Cool keyboard mod

[xsphat]

http://www.kbdmania.net/board/zboard.php?id=user_review&page=1&sn1=&divpage=1&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=hit&desc=desc&no=922

A HHKB Pro 1 put into an old school Alps Apple adjustable Keyboard (I have always wanted one of those).

[Whiskey in the Jar-o]

Very very impressive.

[dougy]

Assuming anyone is still watching this thread.....
I'm intrigued. If one wanted to do this with Cherry blues what would be the least expensive keyboard to use for the parts?

[zwmalone]

Assuming anyone is still watching this thread.....
I'm intrigued. If one wanted to do this with Cherry blues what would be the least expensive keyboard to use for the parts?

If you are just going to use it for parts, the iOne Scorpius M10 is the cheapest Cherry Blue keyboard you are going to find.

[xsphat]

I'm glad you were following this thread — since I forgot about this thread, I've owned an Apple Adjustable. The way those switches are put together is quite similar to a Cherry MY switch. God, no wonder it feels like poo.

[dougy]

I'm new to this xsphat, is the MY the black linear? I've always had crappy keyboards, in terms of switches anyway. But the Apple with a slight splay and the massive space bar were always the most comfortable to use. I have 4, all in various stages of failure. Its never seemed worthwhile to repair the problems, but to upgrade the switches for $60 seems like a doable idea.

[fkeidjn]

I'm new to this xsphat, is the MY the black linear? I've always had crappy keyboards, in terms of switches anyway. But the Apple with a slight splay and the massive space bar were always the most comfortable to use. I have 4, all in various stages of failure. Its never seemed worthwhile to repair the problems, but to upgrade the switches for $60 seems like a doable idea.

The MY has the feel of a black linear Cherry, but I think it's a membrane.  Correct me if I'm wrong

[fkeidjn]

Another thing, I thought the metal leaf sheets are the ones that actuate the keyswitch.  However, I see the removal of them in the picture?  I'm confused.

[lowpoly]

It looks like he used the switches of the apple and wired them to a HHKB Lite2 controller. Very well done if this is true. Did anyone manage to translate the page?

I'd really like to know how he made that label.

[dougy]

Good idea about translating lowpoly. Now I just need someone to translate Google's translation. Korean > English provided a cryptic attempt, but not much information. I think the mod was done to win a prize of some sort, he used the HHKB Lite2 control and usb while apparently jumper wiring all the existing keys. Cherry keys a mentioned several times, and there is an implication that they were substituted, but the switches look identical to the Alps.

[dougy]

Found a description of the switches used on the original keyboard. "Alps spherical white axial switch (Soft Tactile)". The pc boards are also labeled Alps. The boards themselves are thicker than a normal board, double sided, with a white core somewhat of a foam. The top of the board does not appear to be used as a conductor, but is a ground. Is RFI really an issue for a keyboard?

[lowpoly]

The pc boards are also labeled Alps.

LOL

The top of the board does not appear to be used as a conductor, but is a ground.

On my new Cherry G80 the complete top of the pcb is copper.

Thanks for translating.

[dougy]

Another thing, I thought the metal leaf sheets are the ones that actuate the keyswitch.  However, I see the removal of them in the picture?  I'm confused.

The little leaf spring he is holding is the tactile part of the switch. It rides against the back edge of the white actuator, when the edge of the actuator goes over the springs hump you get the tactile feel. I tried altering the leaf to get more "feel" but the result was marginal. The switch is activated by 2 lumps on the front face of the actuator. They hold the contacts normally open, when the lumps are pushed down the contacts close.

[lam47]

Thats very cool.
Why is the USB hole such a mess though?