Mission Control

[_rubik]

I found https://github.com/dcpedit/mission-control a few weeks back. I personally think it's a fun idea and slightly more involved than your average build.

Does anyone have any experience building one? Looks like a relatively new project (~3 months old)

[wjrii]

Haven't built one, but a couple of thoughts come to mind:

1. The LCD version of this (and maybe the solenoid/piezo?) seems to require destructive disassembly.  It's the owner's board, but M122's are desirable to buckling spring fans, and it would be a shame to gut a working one.  There are other ways to get or make a Cherry MX battleship.

2. The PCB could benefit from some relief cuts.  This is a lot of tension, and while using the thin 1mm as the designer says should help, a lot of the writeup seems to focus on managing that tension during soldering and assembly.

3. This is a LOT of hotswap soldering on pads to do by hand.  I would not enjoy the work, personally.  I think the whole thing would benefit from a reflow setup maybe?

4. Now all that said, this is really intriguing and I love the idea of solenoid keyboards.

[_rubik]

1. The LCD version of this (and maybe the solenoid/piezo?) seems to require destructive disassembly.  It's the owner's board, but M122's are desirable to buckling spring fans, and it would be a shame to gut a working one.  There are other ways to get or make a Cherry MX battleship.

I absolutely agree. I think cutting the plastic rivets to get the back plate off is destructive from the start. Cutting a hole for the LCD is double damage. If I were to build one, I would only use an already broken board that doesn't have a clear repair. Devouring a working M122 for this would be a shame.

2. The PCB could benefit from some relief cuts.  This is a lot of tension, and while using the thin 1mm as the designer says should help, a lot of the writeup seems to focus on managing that tension during soldering and assembly.

That was my first thought too. It's how curved keywells like the Kenesis Advantage operate. I wonder if the creator would be open to revision. I don't have PCB design experience, but maybe re-routing the paths to add relief cuts is a good first project? Maybe not

3. This is a LOT of hotswap soldering on pads to do by hand.  I would not enjoy the work, personally.  I think the whole thing would benefit from a reflow setup maybe?

Meh. I always am looking for an excuse to use my soldering station. It absolutely would benefit from reflow.

4. Now all that said, this is really intriguing and I love the idea of solenoid keyboards.

I'm considering it. I have maybe too many projects in flight at the moment, but I can't stop looking back at this one.

[fohat.digs]

Cutting a hole for the LCD is double damage.

The case with the cut-out is a later M-122 case that has little collector's value, and may well be available from Unicomp anyway, at least in black.

The 1st-generation case is the desirable one that can easily be modified into a replacement F-122 case, so I would object to ruining one of those.

[_rubik]

Cutting a hole for the LCD is double damage.

The case with the cut-out is a later M-122 case that has little collector's value, and may well be available from Unicomp anyway, at least in black.

I didn't know that; thanks for the context!

[TomahawkLabs]

This thread has very similar parallels with the automotive community in regards to Resto-mods vs restorations. What has more value, a USB enabled, usable keyboard made from the bones of a vintage machine or keeping it stock and using a convertor or translator to communicate via USB?

I have been harvesting Alps switches for use in AEK keyboards, but with new guts to use with modern systems. AEKs are very common and are not seen as sought after in the way some other keyboards are. Makes me wonder what people think of switch harvesting (engine swapping) from vintage keyboards.

[fohat.digs]

I have been harvesting Alps switches

I am much more concerned with having something on my desk that works exactly the way that I want it to work than forcing myself to adapt myself to a piece of gear.

That said, future collectors of vintage gear (if there really are that many of them) will object to our pillaging of parts.

But, Alps are unique (proprietary?) enough that I have mostly just shuffled them around. So, aside from my Model Fs, my preferred keyboard is a Northgate Omnikey 101 with orange Alps transplanted into it.

[wjrii]

This thread has very similar parallels with the automotive community in regards to Resto-mods vs restorations. What has more value, a USB enabled, usable keyboard made from the bones of a vintage machine or keeping it stock and using a convertor or translator to communicate via USB?

I have been harvesting Alps switches for use in AEK keyboards, but with new guts to use with modern systems. AEKs are very common and are not seen as sought after in the way some other keyboards are. Makes me wonder what people think of switch harvesting (engine swapping) from vintage keyboards.

So I think cutting the plastic rivets, as mentioned, is a pretty common mod, and is basically necessary to do anything at all inside the board.  I don't think many people will begrudge someone their bolt mod.  I tend to feel that if there is a good supply of something, to the point where it doesn't seem to be holding much value, then there's no sense in wringing one's hands about the potential future state.  It's only when they start getting rare enough that people who want them for what they are have trouble finding them that I feel you should at least consider how much you value your project.  Ultimately, though, they're things, and if one instance of an object is bringing you joy, then enjoy.  In particular with Alps and Buckling spring, there's only the one company making them at all anymore, and supply could end up scarce.

One thing I did NOT realize is that Unicomp keeps 122's in stock.  Think I finally found the pre-built to put on my Christmas list.