geekhack
geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: Yoe on Thu, 12 March 2015, 12:43:21
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Ok! My first post! Please be gentle.. :)
So, after getting inspired by other creations here on geekhack I went through my stash of old Apple keyboards to find a suitable donor for a nice 60% mechanical keyboard. I found a M0118 with bad controller, took it apart and put the Dremel to the metal. The M0118 is actually really nice for a 60% project. It has got arrow keys, and that's something I wouldn't want hidden away in a function layer.
With the wonderful orange Alps switches in place, it looked like this.
[attachimg=1]
Got the diodes in place...
[attachimg=2]
The column wires...
[attachimg=3]
And the wires to the Teensy.
[attachimg=4]
While waiting for the Teensy to arrive, I took some time to un-yellow the space bar with some Vanish Oxi Action and UV light...
[attachimg=5]
…and to dye some keys with Dylon dye. Now that's my pride and joy, right there! :)
[attachimg=6]
Then, with the Teensy in place, I installed Hasu's awesome TMK Keyboard firmware (adapted for my design, of course).
[attachimg=7]
Ta-da! :D
Now I just need a nice case. Probably making one from oak, with alu bottom.
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Your first post is about making a custom 60% board....and it's Alps?! I like you. Great job. Looking forward to the case :D.
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That looks great! Welcome to GH.
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Thank you! :)
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Wow, beautiful build :)
If you ever want to get rid of a Swedish set of Apple-keycaps (or entire boards), I'd be interested :P
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Yeah, that's a hell of an introduction and a GREAT looking board. From one 60% fan to another... Welcome to GeekHack!
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Great work! Orange Alps are one of my favorite tactile switches, and make me nostalgic for my family’s M0116 of my childhood. I’m looking forward to seeing your case.
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Wow, thats very cool!
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Dat mini enter key, I, don't know if I like or not but this is a neat board :)
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Well done! Orange Alps are a great switch, and 60% is my favorite form factor.
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I'm loving the set, and the layout! Awesome!
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That is a very neat wiring job, and an interesting board you chose to repair. I've not seen a mini ISO enter before, no wonder people complain about Alps boards needing random keycaps...
It's just a shame you didn't have enough dye to finish the rest of the caps to match the switches or it would have been perfect ;)
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So clean. So very clean. That looks fantastic. It's a great sign when the inside looks as good as the outside. I have no experience with Alps, but would love to try them someday.
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Thank you, all of you! :)
And sucidal_orange can rest assured – I'm not out of dye! :D
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
Now those M0118s are nice and all, but (even) without a case my 60% really kicks their butts. The resonant ring from the plastic case is gone, and only the soft clatter of the Alps and the caps is heard. I should make a recording of that some day. If only I could figure out how to make the space bar not to make a racket due to the stabilizer.
Anyway, I'm putting the 60% to daily use at work, and it is a dream to type on!
[attachimg=3]
I've programmed the escape key to be fn-key if held down, so I'm getting F-keys on top row and media controls on B (back), N (next), M (mute), space bar (play/pause), and volume up/down on comma and period keys. Plus page up/dn, home end on arrow keys and some other goodies thrown in.
I very much feel, though, that most of the credit for this needs to go to the geekhack and deskthority communities and above all Hasu for the excellent firmware programming. People here have shared their projects and experiences with such devotion that going in their footsteps making my own attempts to custom keyboard building and keycap dyeing a walk in the park, more or less. Most of the work hours put in was actually research on the forums. Thank you all so very much for that! And a big ありがとうございました to Hasu! :)
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Love love love love! One of my dream boards is an orange Alps! I plan to get an Apple Orange Alps, remove switches, get a custom pcb of some sort, nice case, a cool keyset that fits, restore the caps.
Great job man! :thumb:
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Very cool... show more pics of the brown dyed keycaps, they look great!
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Very cool... show more pics of the brown dyed keycaps, they look great!
Here you go :)
[attachimg=1]
I'll take some more pictures later.
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Another shot of the dyed M0118s.
[attachimg=1]
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Oh woaw
I´m loving that brown dye job, may I enquirer about that product used to dye them? both the light and dark ones.
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Whoa...great job on this project :thumb:
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Oh woaw
I´m loving that brown dye job, may I enquirer about that product used to dye them? both the light and dark ones.
