Author Topic: [Sold] NIB Dell AT101W  (Read 6158 times)

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Offline JP

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[Sold] NIB Dell AT101W
« on: Sat, 23 September 2017, 22:08:31 »
This might be interesting for someone. Price seems good for a NIB keyboard and there is a best offer option. Also there are 6 available.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-AT101W-Wired-Clicky-Mechanical-Keyboard-Beige-/282665365107?hash=item41d02b2e73:g:G7QAAOSw8OJZxWyh
« Last Edit: Fri, 06 October 2017, 12:36:47 by JP »
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Offline ander

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 02:37:28 »
Nice! These are swell keebs when they're in good shape, and these are in the best shape they'll ever be.

I like how the description says:

Quote
Feel extra efficient as you type away on this keyboard and hear each letter you click emphasized! You'll be the envy of the whole office!!

I think that was supposed to be "enmity of the whole office".  :?D
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Offline JP

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 07:33:55 »
Nice! These are swell keebs when they're in good shape, and these are in the best shape they'll ever be.

I like how the description says:

Quote
Feel extra efficient as you type away on this keyboard and hear each letter you click emphasized! You'll be the envy of the whole office!!

I think that was supposed to be "enmity of the whole office".  :?D

Haha. I know, right? The best way to get co-workers on-board with the noisy clatter I think is to pass out mech's to others and hopefully they fall in love with their keyboard ;D I guess I have been lucky in that I could use a Model M as I had no other co-workers in the vicinity, but this will soon change so I will need to figure out what kind of mech I can get away with using.
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 08:15:02 »
Spring and leaf swaps could make these really nice. Doing it with no soldering involved makes the job pretty painless.

I have never done this on a Dell, but there is no reason it shouldn't work.
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Offline pixelpusher

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 08:42:55 »
I thought black alps were awful.  Am I missing something?

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 09:31:05 »

I thought black alps were awful.  Am I missing something?

Yes. You are hearing something similar to "Unicomps are awful compared to IBM-built Model Ms"

Black Alps, particularly new ones, can be very nice. They belong to the same family as orange and salmon.

That said, they tend to age poorly, but I have an original Dell AT101W that I got with a Dell system in 1997 and used for several years that still feels good, while I have bought a new-in-box AT101W that was scratchy and bad.

Springs and leafs don't really age or get particularly dirty, and can also be easily cleaned. Thus a "modified" switch can be considered "almost-new" for all practical purposes.

I got a new-in-box Northgate 101 with white Alps and transplanted near-new leaves and springs from an Apple M0115 with splendid results. Although it still has the original white sliders, for all practical purposes it is now an orange Alps keyboard.

Also, the Dell chassis is excellent and makes a great base for other projects.
« Last Edit: Sun, 24 September 2017, 09:34:27 by fohat.digs »
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Offline chyros

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 09:48:46 »
I thought black alps were awful.  Am I missing something?
I think they compare favourably to Cherry and their ilk, but their true beauty shines in their versatility IMO, as you can make linear OR clicky switches out of them without even the need for desoldering. I find the linear version to be particularly pleasant, really very nice switches indeed.

And, as fohat said, the chassis is perfect for modding.
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Offline pixelpusher

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #7 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 09:54:05 »
Alrighty then, I bought one.  We'll see how this goes.

Offline pixelpusher

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #8 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 09:59:32 »
I probably should have waited until Tuesday, but they just look so nice.  Tomorrow I've been given permission to go through an electronics recycling facility in a major Metro area :)

Met the CEO of the corporation and sparked up a conversation.  I said "so, do you ever let people look through stuff?"  She said, "oh, no."

Then I had to get all geeky about keyboards.  It worked!  Out of nowhere she said, "well, I guess if I could get you to put on safety glasses and gloves I could let you look around.  We have a ton of keyboards."

Of course I'm expecting 99% HP and Dell Rubber Domes, but still.... I'm pretty excited for next week!

Offline dante

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #9 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 10:09:53 »
They must have made a crap ton of these back in the day.  It seems every year someone is discovering a bundle of NOS.

Offline mrhead

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 15:36:04 »
I probably should have waited until Tuesday, but they just look so nice.  Tomorrow I've been given permission to go through an electronics recycling facility in a major Metro area :)

Met the CEO of the corporation and sparked up a conversation.  I said "so, do you ever let people look through stuff?"  She said, "oh, no."

