Great/Interesting Finds

[TNT]

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 7-225-1846

Either white Alps or some sort of white Alps clone (maybe these?)

[hellothere]

As with the Can Tech KB I posted above, an interesting collector's item: https://www.ebay.com/itm/303960306847. Probably Clare-Pendar switches, per this thread. They're currently $50 and there are two for sale.

I'm going to pass on these. I think they look great, but I don't think I want to take on the task of making one work over USB, ATM I've got about a dozen KBs I'm attempting to finish.

[hellothere]

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 7-225-1846

Either white Alps or some sort of white Alps clone (maybe these?)

I will first mention that there's no guarantee that THIS particular keyboard has white Alps, but I did check the number on the PCB and I found a PCB that did.

[KkinderKeebs]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/313495453209

Some version of a Tulip ATK 030244 (The model number was tulip PTK 020244) with blue alps sold for 94USD.

[Muirium]

See! Blue Alps are possible to score for a sensible-ish price if you do your homework… and the seller doesn't do theirs.

[KkinderKeebs]

See! Blue Alps are possible to score for a sensible-ish price if you do your homework… and the seller doesn't do theirs.

Ha yeah, but I got quite lucky with this one. I asked him to take off a keycap which is when I found out it had blue alps (at the time it only had one bid of 5$, so I legit jumped out of my chair when he sent that photo back) and luckily the seller didn't realize the switches meant anything, so that photo he gave me of the removed keycap wasn't added to the listing photos (so only I got it through ebay messages) like what happens in many other listings and is what normally gets the price shooting high. It also helped that it only shipped domestically, less competition

[TNT]

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 7-225-1846

Either white Alps or some sort of white Alps clone (maybe these?)

I will first mention that there's no guarantee that THIS particular keyboard has white Alps, but I did check the number on the PCB and I found a PCB that did.

Oh no, I asked the seller and he told me it were white switches. Not too interested in giving out many more details or showing me a photo, that's why I said it could be a clone.

[webwit]

https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/computers- ... 99502.html

[motoko]

NOS Acer 6311s US ANSI https://www.ebay.com/itm/324584512306?h ... SwE~9ggNEw $50 OBO; would probably accept $40; can't make out if the caps are dye-sub or not but it is the K case version with top-printed legends. Stabilized keys only work on this board but other caps can be transplanted, including the stepped caps lock.

Received seller offer of $39.99 for the last one; he might accept $35 - not bad if needing the usable ANSI caps

[hellothere]

I added this one to the Wiki, too: https://www.ebay.com/itm/124695771699. Arabic-legend Apple Macintosh Keyboard M0118. It's actually pictured in the ad: it's got white Alps, not orange or salmon. Just keep that in mind if you're buying. I do think the legends on the keyboard are really nice!

[hellothere]

And another possible warning: "100 Alps Keyboard Blue Vintage Keyboard Switches Many repurchasers."

The description is very brief:

1. Dismantled from the old-fashioned alps keyboard, each switch sounds crisp, and the hand feels very smooth.
2. The switches havs not been cleaned and is a bit dirty also never been tested, But most of it works
3. Read the item description before buying, thank you

I sent the seller a message through ebay asking what "instructions" I'm supposed to follow. Almost immediate response:

"Haha, it’s the description of the item. Many people have bought it here, and most of them have already bought it several times."

A couple minutes later, I asked the seller to please just send me the instructions because I still can't find them in the ad. I have not heard back. If I do, I'll post back.

[raoulduke-esq]

Check out this sweet Selectric 1 with blue caps!
Easily worth $5k

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Keys-I-B- ... 890.l49286

[TNT]

Sweeeeeet, I call dibs

[motoko]

Unitek K959 wiki/Unitech_K959 cyan omrons and presumably pad printed caps if same as model on wiki

https://www.ebay.com/itm/194065528369?h ... OSwapZghfk~

[webwit]

IBM Daisy System 2500. Apparently a Dutch made IBM system inspired by IBM System 3741. Don't know if that's a beam spring board.

https://link.marktplaats.nl/m1697182365

[Muirium]

Sure looks the part:



Someone save that console from the loft!

[Weezer]

Uhh, that's definitely not a beam spring. It's also not made by IBM. The listing even says IBM compatible, not IBM made. It was made by the German subsidiary of Daisy Systems Corporation.

