Recreating the Lisp keyboard (10 years later)

[lispnick]

Any updates on potentially selling the keycaps on their own? They're stunning

I am working on it. First, I would like to release a new manufacturing video to give you folks an idea what I am capable of. I will probably open a new thread about the keycaps.

By the way, big thanks to everybody who made an order in 2021! The incoming orders help me to finance the project and to create a new tooling for the keycaps!

[lispnick]

One of the more unique builds on Alps SKCM Amber:

[depletedvespene]

By the way, big thanks to everybody who made an order in 2021! The incoming orders help me to finance the project and to create a new tooling for the keycaps!

Serious question: are all the chassises (sp?) 20U in width? Because, me being me, and seeing how well you're handling the stepped keys, I'm seriously tempted to make an order... but it'd have to be with a layout that would be a bit different from the ones you've shown so far.

[Muirium]

In English, the plural is still spelt chassis, but it’s pronounced with a “ch”, the way some Americans also erroneously say the singular. Honest.

[depletedvespene]

In English, the plural is still spelt chassis, but it’s pronounced with a “ch”, the way some Americans also erroneously say the singular. Honest.

Oh, I got it now:

"this" → "these"
"chassis" → "chassese"

Right?

[Muirium]

Actually, that’s better!

(In reality, native speakers also question themselves when the plural of this unusual loan word occasionally comes up. No one’s ever heard it said aloud enough to know how it goes.)

[lispnick]

Serious question: are all the chassises (sp?) 20U in width? Because, me being me, and seeing how well you're handling the stepped keys, I'm seriously tempted to make an order... but it'd have to be with a layout that would be a bit different from the ones you've shown so far.

Yes, I only have chassis that is 6×20U. What kind of layout do you have in mind?

[depletedvespene]

Serious question: are all the chassises (sp?) 20U in width? Because, me being me, and seeing how well you're handling the stepped keys, I'm seriously tempted to make an order... but it'd have to be with a layout that would be a bit different from the ones you've shown so far.

Yes, I only have chassis that is 6×20U. What kind of layout do you have in mind?

I've been toying with several ideas (closer to a PC keyboard's layout than to a Symbolics keyboard's), but haven't got anything down yet.

[XMIT]

Finally ordered mine, I'm so excited! Great work lispnick.

[lispnick]

Hi guys. I have been busy with a couple of things but I hope to release some interesting videos in the near future. In the meantime, I have made a comparison of the loudest and quietest Keymacs keyboards built so far:

[Muirium]

My god, know which one I prefer! X-)

Actually got a good supply of harvested Alps of my own, but couldn’t justify four figures for a keyboard under any circumstances. Ah well. Boss project for you keyboard oligarchs!

[CaesarAZealad]

Hi guys. I have been busy with a couple of things but I hope to release some interesting videos in the near future. In the meantime, I have made a comparison of the loudest and quietest Keymacs keyboards built so far:

You know I never saw the appeal of matais click switches... until I saw this video, JFC that is quality.

[Muirium]

JFC that is annoying.

Agreed.

[CaesarAZealad]

JFC that is annoying.

Agreed.

Quality is a relative term here. They're clickies we're talking about

[lispnick]

I have made some experiments with Matias switches. The goal was to get the best possible sound and feel. I have used all the usual suspects: Matias Clicks (MC), Matias Quiet Clicks (MQC—these are actually damped tactile non-clicky switches despite their name), and Matias Quiet Linear (MQL—linear damped switches).

The modifications consist in Krytox-lubing (that actually works on Matiases, at least it improves their sound), using MC sliders in MQC and MQL switches, and paper-modding the clicky switches. Here are the results:

In terms of the sound, lubed Matias Tactile (= MQC with MC sliders) are the most satisfying to me. If you wonder about the paper-modding of the MC switches—it actually does not suppress the click but it makes it less annoying, the click sounds better than in the original MCs I think.

If you wonder about the crappy-looking keycaps: I have used leftovers with various cosmetic flaws.

[CaesarAZealad]

Ngl the paper modded matais sound really damn good.
Also do you sell the cosmetically flawed switches? I'd be willing to pay for them if they came in full alpha sets.

[lispnick]

Also do you sell the cosmetically flawed switches? I'd be willing to pay for them if they came in full alpha sets.

Sorry, the tester board is no longer with me. I have some more leftovers though, … at least a few kilos but most of them are grey 2U keycaps. These 2U bastards are a nightmare—a tiny piece of dust or improperly mixed pigment stain spoils the entire keycap. So, if anybody wants to make a weird macro pad full of thick 2U keycaps, I can be of assistance.

[CaesarAZealad]

Also do you sell the cosmetically flawed switches? I'd be willing to pay for them if they came in full alpha sets.