Then I had to get all geeky about keyboards.  It worked!  Out of nowhere she said, "well, I guess if I could get you to put on safety glasses and gloves I could let you look around.  We have a ton of keyboards."

Of course I'm expecting 99% HP and Dell Rubber Domes, but still.... I'm pretty excited for next week!

Is this in Nashville?  Interested in seeing what you end up finding!

Offline pixelpusher

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #11 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 15:39:12 »
I probably should have waited until Tuesday, but they just look so nice.  Tomorrow I've been given permission to go through an electronics recycling facility in a major Metro area :)

Met the CEO of the corporation and sparked up a conversation.  I said "so, do you ever let people look through stuff?"  She said, "oh, no."

Then I had to get all geeky about keyboards.  It worked!  Out of nowhere she said, "well, I guess if I could get you to put on safety glasses and gloves I could let you look around.  We have a ton of keyboards."

Of course I'm expecting 99% HP and Dell Rubber Domes, but still.... I'm pretty excited for next week!

Is this in Nashville?  Interested in seeing what you end up finding!

Memphis

Offline ander

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #12 on: Sun, 24 September 2017, 22:55:05 »
I thought black alps were awful.  Am I missing something?

Blacks can get rough over time, mostly from dust—that's probably where those opinions come from. I've found a dab of plastic-friendly lube brings them right back. (Personally, I use a dab of Inox MX3 spray lubricant, sprayed into the can's cap and applied to each slider with a Q-Tip.)


Black Alps, particularly new ones, can be very nice. They belong to the same family as orange and salmon... That said, they tend to age poorly, but I have an original Dell AT101W that I got with a Dell system in 1997 and used for several years that still feels good, while I have bought a new-in-box AT101W that was scratchy and bad.

(See my preceding comment)

Also, the Dell chassis is excellent and makes a great base for other projects.

Indeed! If all you want is the chassis, you can buy one in extra-used condition quite cheaply, turf the switches, clean it up, and you're in business. It definitely has that great "big ol' vintage" look.


I think [Black Alps] they compare favourably to Cherry and their ilk, but their true beauty shines in their versatility IMO, as you can make linear OR clicky switches out of them without even the need for desoldering. I find the linear version to be particularly pleasant, really very nice switches indeed. And, as fohat said, the chassis is perfect for modding.

+1

Quote from: Ander
I think that was supposed to be "enmity of the whole office".  :?D

Haha. I know, right? The best way to get co-workers on-board with the noisy clatter I think is to pass out mech's to others and hopefully they fall in love with their keyboard ;D

Now that entirely decent $30 MKs have hit the market, that's not as far-fetched as it seems!
We are not chasing wildly after beauty with fear at our backs. – Natalie Goldberg

Offline pixelpusher

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #13 on: Thu, 28 September 2017, 14:28:43 »
Okay. So I’m trying this fella out.  Looks amazing.  Definitely appears mint.  But I’m wondering about these scratches on the plate.  Is this normal?


179214-0

The scratches are on most of the plate, including the function row.  I have to say that having never tried original Alps before, they do feel nice.  I'll need more time to come to a full conclusion. The only con so far: the backspace sounds like cheap plastic banging against metal... oh wait, it is.

Update:  Lubricated the stabilizer on the backspace.  95% better!
« Last Edit: Thu, 28 September 2017, 14:52:46 by reececonrad »

Offline orihalcon

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #14 on: Thu, 28 September 2017, 15:13:45 »
I personally think that Black ALPS are the most under-rated of all ALPS, very smooth with a nice weight to them and a pleasant tactile bump. The actuation matches the tactile bump perfectly as well. They aren’t particularly rare or anything, so maybe that is why they aren’t as critically acclaimed?

Offline ander

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #15 on: Fri, 29 September 2017, 00:53:23 »
Okay. So I’m trying this fella out.  Looks amazing.  Definitely appears mint.  But I’m wondering about these scratches on the plate.  Is this normal? The scratches are on most of the plate, including the function row...

Congratulations on your nice "new" board. The scratches are just a manufacturing artifact of some kind... Are they obvious when the keys are in place? If not, why worry about 'em?
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Offline Elrick

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #16 on: Fri, 29 September 2017, 03:59:30 »
I personally think that Black ALPS are the most under-rated of all ALPS, very smooth with a nice weight to them and a pleasant tactile bump. The actuation matches the tactile bump perfectly as well. They aren’t particularly rare or anything, so maybe that is why they aren’t as critically acclaimed?