I'm using Dylon Multi-Purpose dye. http://www.thedyeshop.eu/acatalog/MULTI-PURPOSE_DYE_4.5g.html (http://www.thedyeshop.eu/acatalog/MULTI-PURPOSE_DYE_4.5g.html)
For dark brown I used #05, Havanna Brown. The light brown is more of a accidental discovery... I was using #02, Golden Glow, to get a soft yellow/gray/brownish tint by keeping it in for a shorter time (I had done some dyeing with Golden Glow before and remembered the color it got before really going yellow/orange as the modifier keys on the other keyboard). It didn't turn out the way I wanted it, so I poured the brown dye into the yellow and stirred away, hoping for the best. And it turned out pretty ok! :) The trick to success I suppose is to stir a lot and to watch them closely and now and then rinse off a test key in cold water to see the exact color. The only complete failure I've had was when I tried to dye an ABS space bar.
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Ah I see
I´ll see if I can get ahold of the dyes here in Denmark and some white PBT keycaps :)
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Wow, thats an epic 1st post! Sweet looking board man. :thumb:
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Dude, that hand wiring is soooo clean! You're getting me super excited about my own custom keyboard project. My plate shipped today so hopefully I can post some awesomeness soon.
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Yes the brown dye is epic.
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OK, let's see, normal steps for Geekhackers posting about the keyboards:
1. I got a keyboard -> QFR or Blackwidow etc.
2. I got a better keyboard -> Filco / Ducky / Poker
3. I got a keyboard with interesting switches -> Model M / WASD Code / Matias / Old Alps board
4. I got Topre -> Topre Board
5. I built a board!
Your steps when posting to GH:
1. I built a board!
TLDR: You're awesome and I like you. That is a really beautiful build too.
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Dude, that hand wiring is soooo clean! You're getting me super excited about my own custom keyboard project. My plate shipped today so hopefully I can post some awesomeness soon.
Cool! Thanks! I'd love to see that! :)
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OK, let's see, normal steps for Geekhackers posting about the keyboards:
1. I got a keyboard -> QFR or Blackwidow etc.
2. I got a better keyboard -> Filco / Ducky / Poker
3. I got a keyboard with interesting switches -> Model M / WASD Code / Matias / Old Alps board
4. I got Topre -> Topre Board
5. I built a board!
Your steps when posting to GH:
1. I built a board!
TLDR: You're awesome and I like you. That is a really beautiful build too.
Haha, thank you! :D Well, maybe I thought that no-one would care at all if I posted the 1-4 :P Or I don't know…
But I do have material for step 3 :)
I have a nice Model M, white label. Click-tastic!
[attachimg=1]
And of course my hoard of classic 68K Mac computers also includes some nice Alps keyboards :)
To suit my mood for the day, I can choose from Alps SKCM White Dampened, Cream Dampened, Salmon and.. my favorite.. Orange! :)
[attachimg=2]
As for steps 4 and 2, I'm really curious and would like to try them out. A bit hard though to find Mac friendly Swedish ISO versions of them if I'd like one, isn't it? Or maybe I haven't been looking hard enough :)
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That weird moment when I realize I've seen your pictures before....on the 'gram :-X
Definitely not a bad thing, just saying ;)
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That weird moment when I realize I've seen your pictures before....on the 'gram :-X
Definitely not a bad thing, just saying ;)
It was just a question who would realize it first :D You are absolutely right! I've been covering my progress on Instagram, and I thought those pics would be excellent to use for my post here.
I'm @trasselfrisyr at Instagram BTW.
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It's beautiful... And I want all your boards :)
Or, maybe, only one with Oranges...
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Beautiful Model M!
Now get blue alps :D
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!!!
[can't speak - too much awesome - trying not to cry!]
That is a seriously beautiful keyboard. It's inspiring me to do something similar as soon as I'm able.
Hey, is there a reason the tab key is a darker shade of orange than the others? Everything else you did here turned out so perfect, so I'm assuming it was intentional, but I can't figure out why.
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Beautiful Model M!
Now get blue alps :D
Thanks! You know I probably will :) Collect them all...
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!!!
[can't speak - too much awesome - trying not to cry!]
That is a seriously beautiful keyboard. It's inspiring me to do something similar as soon as I'm able.
Hey, is there a reason the tab key is a darker shade of orange than the others? Everything else you did here turned out so perfect, so I'm assuming it was intentional, but I can't figure out why.
Thanks! Looking forward to seeing your creation :)
There sure is a reason :) The modifier keys are dyed with yellow dye, and though I knew they would turn out a bit darker than ordinary yellow, they went a bit beyond what I was aiming for, but it still looks ok, I think. The tab, enter and backspace keys are dyed with tangerine orange dye, and they were right on target.
