Alps Appreciation Thread

[Mattr567]

Is..is that a SKCL Amber Lock?!

[emdude]

Probably not, here's the same image color-corrected.  According to the DT Wiki, they only came in Cream and Gray variants.

[Mattr567]

Probably not, here's the same image color-corrected.  According to the DT Wiki, they only came in Cream and Gray variants.

Show Image

I don't think so, still looks amber to me. E3E found a SKCL Brown Lock, so I think there are more out there.

[emdude]

I think it is plainly Cream colored, but I fear this will turn into a White/Gold vs. Black/Blue dress sort of argument if it continues, so I will leave it at that.  )

EDIT: I will leave this direct comparison of the sliders here though.  If someone like E3E or Jacobolus knows something about it, please correct me!

[losing_ctrl]

I received my V80 today with the Matias Quiet Clicks!

Here's a moneyshot:

Show Image

I replaced some keys with an incomplete set of thin ABS doubleshots I have from a butchered FK-2001. The stock keycaps are even thinner than the ones on the Focus's though they actually feel somewhat denser. I'm fond of the colored shift and escape key myself.

The build quality of the rest of the board is excellent though, it has a good amount of weight to it and doesn't flex at all. Furthermore the keyboard's finish is very slick matte black.

I really like these Matias, the tactility is stronger than I was expecting.  I don't really care for the dampening though and I'll probably pop out the bumpers on the slider. The keycaps from the Focus give it a kind of neat sound I can't describe. They are really smooth and when I opened up a switch it felt like there was a very small amount of lubricant on the slider. Has Matias always done this?

The spacebar is also lovely, not rattly and doesn't sound much different than normal keys. The other stabilized keys are kind of rattly though.

Here's a close up of the keycaps, the Focus ones need a light wash and you can see some nicks too, scars of the past!

Show Image

Overall I'm happy with this board and would gladly recommend it and it's switches to anyone.

Great first impressions, thanks for sharing. Those keycaps look great, they really provide a lot of personality to an otherwise brand new board. I just received my own V80 with Quiet Clicks yesterday with the Tai-Hao psuedo-Dolch caps. I'm definitely agreeing with your positive first impressions. Like everybody else I wish there were much more Alps keycap choices.

[emdude]

According to this, the new 60% Matias boards with PBT key caps will be coming out at the end of the year.

I really hope this is true, but we'll see I guess.

[E3E]

Cross post from the Alpine Winter thread:

Finally got a case for my second Alps Duck Eagle that I hotswap modded along with the original.
And it matches Alpine Winter very well!

Of course the cable or wrist rest doesn't match, but hey. I'll have to get some paracord again and a white rest or something.

 








It's an FMJ design #1.

Using SKCM Brown at the moment:



I tried this with like three or four different cap OG Alps sets mixed with the Badwrench DCS mod pack and Alpine Winter mods before I decided to just put Alpine Winter on entirely. 

I tried the NeXT WoB for the Alphas, my dyed IBM 5140 PBT caps, Dell AT101 caps, but I wasn't entirely satisfied with any of them for the aesthetic.

[emdude]

Looks fantastic!  Very jealous. 

I'm curious, in what color(s) did you dye your 5140 key caps?

[E3E]

Looks fantastic!  Very jealous. 

I'm curious, in what color(s) did you dye your 5140 key caps?

Thanks emdude. I'm very happy to finally have a case for my other Eagle, and one that can rival the Hammer to boot (that one's still my favorite though )

 Hey, you're the one who got all those beamsprings though, right? That's an amazing find in itself!

I just dyed them black. Kind of on impulse when I was dyeing another set of Dell AT101 caps black for my Orion v2. I wanted to see how the IBM 5140s compared. The Dell caps dye with a blueish hue. The 5140 caps have a more neutral greyish/black hue.





The number pad you see uses dyed AT101 caps, but you really can't tell the difference unless you put them under bright white lighting. Very subtle.

[E3E]

Probably not, here's the same image color-corrected.  According to the DT Wiki, they only came in Cream and Gray variants.

Show Image

I don't think so, still looks amber to me. E3E found a SKCL Brown Lock, so I think there are more out there.

Show Image

Hey, I apologize for the doublepost, but I had an Apple IIc A2S4100 and it had about three SKCL Lock switches, if I remember correctly. They were all cream! I think it's just color inaccuracies in the photo like emdude pointed out.

[emdude]

Looks fantastic!  Very jealous. 

I'm curious, in what color(s) did you dye your 5140 key caps?

Thanks emdude. I'm very happy to finally have a case for my other Eagle, and one that can rival the Hammer to boot (that one's still my favorite though )

 Hey, you're the one who got all those beamsprings though, right? That's an amazing find in itself!

I just dyed them black. Kind of on impulse when I was dyeing another set of Dell AT101 caps black for my Orion v2. I wanted to see how the IBM 5140s compared. The Dell caps dye with a blueish hue. The 5140 caps have a more neutral greyish/black hue.

Show Image

Show Image

The number pad you see uses dyed AT101 caps, but you really can't tell the difference unless you put them under bright white lighting. Very subtle.

