My latest acquisitions (Fujitsu Magnetic Reed, Micro Switch SW)

EnthusiastDude · 02 Jul 2020, 14:51

Hi everyone!
Today I'd like to do something that I've never done before, which is to share some pictures and comments about two keyboards that I've recently bought and that have arrived today. If anyone has an idea on how I could convert these, please share it

Fujitsu N860-8002-T06501A
The first one is a keyboard manufactured by Fujitsu for Fanuc, which is a company specialising in automation. It has some light scratches on a few keycaps, but otherwise it seems to be NOS. It comes with fujitsu magnetic reed switches in three varieties: linear, tactile and latching. The numpad has linear switches, F0-F7 are latching (weird, I know) and everything else is tactile. The linears are very light, smooth as can be and have absolutely no binding whatsoever. The tactiles are smooth and non-binding as well and have a tactility that's comparable to undamped cream alps or ultra light BKE redux domes, which I both really like. I haven't seen any latching fujitsu mag. reeds before, so if someone is interested I could desolder one and make some more pictures. Most keycaps are the lovely thick double-shots that these switches usually come with and some are infilled (but still double-shot inside).

Pictures:

Spoiler:

Micro Switch SW-10217
I got the second one because DT user Slom posted them in the Great/Interesting Finds thread, thanks again! It's really dirty and needs a clean, thankfully the switches are really, really easy to open, no soldering required. It comes with Micro Switch SW hall effect switches and lovely blue keycaps. These keycaps and the Fujitsus are definitely among the best keycaps ever made. The PCB itself is a piece of art too, the traces were definitely made manually. Most ICs start with 69, so I guess this keyboard should be from 1969/1970, which makes it by far the oldest keyboard that I've ever come across. The switches themselves are a bit heavy for my taste (has anyone ever tried a spring swap with these) and way less smooth than the Fujitsu mag. reeds (but it's kind of an unfair comparison since I haven't cleaned it yet).

Also for anyone wondering what's going on with the numpad, it has some kind of foam and foil sliders, but no PCB or anything and they have a different mount (which would be MX compatible, if the stems wouldn't be so deep inside the keycap).

Pictures:

Spoiler:

If anyone wants a sound test or more pics, just tell me and I'll try to make something.

Redmaus · 02 Jul 2020, 15:19

Gorgeous doubleshots, nice boards dude

EnthusiastDude · 02 Jul 2020, 15:32

Redmaus wrote: 02 Jul 2020, 15:19 Gorgeous doubleshots, nice boards dude

Thanks, I think so too

John Doe · 02 Jul 2020, 15:59

I have a similar one but in very bad condition, atleast typing on the keys which are still ok is a very different feeling. I love it after have experienced so many kinds of switches.

Nice hunt!

JP! · 02 Jul 2020, 16:05

Thanks for sharing these lovely boards

I didn't think that numpad was Micro Switch but was still curious.

hellothere · 02 Jul 2020, 17:42

Oh. These are terrible boards and completely worthless. I'll tell you what: I'll send you money to ship them to me and I'll dispose of them in a safe manner.

Regarding converting, I think it's definitely possible to get or make an adapter to make the keyboards work with a modern computer. I've been looking into the subject because I'm getting a keyboard that probably has a very non-standard connector and might also not use XT or AT protocols. The mods I've looked at so far completely circumvent any controller that the keyboard has and use either an Arduino or a Teensy. I still have lots of questions about how to do something like this, but I'm learning.

EnthusiastDude · 02 Jul 2020, 19:25

Thanks everyone for the nice comments

hellothere wrote: 02 Jul 2020, 17:42 Regarding converting, I think it's definitely possible to get or make an adapter to make the keyboards work with a modern computer. I've been looking into the subject because I'm getting a keyboard that probably has a very non-standard connector and might also not use XT or AT protocols. The mods I've looked at so far completely circumvent any controller that the keyboard has and use either an Arduino or a Teensy. I still have lots of questions about how to do something like this, but I'm learning.

I agree, there certainly is a way to convert them. I'm a bit less concerned about the magnetic reed switches, because I think that could be done with a controller replacement like you mentioned. But the hall effect switches work in a completely different way. I know there have been examples of converted hall effect boards, but I think it'll still be a huge challenge.

EnthusiastDude · 04 Jul 2020, 13:41

Since there have been two requests regarding the numbers on tactile and latching reed switches, here's a picture (the one with the white cap is latching, the other one is tactile):

: IMG_20200704_133646.jpg (1.28 MiB) Viewed 5836 times

mcmaxmcmc · 09 Jul 2020, 11:26

Great find! Wow, the FMR board looks to be in pristine order! What do you think of them?

EnthusiastDude · 09 Jul 2020, 11:29

mcmaxmcmc wrote: 09 Jul 2020, 11:26 Great find! Wow, the FMR board looks to be in pristine order! What do you think of them?

Thanks! These are great switches, I think that FMR are great linear is known already, but the tactiles really surprised me. For me they have a good amount of tactility and are really smooth, so what's not to like.

Chyros · 09 Jul 2020, 11:52

EnthusiastDude wrote: 09 Jul 2020, 11:29
mcmaxmcmc wrote: 09 Jul 2020, 11:26 Great find! Wow, the FMR board looks to be in pristine order! What do you think of them?
Thanks! These are great switches, I think that FMR are great linear is known already, but the tactiles really surprised me. For me they have a good amount of tactility and are really smooth, so what's not to like.

I think you overestimate how many people know about FMR, and especially how many people have tried them xD . They're not that easy to get hold of!

EnthusiastDude · 09 Jul 2020, 13:14

Chyros wrote: 09 Jul 2020, 11:52
EnthusiastDude wrote: 09 Jul 2020, 11:29
mcmaxmcmc wrote: 09 Jul 2020, 11:26 Great find! Wow, the FMR board looks to be in pristine order! What do you think of them?
Thanks! These are great switches, I think that FMR are great linear is known already, but the tactiles really surprised me. For me they have a good amount of tactility and are really smooth, so what's not to like.
I think you overestimate how many people know about FMR, and especially how many people have tried them xD . They're not that easy to get hold of!

Haha, actually I think a fair amount of people on DT know about FMR because of your videos. But I guess you're right in regard to the amount of people who tried them.

funkmon · 10 Jul 2020, 19:15

Yeah I think that's about right. I have talked about beam springs with people before, and how much we're dying to try them, and some old Micro Switch Hall Effect things, then "Fujitsu Magnetic Reed? The hell is that?"