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Author Topic: Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)  (Read 9092 times)

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Offline AvenZerg

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« on: Mon, 31 October 2011, 20:24:01 »
Hey guys after browsing the net about this keyboard i ended up going back to my favourite OG keyboard forum to get some help =)
anyways i had a few questions about the keycaps on this board.

[ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 30468[/ATTACH]

- What is the material of the caps? pbt/abs/pom?
- anyone know a place where i could get ALPS keycaps? (more interested in the engraved caps but anything else would be fine too)
- because of the boring yellow/grayish color i want to paint/dye it. any suggestions would be appreciated! (already read about RIT dye but not sure if the powder form works)

thanks alot!
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Offline bloodygood

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 31 October 2011, 21:48:36 »
Do you already own this Dell AT101W pictured above? Because if you don't you could always pick up a black version for roughly $10

This is not a picture of the model I have, just a generic one found online.
Important note: the lettering on the black keys wears off over time, this is a well known problem. My WASD keys look nearly blank. But I do not see shine on any of the keys. So possibly a good material, just a bad lettering job.
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Current collection: Filco Tenkeyless MX Brown, IBM Model M, Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite II, Dell AT101W.
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Offline hashbaz

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 31 October 2011, 23:43:00 »
My memories of reading through RIT dye threads are that AT101W caps do not dye well.

I've got a black one I'd be willing to sell, if you're interested.
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Offline AvenZerg

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 01 November 2011, 12:55:43 »
this is just a project for fun.. not really looking to buy another keyboard. just want to get some experience with dyeing keys.. (making them engraved is kinda hard to do yourself)
if this fails i won't lose much ^^ (i doubt i could find a black version for roughly $10, might be mistaken though but do you have a link?)
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Offline bloodygood

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 01 November 2011, 14:17:54 »
Quote from: AvenZerg;443376
this is just a project for fun.. not really looking to buy another keyboard. just want to get some experience with dyeing keys.. (making them engraved is kinda hard to do yourself)
if this fails i won't lose much ^^ (i doubt i could find a black version for roughly $10, might be mistaken though but do you have a link?)
No specific links, I just check ebay/craigslist and from time to time you see them go up really cheap. I got mine from someone on craigslist for $10 and I would say you do get what you pay for. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the keyboard, just that the keycaps won't last as far as the printing, but the black ALPS are rather like a rubber dome in my opinion. They feel like there is no real actuation point to stop before bottoming out (but that might just be me, also I type without bottoming out all the time on my Mx browns.
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Current collection: Filco Tenkeyless MX Brown, IBM Model M, Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite II, Dell AT101W.
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Offline AvenZerg

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 02 November 2011, 09:24:08 »
i agree they do feel a bit like a rubber dome but they sound alot different and of course with the added extra's of having NKRO and longer lasting keypresses..
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Offline bloodygood

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 02 November 2011, 10:26:40 »
Quote from: AvenZerg;444036
i agree they do feel a bit like a rubber dome but they sound alot different and of course with the added extra's of having NKRO and longer lasting keypresses..
The dell AT101W didn't have NKRO, I can record a aquakeytest for it if you would like. Also the black alps of the dell sounded like it had sand in the switches when pressing keys, another well known issue.
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Current collection: Filco Tenkeyless MX Brown, IBM Model M, Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite II, Dell AT101W.
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Offline AvenZerg

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 03 November 2011, 09:22:31 »
yes i would like to see that because apparently some other sources on the net were full of **** then..
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Offline bloodygood

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 03 November 2011, 11:37:00 »
Quote from: AvenZerg;444858
yes i would like to see that because apparently some other sources on the net were full of **** then..
Alright, recording it right now. I will edit this post when it is finished.
Edit1: Video finished, uploading to youtube.
Edit2: http://youtu.be/T-dnb6ZvOBk
« Last Edit: Thu, 03 November 2011, 12:12:50 by bloodygood »
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Current collection: Filco Tenkeyless MX Brown, IBM Model M, Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite II, Dell AT101W.
Looking for: IBM Model M SpaceSaver, HHKB Topre keychain. >> Feedback Thread

Offline AvenZerg

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #9 on: Fri, 04 November 2011, 07:16:05 »
thank you sir
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Offline False_Dmitry_II

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 12 November 2011, 22:21:53 »
I'd be quite surprised if these things were anything more than abs.

But the powder version works better than the liquid for this, I've found.
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Offline AvenZerg

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 26 November 2011, 09:25:11 »
After pulling a few keys i notice it says "R4L" underneath it.. what the #$^#$ does this even mean?
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Offline dorkvader

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Dell AT101W (with black ALPS switches)
« Reply #12 on: Sun, 27 November 2011, 01:16:34 »
Row4 maybe? It might even be some sort of machine/mold-version-number mark.

It's usually best not to worry about it.
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