Alps Appreciation

[phinix]

I wonder if its worth paying $200 for a keyboard to harvest them.

No.

Orange Alps are amongst the most common, as they're found in Apple keyboards - those being some of the most common vintage boards of all time.

Ok thanks, so I won't buy it, will look for a cheaper one.

[phinix]

Was going to ask you guys, what about alps stabs - are they good? Better than mx? worse? similar to costars?
I never used or seen alps by the way

[Muirium]

Was going to ask you guys, what about alps stabs - are they good?

Yes.

Better than mx?

Better feeling than Cherry stabs, yes.

worse?

More of a bugger to fit than Cherry stabs, yes.

similar to costars?

Exactly! They're very similar to those.

I never used or seen alps by the way

That takes skill for someone who's been on DT as long as you have! What are you afraid of?

[phinix]

Was going to ask you guys, what about alps stabs - are they good?

Yes.

Better than mx?

Better feeling than Cherry stabs, yes.

worse?

More of a bugger to fit than Cherry stabs, yes.

similar to costars?

Exactly! They're very similar to those.

I never used or seen alps by the way

That takes skill for someone who's been on DT as long as you have! What are you afraid of?

I know, for some reason I stayed out of it for all that time.
I thought I would like to try it, maybe see if my tiredness and boredom after mx switches could be healed by alps. topre helps of course, switching keyboards now and then. But what if there is something else, maybe there is something I would love more than topre? Endgame? Could be!

Thing is, I dont want some apple keyboard or similar. Ideally I would prefer some modern keyboard and alps custom plate+pcb.
I can de-solder switches from old keeb of course (I hate that process, but I'm willing to do that).
However, it looks like easiest way to taste alps is simply buy some old board and try them first. Maybe one of those Dell?

As we talked about it in the past, I might be the fan of brown alps, but its impossible to find them nowadays, or cheap, so I thought I could try some similar, maybe orange, salmon, black? Are these all tactile ones?

[Polecat]

...However, it looks like easiest way to taste alps is simply buy some old board and try them first. Maybe one of those Dell?

[Muirium]

Fair.

[fohat]

some old board and try them first. Maybe one of those Dell?

Dell AT101 are very good keyboards, solid case and well-built, although they do have overly large footprints.

The black switches are not bad when new but not the best. I have 2 AT101Ws, into which I have transplanted orange and blue switches, and both are very nice (one of them also has an internal weight bar from an AT101 that I modded to fit).

[Polecat]

I have two AT101Ws. I completely agree that they are quality keyboards, but I'm less than enthusiastic about the switches. The black Alps switches in one of mine are terrible, and not from use or contamination since the keyboard is nearly new. The other one was swapped to Matias switches before I got it, so I can't comment on its original switches. But I've never had black Alps switches that were worth a damn. That includes NeXT, Micro Connectors, and a couple others. An earlier AT101 with salmon switches would probably be a better choice.

[phinix]

some old board and try them first. Maybe one of those Dell?

Dell AT101 are very good keyboards, solid case and well-built, although they do have overly large footprints.

The black switches are not bad when new but not the best. I have 2 AT101Ws, into which I have transplanted orange and blue switches, and both are very nice (one of them also has an internal weight bar from an AT101 that I modded to fit).

So did you desolder black ones, then solder orange? Was it hard to desolder?

[guidemetothelight]

Was it hard to desolder?

Normal soldering is easy, but with alps , one annoying fact is that the switch legs are bent towards the pcb, making the legs stick to the solder pads. If you are not careful, you could damage the pads, making resoldering new switches sometimes a bit of a hassle :/

[fohat]

with alps , one annoying fact is that the switch legs are bent

This was the choice (fault?) of the person soldering the parts in place. Bending the legs while they are "dry" makes assembly easier by keeping them in place until you get around to soldering them, but is a nighmare for the person following behind you who wants to remove them.

My experience has been that the technicians building Apple keyboards were the worst about this, and that getting the orange switches out is the worst part of the job.

Placing the PCB assembly upside-down on a soft towel when re-assembling helps keeping the switches in place without having to bend the legs over.

[kshopper2084]

Are Alps Orange switches any good?
I understand that browns are best, but how about orange ones?

Not sure where you got that idea (Brown?). Orange are the best tactile ALPS switches, followed by Salmon which are nearly identical. This has been proven scientifically.

[Muirium]

Hey, no picking on the Alps virgin!

I'd love to get my fingers on some browns. Something I'd never dream to say about Cherry!

My low-res / lazy understanding is that SKCM browns are the early tactile equivalent to SKCM blues, which are definitively the summit clicky Alps. I've got blues (in an alu cased Alps 64 and in a Focus FK-555) and love them to bits. Browns have stiff competition, if they ever wind up in my possession.

[podgen]

Hey, no picking on the Alps virgin!

I'd love to get my fingers on some browns. Something I'd never dream to say about Cherry!

My low-res / lazy understanding is that SKCM browns are the early tactile equivalent to SKCM blues, which are definitively the summit clicky Alps. I've got blues (in an alu cased Alps 64 and in a Focus FK-555) and love them to bits. Browns have stiff competition, if they ever wind up in my possession.