[Weezer]

Check out this sweet Selectric 1 with blue caps!
Easily worth $5k

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Keys-I-B- ... 890.l49286

Seller updated pics...now it is a Selectric, but it doesn't have the original caps and it's also missing a ton of pieces.

[Muirium]

Uhh, that's definitely not a beam spring. It's also not made by IBM. The listing even says IBM compatible, not IBM made. It was made by the German subsidiary of Daisy Systems Corporation.

The lack of IBM branding, right enough, calls out. Mind, I've never even encountered a beamspring desk in person, so I defer to those with a clue.

[raoulduke-esq]

Seller updated pics...now it is a Selectric, but it doesn't have the original caps and it's also missing a ton of pieces.

Oh wow. Even if I thought blue caps looked better than BoW and even if I wanted them and even if these were real originals I’m not sure how I would feel about being sent an already picked over corpse so I can continue the desecration personally.

[JP!]

IBM Daisy System 2500. Apparently a Dutch made IBM system inspired by IBM System 3741. Don't know if that's a beam spring board.

https://link.marktplaats.nl/m1697182365

That is way cool, beam spring or not.

[raoulduke-esq]

IBM Daisy System 2500. Apparently a Dutch made IBM system inspired by IBM System 3741. Don't know if that's a beam spring board.

https://link.marktplaats.nl/m1697182365

That is way cool, beam spring or not.

10/10 would make this my daily driver if I could get it to the US and through the door of my office.....

[ddrfraser1]

That is awesome. I love a good desk keyboard. Hoping to build one one day with a glass cover at the level of my desk so I can retain desk functionality while still showing off the board.

[jsheradin]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/323828511135

If anyone's in Utah. It probably has Micro Switch SD series of some sort.

[hellothere]

Check out this sweet Selectric 1 with blue caps!
Easily worth $5k

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Keys-I-B- ... 890.l49286

While it obviously isn't worth $5K, they do sell between $400 and $800 in decent shape and they don't come up for sale very often. The keycaps are compatible with IBM Beamspring keyboards.

[hellothere]

Datadesk Mac101e Pine White Alps ADB board for $38 OBO
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mac-101e-Stand ... SweypgWSUF

I bought the other one that was listed for slightly more. It's not like anybody else was bidding on it.

I see a couple more on ebay. The one I bought has bamboo white Alps with probably stainless steel springs. They're actually pretty decent. It also has a metal mounting plate that I think is rustproof.

The main thing that this keyboard works with "all" Macs. Obviously not USB, but it has two ADB ports AND the RJ-11 style (I know; Apple proprietary) port for the Mac (128K), 512K, and Plus. It's also got a bank of DIP switches you can see if you remove the top cover. Also, no snaps. Always have to love no snaps on cases. No brass screw mounts, but I can't have everything. Wait. I have some OmniKeys. I can have everything .

The web page for this thing is still online: http://www.datadesktech.com/desktop_mac101e.html. However, I don't see a manual posted there.

[hellothere]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/323828511135

If anyone's in Utah. It probably has Micro Switch SD series of some sort.

History: https://www.prepressure.com/prepress/hi ... vents-1971. $6950 new in 1971. That's $45,454, adjusted for inflation. It's being sold for $50. The SD Series was launched after 1975. So, if it has Micro Switch Switches (I didn't do that much research), it'd be Micro Switch SW. Those are the switches in Chyros' Univac 1701.

[Reshala]

for anyone in germany, I believe this keyboard will have micro switch SC switches:
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... ref=search

my reasoning is the keycaps are very similar to wiki/ITT_Courier_1700

I know how bad the ITT MS SC keyfeel could go, but this keyboard, damn, it's so cool.

this is likely st, the dome version, but nevertheless super cool

[raoulduke-esq]

$800 for a blue alps AT layout board…

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MINT-Vintage-D ... 3974675218

Who was the first person to decide that alps for sale needed to be rated on a scale of 10? It sure has caught on… I think is saw “8.7/10” the other day. Really, o wise and learned sage?

[Weezer]

Probably because unlike IBM switches, Alps are highly dependent on condition. That said, if someone put something like "condition 87.6523/100" that would be kind of funny.