Because it's Alps, you ALWAYS need to buy one that's NIB without question.

Never buy one that's used for years, otherwise you will find out how horrid alps can get when dust and grime gets inside these switches.

Offline pixelpusher

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #17 on: Fri, 29 September 2017, 07:21:38 »
Okay. So I’m trying this fella out.  Looks amazing.  Definitely appears mint.  But I’m wondering about these scratches on the plate.  Is this normal? The scratches are on most of the plate, including the function row...

Congratulations on your nice "new" board. The scratches are just a manufacturing artifact of some kind... Are they obvious when the keys are in place? If not, why worry about 'em?

Thanks.  They aren’t obvious.  Love my huge beige board!

Offline mrhead

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #18 on: Fri, 29 September 2017, 21:01:40 »
Nice!  I have the Dolch keys on mine - unfortunately, the space bar and caps lock key are non-standard so they don't fit without modifications.  They use cherry stabs on the space bar that came with the set I bought.

Offline ander

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #19 on: Sat, 30 September 2017, 16:03:07 »
Because it's Alps, you ALWAYS need to buy one that's NIB without question... Never buy one that's used for years, otherwise you will find out how horrid alps can get when dust and grime gets inside these switches.

I'd have to say it depends on the board. The couple I have were in reasonably used shape, and I found that some of the lube I described freed them right up, without a need to take the switches apart. (It's really lube that distributes itself quite well.) But yes, if a board looks like it's been left in a dumpster or recycling yard, I wouldn't get my hopes up too much.

Nice!  I have the Dolch keys on mine - unfortunately, the space bar and caps lock key are non-standard so they don't fit without modifications.  They use cherry stabs on the space bar that came with the set I bought.

Are you referring to the keys's actual widths? How can you do a mod like that? Can you point us to photos?
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Offline mrhead

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #20 on: Sun, 01 October 2017, 15:54:07 »

Nice!  I have the Dolch keys on mine - unfortunately, the space bar and caps lock key are non-standard so they don't fit without modifications.  They use cherry stabs on the space bar that came with the set I bought.

Are you referring to the keys's actual widths? How can you do a mod like that? Can you point us to photos?

They're the correct width, it's just that the space bar uses alps stabs and there's no way to attach cherry stabs (the bracket/guides) to the plate without cutting into it.  The caps lock is stepped and offset as well.  I cut/glued the base in place until I can find a better solution.

Offline dante

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #21 on: Wed, 04 October 2017, 19:11:07 »
Only one remains.

Offline JP

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #22 on: Thu, 05 October 2017, 06:17:25 »
All gone.
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Offline ander

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #23 on: Fri, 06 October 2017, 00:50:44 »
Mark the topic please.
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Offline pixelpusher

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #24 on: Fri, 06 October 2017, 00:52:15 »
Mark the topic please.

Again want to thank you guys for posting these. I really like my first nice real alps board!

Offline ander

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Re: NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #25 on: Sun, 08 October 2017, 05:38:16 »
Again want to thank you guys for posting these. I really like my first nice real alps board!

Dude, we care about your typing experience, not to mention the impressive effect of a massive classic board on your place of typing. Stick with us, and soon you'll have no reasons to leave the house, ever.
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Offline JP

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Re: [Sold] NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #26 on: Sun, 08 October 2017, 16:06:31 »
Again want to thank you guys for posting these. I really like my first nice real alps board!

Dude, we care about your typing experience, not to mention the impressive effect of a massive classic board on your place of typing. Stick with us, and soon you'll have no reasons to leave the house, ever.

Heck, there's no reason why you can't also take a classic board with you on the go. Gotta get that vitamin D every now and again. These keyboards might also be great conversation starters as well, oh wait, on second thought I think I will just stay inside.
« Last Edit: Sun, 08 October 2017, 19:28:12 by JP »
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Offline SamirD

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Re: [Sold] NIB Dell AT101W
« Reply #27 on: Tue, 17 October 2017, 08:44:20 »
Dude, we care about your typing experience, not to mention the impressive effect of a massive classic board on your place of typing. Stick with us, and soon you'll have no reasons to leave the house, ever.
It's true!!  You will be surrounded by keyboards and won't be able to leave the house either, lol.