Spacebars

[NewbieOneKenobi]

In my experience, the worst obstacle to fun and cool typing on a keyboard is the spacebar having a different weight or resistance or whatever else that makes it heavier and different in feel from the other keys, which obstructs the rhythm and disorients the typist. Does anyone experience the same problems?

I think this is less noticeable on rubber dome keyboards (possibly present on my IBM SK8820's but entirely absent from my Fujitsu Siemens butterflies) or the black alps Dells I have (totally absent) or the black Cherry Cherry (probably absent). Profoundly annoying on my Model M, superbly annoying on my brown Cherry Compaq.

[elbowglue]

In my experience, the worst obstacle to fun and cool typing on a keyboard is the spacebar having a different weight or resistance or whatever else that makes it heavier and different in feel from the other keys, which obstructs the rhythm and disorients the typist. Does anyone experience the same problems?

I think this is less noticeable on rubber dome keyboards (possibly present on my IBM SK8820's but entirely absent from my Fujitsu Siemens butterflies) or the black alps Dells I have (totally absent) or the black Cherry Cherry (probably absent). Profoundly annoying on my Model M, superbly annoying on my brown Cherry Compaq.

Yup.  Switch the spacebar switch with say, sys-req.  No reason to have such a heavy spacebar.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Thanks.

Darn, I seem to have damaged something in the contacts by pushing too hard in the wrong direction. I can still actuate the hit by hand and I've even managed to make the key somewhat operational again but it still registers 2 presses sometimes and sometimes 0. What do I need to do to make this right again?

[keyb_gr]

In my experience, the worst obstacle to fun and cool typing on a keyboard is the spacebar having a different weight or resistance or whatever else that makes it heavier and different in feel from the other keys, which obstructs the rhythm and disorients the typist. Does anyone experience the same problems?

At least I'd agree that same weight is best.

I think this is less noticeable on rubber dome keyboards (possibly present on my IBM SK8820's but entirely absent from my Fujitsu Siemens butterflies) or the black alps Dells I have (totally absent) or the black Cherry Cherry (probably absent).

Heh. Cherry boards with blacks do have a heavier spacebar switch (80 cN nominal rather than 60 cN).

Profoundly annoying on my Model M, superbly annoying on my brown Cherry Compaq.

Err... the spacebar on Ms is not heavier than a regular key. Not on mine for sure. It may be on Fs though, depending on what shape they are in.

Why Cherry obviously chose to combine browns with the spacebar switch for clears (!) still is beyond me. That bugs a lot of people. If anything, they should have put a clear switch there.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

At least I'd agree that same weight is best.

Heh. Cherry boards with blacks do have a heavier spacebar switch (80 cN nominal rather than 60 cN).

Err... the spacebar on Ms is not heavier than a regular key. Not on mine for sure. It may be on Fs though, depending on what shape they are in.

Why Cherry obviously chose to combine browns with the spacebar switch for clears (!) still is beyond me. That bugs a lot of people. If anything, they should have put a clear switch there.

It may be subjective then because I don't feel the difference (much) on the blacks but I do feel it on the M. Perhaps the material and the cut plays a role. At any rate, I basically hate feeling different feedback every couple of chars.

Erm. Any way to transplant a switch from Pause to space without soldering? Transplanting the spring and the coloured piece alone won't make it because I damaged the gold contact while trying to repair it.

[keyb_gr]

Any way to transplant a switch from Pause to space without soldering?

'fraid you're out of luck there.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

'fraid you're out of luck there.

Maybe not... turns out my neighbour does such things at work. Meanwhile I've got back to my scissors 'board for a change and somehow it feels good after all the alps and cherries.

[Daniel Beaver]

One of the great advantages if doing a alt/spacebar key mod on a Model F AT is that you get a lighter-weight spacebar. I find stiff spacebars profoundly annoying.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Thanks, Daniel, that also will be useful.

I've looked at the spacebar spring on the Model M but it didn't seem different. Must be the other factors. Still, it'd be lovely to have an M with a spacebar that feels exactly like the letter keys. Using rubber domes and scissors for a number of years I was oblivious to how uncool it is to have a diverging spacebar. It probably has some uses but more than +10g seems counterproductive to me. In fact, I'm beginning to notice the what? 15g? difference of the spacebar on the blacks. I press it with the same strength I need for any other key and I'm not getting anything. Then I start pressing the other keys with 15g surplus strength because of the spacebar experience.

I think I'd also enjoy a spacebar that didn't have a surface curve exactly opposite to all the other keys but I'm not sure. Still, what works for shift or long backspace should work also for the spacebar.

[Daniel Beaver]

Maybe there is some dirt or other crap causing some friction in the spacebar. Model M spacebars ought to feel exactly the same as the rest of the keys.

[patrickgeekhack]

This was the first thing I noticed when I got my MX-11800. I swapped with the ESC key, big mistake!

[phate408]

Yeah, the MX-11800 bothered me for a little bit when I first got it, but I did get used to it.

My Model M's spacebar feels about the same as the regular keys, if not a touch lighter.

[Pylon]

The Fs seem to have a bit heavier of a spacebar because of the stabilizer. I tried to reassemble one two days ago.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Maybe there is some dirt or other crap causing some friction in the spacebar. Model M spacebars ought to feel exactly the same as the rest of the keys.

Nah, no dirt or anything there, checked that. The problem lessened some time ago when I removed the spring and put it back again in the process of trying out a Model C2 spring. Now it resembles the other keys more except it flaps a bit like an ailing bat but that's it. The remaining problem is that the stabilising isn't very good and right side caves in as opposed to the left and there's general wobblliness. But it's less and less noticeable the more I get used to the keyboard.

Yeah, the MX-11800 bothered me for a little bit when I first got it, but I did get used to it.

I have two of those: one from Cherry with blacks (currently typing on it, which is fun--I'm getting better at avoiding bottoming out while still registering hits and it seems better than on many a tactile keyboard as long as I do score the hit at all) and one with browns from Compaq, the same I need to visit my techie neighbour with in order to get the switch from Pause soldered where space is.

Incidentally, my current experience seems to suggest that linear switch with reduced force would probably be the best thing for me. Like all of them doods actuating at 30g, no tactile, no audial, no nothing. Then I'd probably be reasonably happy. On the other hand, I notice myself missing the tactile click after using an M for a longer while, although typing lightly without it on blacks is way fancier and I feel more like a pianist.

[8_INCH_FLOPPY]

I don't mind a different feeling space-bar, but it seems I'm the minority.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

I don't mind a different feeling space-bar, but it seems I'm the minority.

It might be something with the rhythm.