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Thats the keyboard Apple should be making now, not this flimsy scissor contraptions shipping with modern Macs.
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Thats the keyboard Apple should be making now, not this flimsy scissor contraptions shipping with modern Macs.
(a) Alps doesn’t make keyboard switches anymore
(b) that keyboard costs 10x more to produce than the scissor switch thingy
(c) it’s important nowadays that keyboards be quiet
(d) it’s not "thinnovative" enough
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Thats the keyboard Apple should be making now, not this flimsy scissor contraptions shipping with modern Macs.
(a) Alps doesn’t make keyboard switches anymore
(b) that keyboard costs 10x more to produce than the scissor switch thingy
(c) it’s important nowadays that keyboards be quiet
(d) it’s not "thinnovative" enough
1) Matias
2) So they'll get not 99% profit, but only 90
3) They could sell it for "Professional writers", or "Typists".
4) Apple worshippers will gladly buy even Unicomp with Mac keys if they told by Apple it's the new Gospel.
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Ok, so I've made some progress on the case. Still some work left, like the alu bottom+feet and an opening in the back for the usb port.
[attachimg=1]
After the pic was taken, I did countersink the screws, so don't worry… it's not supposed to look like that :)
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Ok, so I've made some progress on the case. Still some work left, like the alu bottom+feet and an opening in the back for the usb port.
(Attachment Link)
After the pic was taken, I did countersink the screws, so don't worry… it's not supposed to look like that :)
Thats coming along nicely!
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whoa this wood case makes me see it in a new light :thumb:
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I'm also planning to have a wrist rest and a mouse pad in tan leather made for it. My brother is good at shoemaking, so he's going to help me with that. Maybe even a mouse or trackpad in oak to match.
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USB port done! :D Old school Apple logo color palette complete :)
[attachimg=1]
USB port, strain relief, teensy mount and mini to micro adapter - all in one! :)
[attachimg=2]
Only bottom case left, but it's usable as is.
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More pics. For good measure.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
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Now that's what im talkin about. #sexy
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thx! ^^
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Yoe, I love the wooden frame case!
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Thanks, regack :) I think I'll leave it unfinished and unpolished. I sort of like the color as it is now, and the kind of rough texture it's got.
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That is amazing. So fresh.
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Hmm... If someone mass-produced it with same keycaps, Matias click switches and wooden case... It'd be cool.
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Hmm... If someone mass-produced it with same keycaps, Matias click switches and wooden case... It'd be cool.
How about a Poker case compatible (I assume the keyboard size fits.. haven't checked) pcb and plate (both ISO and ANSI versions), Matias switches and a bunch of different cases to choose from? I'd like that. The only tough part for mass production I guess is the keycaps. A lot of M0118s and M0116s would have to go to slaughter if they can't be replicated somehow.
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How about a Poker case compatible (I assume the keyboard size fits.. haven't checked) [...]
No, it’s a different size. However, the alphanumeric block of an M0115 or M3501 *is* compatible. See hasu’s PCB, https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=69740.0 (The ISO-layout M0117 / ISO-layout AEK IIs are also the right overall size, but everything is shifted over by a quarter unit, so they need their own new PCB).
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How about a Poker case compatible (I assume the keyboard size fits.. haven't checked) [...]
No, it’s a different size. However, the alphanumeric block of an M0115 or M3501 *is* compatible. See hasu’s PCB, https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=69740.0 (The ISO-layout M0117 / ISO-layout AEK IIs are also the right overall size, but everything is shifted over by a quarter unit, so they need their own new PCB).
Ahh… you're right. I can see that now. Thanks! Putting the cases back on the list of stuff that would have to be made then :)
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This has to be my favorite board I've seen on here. 10/10, I want this so badly I don't have words.
Brilliant job.
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This has to be my favorite board I've seen on here. 10/10, I want this so badly I don't have words.
Brilliant job.
Wow.. thanks! :D
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Wow! Job well done! :)
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Time for an update :)
I made this mouse to go with the keyboard. Basically a modified Logitech mouse fitted with a micro usb jack in the front and housed in a piece of oak wood. One mouse button/scroll wheel is all I need :)
[attachimg=1]
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Nice mouse :)
How do the buttons work? Nothing obvious is visible.
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Nice mouse :)
How do the buttons work? Nothing obvious is visible.
