Beam Spring 104+SSK Reproduction Project! First Batch In Stock, Shipping early next year after New Model F Project

[Ellipse]

Here we have the first user image of the Round 2 B104 Beam Spring Keyboard! This one is an ISO version with one of the new custom LED Overlay designs. The key set includes extra keys so that you can pick which ones you want to install.

Please do share your B104 images!

B104 ISO.jpg (445.36 KiB) Viewed 736 times

[Cattus_D]

Typing on this very keyboard right now! I am glad to have been part of this project.

[snarfbot]

got mine today! thanks Ellipse its everything id hoped it would be, incredible.

[JCMax]

Thanks Ellipse! It's a tank!

Since you wanted pics I got one with all of the "lights" on. This thing don't need no RGB!

[dr_xadium]

That's a thing of beauty. I can't wait for mine to come in

[Green Maned Lion]

I think the B122 is in the same sized case, right? Height wise, I mean, obviously it's wider.

[Ellipse]

Yes, I noted on the product pages:

Dimensions (all are approximate):
B62: 341 x 210mm (13.4 x 8.3in)
BSSK: 406 x 248mm (16 x 9.8in)
B104: 491 x 248mm (19.3 x 9.8in)
B122: 535 x 248mm (21 x 9.8 in)
All beam spring case heights are 39mm (1.5in) in the front to 49mm (1.9in) in the back

[Nikki2981]

BEAUTY! I can't wait for the B122s to start going out (!!!)

[caesarcaliyugula]

Looking good! I love how the divot looks on Ellipse's keys--I only hope the MTNU Susus I have waiting for their new home will measure up.

[primus]

Speaking of the keycaps, are these the same profile as OG beamspring keyboards? Or are they a custom profile similar to SA/MT3?

[Ellipse]

The keys are custom and are not made in line with any standard MX profile. As you can see in the various photos all of the keys do not vary much in height. These keys were the closest production keys I could find with characteristics similar to the IBM beam spring keycaps (color scheme, font, PBT double shot, each key about the same height).

[snarfbot]

https://imgur.com/a/n2UfbAx

the keys are gorgeous.

[Muirium]

Except for viewers in Great Britain.

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[Green Maned Lion]

Joe, do you think more interesting keycap colours may become available in the future?

[Vertrillium]

Got mine today and outfitted them with the SA Macrodata Refinement Keycaps. https://imgur.com/a/DWn80cZ

[Ellipse]

Nope, due to high minimum order quantities of 1000 for each color scheme.

[engr]

I am stuck in the "get the Leyden Jar diagnostic tool to work" stage. Following the instructions, I downloaded the repository and tried to run the GenerateBuildForVS2022.bat file. Command prompt window flashes and disappears, and nothing is being generated in the build directory (even though I have VS2022 installed). What am I missing?

...And yet, it seems that I got incredibly lucky, because all the modules were OK visually, and all the keys are working perfectly out of the box. The only thing I had to do was to remove and re-install the spacebar (because it came installed upside down), and by some miracle I managed to do it without damaging the stabilizers, despite not having the plastic parts properly supported (yes, I should have used the wire).

At this point, I am happily typing on my B104 and I am kind of reluctant to disassemble the inner assembly, everything, clean PCB, etc. (Step 3), because, well, it's not broken, so why fix it.

There was a random loose machine screw inside the case, identical to the ones holding the controller PCB to the stands, that I still have not figured out where it came from.

It's going to take me a while to get used to the height of the keyboard and the fact that the standard wrist rests will not fit it. But the beam spring switches feel great.

[primus]

Has anyone recorded any typing tests? Really curious to see how they sound.

[_eyechedelia]

Posted this to geekhack first since I got locked out of my deskthority account, but here's my B104 with a combination of WoB and Fairlane MT3 keycaps. Been using it a couple days now and am really enjoying the switches; in setting it up I fortunately only had to reattach the beam flipper for one switch and wiggle another

[Ellipse]

engr, why not use the precompiled release binaries linked in the below link?

The manual also notes the steps and prerequisites needed to compile. Rico notes additional instructions here: https://github.com/mymakercorner/Leyden ... ostic_Tool

Also have you considered 3d printing a good sized wrist rest? Maybe there are some 3d printed freely available ones that are resizeable based on user input. Please share any you like as I can offer them as part of the 3d printed product page on the project website.

Yes please do share typing tests! For now, primus, I posted a typing test a few years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip-L0e1aBmI

[engr]

engr, why not use the precompiled binaries linked in the manual? QMK_layout_files.zip file

Because that link was listed under “Required downloads (BSSK and B62)”, while the “Required downloads (B104 and B122)” had a link to the GitHub pages instead, and I have a B104… and I didn’t see the link to what I am assuming are compiled binaries until now. So I tried following those additional instructions to build the executable myself (installed VS2022 and executed the .bat file) and it didn’t work.

If I can use those precompiled binaries for B104, I will try that.

[Ellipse]

Sorry wrong link in my previous post (now fixed). The manual correctly notes the Leyden Jar diagnostic tool as one of the required B104 downloads. I updated the manual just now to note "see the right side of the page under "releases" to download"

[bigsmork]

B104 arrived today - worked right out the gate. Very happy with the product and it was worth the wait. This will be replacing my Model F permanently!

[engr]

Typing demo with MT3 keycaps (minus the spacebar). Without a solenoid for now.

[Ellipse]

Sharing with permission a B104 in Off-White/Beige with the two keycap color scheme:

These keyboards are so heavy that I hope the stand can support the weight of the keyboard!

B104 beige.jpg (68.04 KiB) Viewed 173 times

[dodddummy]

The videos I've seen so far look great.

Is it too early to ask what is the status of the other models?

[engr]

As far as the palm rest, I found a solution, though not necessarily the most elegant one: I simply outfitted my existing palm rest with these furniture risers. Note that these specific risers do not have a jamnut, so if you adjust them into any position that's not minimum or maximum, they will feel a bit "loose". Luckily, their shortest position is about the perfect height for B104.

In hindsight, a case design more similar to IBM 3276/3278 (with a large built-in large palm rest) would have probably been ideal, but it's probably too late at this point. If there is ever Round 3, I would consider it.

[Ellipse]

Project Update:

The factory is looking to finish up the BSSK and B62 by the end of next month and the B122 in mid-August. I might do a small container shipment of just the BSSK and B62 next month to get these out as quick as possible (remember, the container shipments take two months for loading, travel at sea, unloading, and delivery to me). See previous posts for more details behind the lower production capacity for these kinds of keyboards (the use of laser cutting and metal bending instead of die casting, etc.).

engr I like your palm rest! It is a good visual match to the keyboard in keeping with the vintage 1970s styling. The palm rest is nice and it does look like a piece of furniture!

[Ellipse]

Sharing with permission a nice B104 in Off-White/Beige with one of the custom LED overlays and the Beam Spring badge:

Beige B104 - Copy.jpg (728.73 KiB) Viewed 13 times

[Green Maned Lion]

Personally, I think that since the B122s are the most important and impressive boards, they should have been produced first.

I'm not biased, just because that's what I ordered, or anything like that.