology]

And if anyone has unwanted donor boards that were harvested, I will gladly take them off of your hands for the price of shipping. (And possibly a little more)

[BlindAssassin111]

To get rid of rust easily, you can soak the plates in vinegar, scrub, sand them, then Rust-Oleum them (See my AT101 plate above)

Not that switch plate, though it may be a confusing as the term is the same for some reason, I was meaning the the contact leaf setup inside the alps switch, I have harvested for that. I know about rust removal for switch mounting plates.

[abrahamstechnology]

To get rid of rust easily, you can soak the plates in vinegar, scrub, sand them, then Rust-Oleum them (See my AT101 plate above)

Not that switch plate, though it may be a confusing as the term is the same for some reason, I was meaning the the contact leaf setup inside the alps switch, I have harvested for that. I know about rust removal for switch mounting plates.

Oh, I see. By the way, do you live in the US and have any donor boards right now?

[hansichen]

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[Chyros]

Noice ^^ . Is that NOS?

[Elrick]

Thought I'll post this query here in the "Alps Appreciation" thread.

I know there are long time Alps users within the DT Universe but hardly hear anything from them about how to keep the surface of their Alps keyboards "Dust Free".

Don't want to here glib remarks about living inside a Bubble, completely sealed from the outside world. But how do you 'realistically' keep your keyboards dust free, whilst using them on your desks?

Thought about using a vacuum cleaner but alas the forced air pressure may indeed force the dust deep inside the Alps switches, defeating the whole purpose of removing the dust in the first place.

There has to be some kind of secret Alps business, in which these rare switches can be protected by simply doing one or two things - every week?

[Chyros]

Thought I'll post this query here in the "Alps Appreciation" thread.

I know there are long time Alps users within the DT Universe but hardly hear anything from them about how to keep the surface of their Alps keyboards "Dust Free".

Don't want to here glib remarks about living inside a Bubble, completely sealed from the outside world. But how do you 'realistically' keep your keyboards dust free, whilst using them on your desks?

Thought about using a vacuum cleaner but alas the forced air pressure may indeed force the dust deep inside the Alps switches, defeating the whole purpose of removing the dust in the first place.

There has to be some kind of secret Alps business, in which these rare switches can be protected by simply doing one or two things - every week?

I just put a kitchen towel on my keyboard when I'm not using it or when I'm eating behind my desk. Seems to work pretty well .

[Elrick]

I just put a kitchen towel on my keyboard when I'm not using it or when I'm eating behind my desk. Seems to work pretty well .

YES, I use a plastic cover for most of my Alps keyboards but believe it or not dust still manages to settle whilst I'm using the beggar.

Live in a desert area hence now at this time of year, the wind blows in dust and sand from everywhere.

This is our life style in the world's largest Convict Settlement .

[fohat]

the wind blows in dust and sand from everywhere.

Double airlocks on every opening, positive pressure, and HEPA filters?

[klennkellon]

I replaced the tops on my SKCM Black with pine tops and salmon sliders from a junked M0116. The switches feel lighter and smoother now and actually sound like proper complicated Alps and don't rattle like they did with the bamboo tops.

Still has kind of the rougher undefined tactility that SKCM Black have but it's less clunky and fatiguing and sounds better now.

[Elrick]

Still has kind of the rougher undefined tactility that SKCM Black have but it's less clunky and fatiguing and sounds better now.

I personally found that when I replaced the ORIGINAL springs from the Black Alps with slightly weaker springs the switch then becomes vastly different during usage.

Much more smoother, easier to press and the noise was slightly less so those wanting a quieter switch would be better with a less stiffer spring.

[mcmaxmcmc]

Am I the only one who just leaves their alps keyboard in the open in my room? I have a FK-2001 (missing its cover) that I use for my daily driver with some very zombified switches, so I don't really need to care about it too much. My room isn't the dirtiest place on Earth, nor is it the cleanest. I can see that some minute dust has settled on the plate while I was swapping keycaps, but so far, everything seems fine.

[swampangel]

Am I the only one who just leaves their alps keyboard in the open in my room?

I'm in this camp too. I clean my Omnikey 101 once in a while and don't worry about it otherwise.

[DocNoc]

I have been looking everywhere but can't seem to find any info on people spring swapping the stock spring in either Brown or Orange alps. Can anyone point me in the right direction if I may have missed it, or inform me if you have personal experience?

[Hypersphere]

I have been looking everywhere but can't seem to find any info on people spring swapping the stock spring in either Brown or Orange alps. Can anyone point me in the right direction if I may have missed it, or inform me if you have personal experience?

I've done some posts here and on GH regarding "top modding" of Alps switches. Springs, sliders, and tactile/click leaves can be swapped among many types of Alps switches to make various hybrids. Regarding Brown Alps, they have a tactile assembly made from a modified switch plate rather than a tactile leaf.

[DocNoc]

Yeah I understand that and how the tactility is attributed to the switch plate in brown alps, but I'm curious to see how lighter or heavier springs might effect that tactility.

[klennkellon]

Still has kind of the rougher undefined tactility that SKCM Black have but it's less clunky and fatiguing and sounds better now.

I personally found that when I replaced the ORIGINAL springs from the Black Alps with slightly weaker springs the switch then becomes vastly different during usage.

Much more smoother, easier to press and the noise was slightly less so those wanting a quieter switch would be better with a less stiffer spring.

Do you know the difference between SKCM Black (bamboo) springs compared to SKCM Salmons springs? I just left the bamboo springs in.

