Hi all,
A friend and I have been repairing an old Apple III. He did the electronics, while I tidied up the bodywork. We're In New Zealand and Apple III systems are very rare here, and although the system was a disaster, we decided to restore it. It took some time.
Here are some before photos:
...
and some after photos:
As you can probably see I have a broken Alps SKFF double action keyswitch. It's the last thing we need to find to complete the project.
Hoping someone here may have one spare that I could purchase from them.
Thanks!!!!
Philip
WTB: Alps SKFF double action keyswitch
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Very nice work! And what a lot of work, too. That was one hell of a fixer upper. The worst I've ever faced was a water damaged beamspring from the infamous Dresden Rustmeister…
Can't help you on the double-action Alps front. Those are very rare indeed, so I gather, as so few keyboards ever used them. You're missing 1 of the 4 arrow keys which used them? I’m guessing the cap is long gone as well.
Spoiler:
Hi,
Yes, the keycap is long gone unfortunately, but I have an old apple II keyboard that I have been using for parts (see the '.' keycap on the number pad, and also I have used a lot of keyswitches too) that has identical shaped keycaps which I could use. Obviously the colour would be wrong, but if I feel so inclined I could paint it I guess.
Yes, the keycap is long gone unfortunately, but I have an old apple II keyboard that I have been using for parts (see the '.' keycap on the number pad, and also I have used a lot of keyswitches too) that has identical shaped keycaps which I could use. Obviously the colour would be wrong, but if I feel so inclined I could paint it I guess.
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Yeah… I wouldn’t paint it, if I were you. Caps are easy to mess up quite badly, and paint will never look right instead of a double shot legend, and will surely wear off with use. Sourcing another Apple III part is sufficiently difficult to pave the way to extreme measures, but… 

- hellothere
- Location: Mesa, AZ USA
- Main keyboard: Lots
- Main mouse: CST2545W-RC
- Favorite switch: TopreAlpsHallEffectTopreAlpsHallEffectTopreAlps
If I don't contact you in a week, PM me. I think I have a Canon typewriter lying around. It's buried in a bunch of other stuff. I don't remember if it's an AP-400.