A guy like you, I'd assume you had browns! Apparently the best way to get browns in a convertible chassis is to go for a "made in Japan" videowriter, but an easier way to get them here in the UK would be looking for an IBM 5140 - you'd be destroying a system for a keyboard though.

[Muirium]

I’m a very gradual collector. Part inherent stinginess, part empty wallet.

The VideoWriter is the way I'd go for browns. I'd rather keep and use them in their original keyboard, and I like the form factor, if not entirely its mod-light layout.



They're pricey, mind. So that's why I don't have one. Same story as my lack of IBM industrials.

[podgen]

They're pricey, mind. So that's why I don't have one. Same story as my lack of IBM industrials.

oh absolutely, i could never afford one myself! The greatest expense of my vint career will be my zenith z-150 for £150 that I'm organising, as you can tell I'm not high budget

[Muirium]

Justifying it is the hard part. There are plenty of other ways to spend 300-400. Most of which have a greater urgency than yet another ancient keyboard that won’t even work right out of the box.

“Describe to me: exactly how do you need this?”

[felix12]

Have been lurking for a while, and after 3 MX builds I finally made my first custom Alps build. I used Salmon Alps from a ASK and AEK caps on 4pplet's AEKISO60. It was quite the ride and really interesting to tinker with Alps and waxboil and stuff. Still waiting for my case though.
It's not much, but I'm actually quite proud of it. for the next build, I might start looking for some blue Alps

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[guidemetothelight]

Have been lurking for a while, and after 3 MX builds I finally made my first custom Alps build.

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[Muirium]

Nice board. The form factor, the layout and the caps all remind me of my little Alps64. I don't know if I've posted pictures of it. Let's rummage through the SD card…

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Compares well in size to its obvious HHKB inspiration. The caps are from an Apple Extended Keyboard (1) and the switches are some nice crispy blue SKCM. I took those pics a few years ago in California, when I'd just assembled it. The spacebar has been replaced with a much fresher, paler ABS one from an AEK II since.

Oh, the case is an iQunix Lambo (as pictured here): a heavy, high profile Poker case with lots of attitude. I quite like it. Notice how high the top row of Apple caps still ride over the top; I wouldn't want the case any lower! Though I should have gone with anodised black I think for these caps. I’m not sure what colourway ultimately works best with shiny aluminium.

Welcome to the Alps club!

[hellothere]

Apparently the best way to get browns in a convertible chassis is to go for a "made in Japan" videowriter, but an easier way to get them here in the UK would be looking for an IBM 5140 - you'd be destroying a system for a keyboard though.

Hey, I received no complaints when I did this to a couple 5140s.

[undefineDname]

I want to build 40% keyboard with Alps switches. What are my options?

[Muirium]

Have you built a keyboard before?

40% is quite extreme. You may have to print your own case. Plates and PCBs are rarer than for 60%. The intersection of Alps and 40% will be slim indeed. You’ve got you work cut out.

[guidemetothelight]

I want to build 40% keyboard with Alps switches. What are my options?

BM43 and Daisy40 support Alps switches. Plates & cases can also be had on ali express.
Also Matias switches and veeery cheap white clones can be had on there.

Keycaps will be a whole different story. I dont know if the Kit that I "designed" with Tai Hao could work, you gotta check for the layout you wanna do. You can always try to scrape together something with other keycaps, but finding enough caps for 40% with split spacebar and stuff like that will be hard.

[undefineDname]

Have you built a keyboard before?

40% is quite extreme.

Yep. I want to try something more convenient, but as I can see options are limited. Probably would be cool something Alice-like.
This message was typed on

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alps based corne[/i]

[guidemetothelight]

Probably would be cool something Alice-like.

Maybe something like this or this could be for you

Edit: Cool corne build btw, are those AEK caps ?

[undefineDname]

Edit: Cool corne build btw, are those AEK caps ?

Yep, that's from AEK.
I also have another cursed corne build, and it may be a bit irrelevant in this thread. I've found the old typewriter and failed correctly identify switches, so instead of alps keycaps, I received SMK.

Spoiler:

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[guidemetothelight]

I also have another cursed corne build, and it may be a bit irrelevant in this thread. I've found the old typewriter and failed correctly identify switches, so instead of alps keycaps

Canon AP series ?
Iam also quite interested in typewriters from that era , if you need help with identification in the future, maybe this helps !
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

[engr]

Matias switches and veeery cheap white clones can be had on there.

If building a custom, might as well go with NOS pine white Alps. They are about $1-$1.50 a piece.

[guidemetothelight]

If building a custom, might as well go with NOS pine white Alps. They are about $1-$1.50 a piece.

yeah , I would too, I this would be a "serious" board. but sometimes, especially with small quirky projects like 40 , I like to "fuck around and find out".

rn iam experimenting with alps cream dampened in combination with random alps clones parts in all configurations , with and without the dampers, wax boil, wet lube, different (two stage) springs etc. and I must say , its quite a lot of fun to try out different stuff without ruining something like blues, browns etc. that being said, good condition , early white alps are imo almost non distinguishable to blues (except the super early ones with the black switchplate)