[Hypersphere]

I am quite keen on force-displacement curves as a means of comparing keyboard switch characteristics and gaining partial insight into why one switch feels similar or different from another. HaaTa has done splendid work in this area. Here are his curves for SKCM Brown, Green, and Orange switches:

Spoiler:

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Alps SKCM Brown

Spoiler:

Alps_Green.png (80.97 KiB) Viewed 5722 times

Alps SKCM Green

Spoiler:

Alps_Orange.png (79.97 KiB) Viewed 5722 times

Alps SKCM Orange

Note that the Green is the SKCM Green rather than the linear SKCL Green. The curves for the Brown and Green switches are similar to each other and rather different from the curve for the Orange switch.

I suspect that these switch characteristics are due in large part to the tactile switch plate/leaf design rather than the spring.

[DocNoc]

Yeah I have looked at most of Haata's graphs, super interesting stuff. Like I said above, I also believe that the tactile switch plate is the main contributor here with regards to switch characteristics, specifically the tactility. That being said, to say the spring plays no role in this would be silly. That's why I was curious to see if anyone had tried swapping the stock springs for springs both heavier and lighter to see how it altered the switch. Again I don't believe that the spring swap is going to dramatically change any characteristics here, and we won't have any graphs of these swaps to compare the changes with some form of objectivity, but still I'd be curious to see the results.

[klennkellon]

I swapped in salmon sliders and pine tops into my AT-101w. Really enhanced the sound and feel.

https://streamable.com/u7jcw

The video doesn't do it justice but it sounds like a proper complicated tactile Alps keyboard now compared to the rattly bamboo tops.

[Drclick]

Does anyone here know how to program a Focus keyboard?
The "F7" key on my Focus FK-555 doesn't work. But I checked the switch and keyboard matrix, they are all fine.
And I found the same case here.

[Polecat]

There's no user programming on those. But if you're running a converter you can remap the converter, *if* the keyboard is generating a scan code. So first you need to determine whether or not you're getting a scan code for F7, and if so, and assuming it's the wrong code, remap your converter to get the correct code. No scan code means there's something wrong with the keyboard, and that problem will need to be found and fixed before F7 will work. Wrong scan code and no converter means you're stuck with no F7, unless you can repair the problem.

Does anyone here know how to program a Focus keyboard?
The "F7" key on my Focus FK-555 doesn't work. But I checked the switch and keyboard matrix, they are all fine.
And I found the same case here.

[Myoth]

PA170046 by Myoth, sur Flickr


Ever since I got this keyboard a few months ago, I wanted to try this mix of components. mike52787 was kind enough to give me one of those SGi without its caps (mostly because I was helping him get rid of stuff he didn't want anymore ) but it turned teal with the yellowing. Fortunately for me, two SGi popped up recently on ebay.fr, I coped them both for cheap and the Granite was not yellowed, so it gave its case to this keyboard above. I'm pleased with how it looks, I like it a lot. It's a simple yet affective look. This was the SGI KBU-1971

[Drclick]

There's no user programming on those. But if you're running a converter you can remap the converter, *if* the keyboard is generating a scan code. So first you need to determine whether or not you're getting a scan code for F7, and if so, and assuming it's the wrong code, remap your converter to get the correct code. No scan code means there's something wrong with the keyboard, and that problem will need to be found and fixed before F7 will work. Wrong scan code and no converter means you're stuck with no F7, unless you can repair the problem.

Thanks for your help!
You are right, it works without using a PS/2 to USB adapter. Seems like Focus keyboards use an unusual scan code for F7.

[Elrick]

G'Day DTers,

AT Mechaincal Keyboards website noticed they are selling a variety of newly made Alps switches and here is the precise list of what they are selling there;

ALPS KSB-C (never heard of it before).

ALPS Brown (comparable to the old Browns sold on Flebay, have no idea)

ALPS Red (Guessing it's Linear)

Fukka White (heard of it before, simplified Whites?)

ALPS Blue (is this truly real or some ridiculous joke?)

and Fukka Black.

Also the standard (3) model Matias Switches are also available here.

These are what's available but instead of me spending all my money buying each keyboard containing those switches, which are the best switches out of the bunch already mentioned?

I now a lot of the EXPERTS here frown upon the latest produced ALPS switches BUT there has to be at least one of these newer model's, worth buying and using.

[//gainsborough]

Can I just mention that this is outrageous?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Leading-Edge-D ... 3b1fb50922

[Elrick]

Can I just mention that this is outrageous?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Leading-Edge-D ... 3b1fb50922

Great for Brett but hope the 'end buyer' will actually front up with the cash.

[Chyros]

G'Day DTers,

AT Mechaincal Keyboards website noticed they are selling a variety of newly made Alps switches and here is the precise list of what they are selling there;

ALPS KSB-C (never heard of it before).

ALPS Brown (comparable to the old Browns sold on Flebay, have no idea)

ALPS Red (Guessing it's Linear)

Fukka White (heard of it before, simplified Whites?)

ALPS Blue (is this truly real or some ridiculous joke?)

and Fukka Black.

Also the standard (3) model Matias Switches are also available here.

These are what's available but instead of me spending all my money buying each keyboard containing those switches, which are the best switches out of the bunch already mentioned?

I now a lot of the EXPERTS here frown upon the latest produced ALPS switches BUT there has to be at least one of these newer model's, worth buying and using.

Eh, do you have a link? xD Might make it easier to see what's what .

EDIT: HOLY SHIT Brett, looks like the DC2014 hit the jackpot!

[Muirium]

What site you on about Elrick?

[Wingklip]

Retrobriting is overrated - M0116 Orange Alps

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