Sorry, the tester board is no longer with me. I have some more leftovers though, … at least a few kilos but most of them are grey 2U keycaps. These 2U bastards are a nightmare—a tiny piece of dust or improperly mixed pigment stain spoils the entire keycap. So, if anybody wants to make a weird macro pad full of thick 2U keycaps, I can be of assistance.

Cursed Thicc macro pad is going on the list of projects to do when I have money. XD

[Muirium]

These unique imperfections will serve as your legends to tell which key does what.

[lispnick]

For those who are interested mainly in the keycaps, I have opened a new thread.

This is my take on the Space Cadet theme:



I hope you especially enjoy the one on the bottom-center: its top legend is slightly yellowish to imitate aged ABS keycaps.

So one of the goals now is to make a complete Space Cadet-style keycap set as faithful as possible.

[lispnick]

Stock update: I have made a bulk order of the modern Tai Hao Alps clones and they arrived a couple of days ago. I have 5000 pcs. of the 55g version and the same number of the heavier 65g version. I do not have them as an option on my web right now but I am going to add them during the weekend.

Some observations:

• They have a longer travel—I did not measure it but I guess about 1mm more than SKCM switches.

• The sliders comes pre-lubed—there is an oily trace of the sides.

• The sliders seems to be interchangeable with SKCM switches, I have successfully tested it on SKCM Blues and Oranges.

• I tried to overlube the switches with Krytox (I coated the entire slider) and the (mantis) clicker still worked pretty consistently.

• I put a trick lube on the back side of the clicker (NyoGel 767) and it finally stopped clicking—the result (at least according to my tastes) is a very interesting light non-clicky tactile switch.

• The switches have very good consistency of the click and the actuation—it is almost impossible to get a click without actuation. The consistency is better than on the Matiases (in my short experience).

• Soundwise: The mantis clicker does not product as deep a click as the full SKCM-style clicker but this is no surprise.

To sum up: Interesting modern Alps clones cheap enough for various modifications and experimentation.

[guidemetothelight]

Incredible. Just incredible. Pure Art. I wish i would have that kind of money to spend on a keyboard. One may dream ...

[darkcruix]

When I listen to the videos and hear the perfect sound, I can't believe how much difference the proper material of case and caps make combined with a good size. My standard Alps boards don't even come close to these.
My best sounding one is a nearly unused NeXT original keyboard with early Black Alps (which was stored for 25 years).

Saying this, that is only sound and feel. The design around the Symbolics layout is what I want to experience. Especially, if you are able to re-bind the keys to your own needs... What brilliant re-design. Yes, I agree, this is pure artwork combined with precision engineering...

[lispnick]

Quick updates from my shop:

1. I have included the Tai-Hao APC switches.

2. Full Symbolics legends now available.

3. More color schemes supported (old and new-style Symbolics, Cadet & fully custom)

4. For those who already have my keyboard, I offer upgrades of the function keys.

Manufacturing of the replacement set takes about 2 weeks (estimate), I will start the manufacturing in Jan 2023.

[darkcruix]

JAW DROPPING

[lispnick]

Update on keycaps. As I was describing in my previous post, I am working on full symbolics-style legends. Here is a preview—escape keys in experimental colors:



XMIT keys (well, they do not exist on Symbolics keyboards but hopefully will make somebody happy):



Old-style Symbolics keyboard vs. the new key:



New ESCAPE key placed on my daily driver:

[TNT]

I will never not be impressed by what your putting out and this got me drooling again. Superb!

[andreas]

Oh dear, your attention to detail is unrivaled. Absolutely fantastic.

[XMIT]

XMIT keys (well, they do not exist on Symbolics keyboards but hopefully will make somebody happy)

I expect they will! Keep up the great work, and Happy Holidays.

[lispnick]

Hi folks, a quick update. I have new bases and I will start manufacturing keysets with full Symbolics legends soon. I hope to make some nice pics. In the meantime, I have started tuning various tints, shades, and tones of blue in order to find the closest Space Cadet blue and other, possibly interesting colors. Here is a preview:



So far, I have mixed pure blue (1% of blue pigment in the material) with my standard medium grey (0.1% of black pigment in the material), pure white (again, 1%), and pure black (1% as well). As I have said in my keycaps thread, I will not be able to make exact RAL/PANTONE matching. I mean, I am not able to mix color based on user's specs, it is just too unpredictable and besides that, I think that the color matching that the keeb community is so obsessed about nowadays is for wimps—this is supposed to be an art, right? Who cares about colors slightly off. What I can and will do is trying various percentages of the basic colors like in this case of blue. This can be done pretty consistently and I will then associate the closest PANTONE and a funny name to each color. This way I hope to create a ‘Keymacs palette’ for a reference. I have started with blue because there seems to be a high interest in cadet-style color schemes. The next color will probably be green.