Thanks :) I have removed the left and right mouse button switches and wired the scroll wheel button to be the left and only button. I always ctrl-click instead of right click. Old habits die hard. But I do use the scroll wheel a lot, so this was the obvious solution to make the mouse look clean.
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No more cutting up M0118 keyboard plates for 60% Alps boards! The brother of a friend of mine was kind enough to cut a bunch of replicas on the laser cutter at his workplace. I got one measurement for the cylindrical stabs a bit tight, but nothing a bit of dremel work couldn't fix :)
[attachimg=1]
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Oh ****. Those plates are looking really good!
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Now we need PCB and case schematic :)
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Oh ****. Those plates are looking really good!
:) Yeh, I was not really expecting them to come out like this.
Now we need PCB and case schematic :)
Yup. Case plans, _that_ I could provide, but PCB plans… gonna need some help with that. I'd like something simple that anyone could make at home. Like.. single sided with holes to solder a teensy in directly. It could be a nice kit, or I could do the artisan thing and build these or parts of the assembly for people.. I don't know. But a PCB design would be nice, I agree.
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Next iteration: tactile brown Alps :)
[attachimg=1]
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Next iteration: tactile brown Alps :)
(Attachment Link)
Ugh I wish I had enough to fill out a 60% board...
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Next iteration: tactile brown Alps :)
(Attachment Link)
OMG, this is beast!!!!!
Just out of curiosity, how much would you charge for making a TKL Brown ALPS?
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Next iteration: tactile brown Alps :)
(Attachment Link)
Ugh I wish I had enough to fill out a 60% board...
I feel you bro. But you still got the blues... :)
Next iteration: tactile brown Alps :)
(Attachment Link)
OMG, this is beast!!!!!
Just out of curiosity, how much would you charge for making a TKL Brown ALPS?
Well... it was hard enough to find brown Alps enough to fill a 60%, so finding enough for a TKL would really take some effort. I don't think I'd even do this for money... ><
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Progress update...
Dyed keys. Elephant gray modifiers (kinda blue-ish).
[attachimg=1]
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Progress update...
Dyed keys. Elephant gray modifiers (kinda blue-ish).
(Attachment Link)
looks really great.
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Love your work dude! Inspiring me to cut up some old Alps boards.
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Love your work dude! Inspiring me to cut up some old Alps boards.
Thanks, mate! Just do it :)
Progress update...
Dyed keys. Elephant gray modifiers (kinda blue-ish).
(Attachment Link)
looks really great.
Thanks :)
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Progress update...
Dyed keys. Elephant gray modifiers (kinda blue-ish).
(Attachment Link)
dayumn that looks great!
Can you share dye name/labels times and temps?
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Progress update...
Dyed keys. Elephant gray modifiers (kinda blue-ish).
(Attachment Link)
dayumn that looks great!
Can you share dye name/labels times and temps?
Thanks :) I used Dylon Multi-Purpose Dye, 21 Elephant Grey and 09 Pagoda Red. I don't have exact times, but these two take pretty fast. I'd guess three minutes for the gray and maybe five for the red. Just take one key cap up and rinse in cold water real quick to check the color every minute on these until you get the right hue. The gray one is a bit harder to get right, but just watch them and you'll be ok. I kept both dye baths near boiling or boiling all the time. Stir, stir, stir... When they are done, rinse carefully and wipe them to remove residual dye splotches if any. Oh, and don't forget to post pictures when it's finished :)
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Are you selling plates by any chance? This layout is the one that has made me want to try 60%. I could never get over giving up on the arrow keys.
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Are you selling plates by any chance? This layout is the one that has made me want to try 60%. I could never get over giving up on the arrow keys.
I've got a spare or two... PM me :)
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Thanks. However I ended up doing some research on how difficult it would be to get keycaps and just ended up buying an M0116 with Salmon Alps for 15 bucks.
I appreciate the offer, though.
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Thanks. However I ended up doing some research on how difficult it would be to get keycaps and just ended up buying an M0116 with Salmon Alps for 15 bucks.
I appreciate the offer, though.
Cool :) I'd love to see pics of the progress and the finished 60% :D Are you planning to dye some keycaps too?
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That's the plan. I'm currently in the middle of a different project with a Zenith Z-120 board, though, that I want to finish up before diving into this one.
I'll be sure to post pictures when I finish.
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Whoa when I sold those brown alps I thought you were making just one apple board...
The case you did for the other board is superb. I can't believe how nice it looks. I have a lot of apple boards that won't sell but you sure know how to use them.
Keep up the good work, the only alps I use is on a numpad beside my SSK