printing MX stems for IBM keycaps

[AndyJ]

I'd like to use some IBM Model M keycaps on some Cherry MX style switches. I found an .stl file for it here: https://www.printables.com/model/263508 ... caps/files

Has anyone here used these? And can someone recommend a place I can send the file to, to have some printed?

[Muirium]

As the linked page’s photo shows, they’ll be very high and have a lot of open space between them:



IBM caps are meant for a curved backplate. When put on any other kind of keyboard, they don’t look right. They’re peeled back with gaps opened up between…

[AndyJ]

I have a 1u gap on each side of the bottom row, if I trim the little plastic tabs between the spacebar (or M alt keys) and the outer keys. I picked up a couple of Cherry laptop switches to see what the space situation looks like.

There appears to be sufficient room for the low-profile laptop switches, an IBM keycap, and a circuit board to mount the switch to.

Naturally, the IBM controller would be clueless about the extra switches, but if I use a Teensy (or an embedded Pi Zero) I can send the scancodes to the computer via USB.
Linux doesn't care about extra "human interface devices"; I leave an old 104-key keyboard plugged in and leaning against the side of my desk in case I need to access F11 or F12 during boot, and to use in VirtualBox for VMs where I haven't remapped the keys. The embedded controller would just look like a third keyboard, with only two keys.

To be absolutely honest I don't know what I would use the keys for, but it has always bugged me to see the empty spaces there.

[Findecanor]

I'd think it would be interesting for something with curved key-wells, such as a variant of Dactyl.

I think I've also seen a row-staggered prototype keyboard with MX switches on a curved backplane made up of metal plate strips (but I couldn't find it right now).

[AndyJ]

All the IBM keys and keycaps are perpendicular to the barrels. The "curve" parts are the two plates and the flexible capacitance membrane.

An added-on switch would be in the same orientation as the original IBM switches.

[Muirium]

The “curved part” curves everything.



All those caps are the same profile. They’re slanted by the barrels, which are mounted on the curve.

[AndyJ]

Yes. And a Cherry switch mounted to the top plate will line up exactly with the buckling-spring barrels.