Thanks for the extra pics.  I have two Alps64s in the pipeline myself, both of which are to use cheap plastic cases, but to be honest, your Hammer and Duck Eagle is making me want to invest in nice aluminum cases..    I think I'll have to look into how those sort of cases affect sound and such first.

I definitely can't wait to work on my beam springs though, only a few more days..

[klennkellon]

sions, thanks for sharing. Those keycaps look great, they really provide a lot of personality to an otherwise brand new board. I just received my own V80 with Quiet Clicks yesterday with the Tai-Hao psuedo-Dolch caps. I'm definitely agreeing with your positive first impressions. Like everybody else I wish there were much more Alps keycap choices.

I don't actually like the dampening too much so I might do a switch swap with some other tactile ALPS switch in the future. Possibly an AEK I with SKCM Oranges.

[Blaise170]

Too much work for most people but you can always remove the dampeners if you want. I think Matias Linear actually feel very similar to SKCL Green once you remove the damps.

[mike52787]

damn e3e why do you have to have all the brown alps! save some for me! 

[losing_ctrl]

sions, thanks for sharing. Those keycaps look great, they really provide a lot of personality to an otherwise brand new board. I just received my own V80 with Quiet Clicks yesterday with the Tai-Hao psuedo-Dolch caps. I'm definitely agreeing with your positive first impressions. Like everybody else I wish there were much more Alps keycap choices.

I don't actually like the dampening too much so I might do a switch swap with some other tactile ALPS switch in the future. Possibly an AEK I with SKCM Oranges.

I hear you, but wouldn't that make the switch louder, thereby taking the quiet out of the quiet clicks? Have you tried the normal tactile clicks? I chose the quiet clicks feeling like I was willing to give up a bit of tactility to get a quieter switch.

[chyros]

Sooo, I need an opinion.
It has been a little difficult to find a HHKB layout 60% ALPS plate in metal and as you can see I really like my HHKB layout.

Should I go ahead and build my TMK ALPS64 with this 1.5mm acrylic plate?
I wonder how it will feel with the acrylic plate... will I regret it?
Will be using green alps!

Show Image

Linear is not for everyone, so no guarantees.... But as for as linears go, it's hard to go wrong with Alps xD .

damn e3e why do you have to have all the brown alps! save some for me!  :p

I know right, he's a hoarder! He's holding all the Lime ones too :p .

[mike52787]

Just finished my alps64 today, complete with click modded SKCL greens. I couldnt find a spacebar that would work for the infinity layout, so I modded an OG  Focus spacebar from the fk2001 I stiole the caps from. It doesnt look good, but maybe someday I will find a correctly colored 6u spacebar, Here is a few pics. I also have a sound recording of the switches.

frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/youtube]

[chyros]

Ze ping and ze click, what a combo .

[mike52787]

Ze ping and ze click, what a combo .

and youre gonna get to play with it in a few weeks, as promised.

[alienman82]

removed.

[Mattr567]

Just finished my alps64 today, complete with click modded SKCL greens. I couldnt find a spacebar that would work for the infinity layout, so I modded an OG  Focus spacebar from the fk2001 I stiole the caps from. It doesnt look good, but maybe someday I will find a correctly colored 6u spacebar, Here is a few pics. I also have a sound recording of the switches.

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/youtube]

Wow, thats really interesting. Where did you get the clicky leaves from? SKCM White?

[emdude]

Looks great, mike!  If Alpine Spring (or some other Alps GB) happens, perhaps you can get a proper 6u space bar (and nice new caps)!

The ping is also interesting..  How exactly do you feel about it?

[mike52787]

Just finished my alps64 today, complete with click modded SKCL greens. I couldnt find a spacebar that would work for the infinity layout, so I modded an OG  Focus spacebar from the fk2001 I stiole the caps from. It doesnt look good, but maybe someday I will find a correctly colored 6u spacebar, Here is a few pics. I also have a sound recording of the switches.

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/youtube]

Wow, thats really interesting. Where did you get the clicky leaves from? SKCM White?

Yup, took the click leaves and top housings from a fk2001.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mike52787]

Looks great, mike!  If Alpine Spring (or some other Alps GB) happens, perhaps you can get a proper 6u space bar (and nice new caps)!

The ping is also interesting..  How exactly do you feel about it?

I love the ping. maybe thats why I love model f buckling spring too. I would like to get my hands on a new keyset, but I have a real soft spot for og multi colored focus doubleshots. theyre really sweet caps. the spacebar on the other hand, I would love to replace. but afaik there werent any vintage alps boards made with a 6u spacebar.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jacobolus]

There are a lot of different Alps spacebar sizes. I’m sure I’ve seen 4.75u, 5u, 5.25u. Not 100% sure about 6u, but I suspect there’s probably one somewhere.

[quasistellar]

Quick question: what's the lightest tactile Alps switch? Is it brown? I'm trying to think about another switch to try if I find that quiet clicks are too heavy.

[alienman82]

removed.

[quasistellar]

That's a little disappointing -- aren't orange around 60gf for actuation?

[E3E]

Quick question: what's the lightest tactile Alps switch? Is it brown? I'm trying to think about another switch to try if I find that quiet clicks are too heavy.

SKCM Orange without a doubt if we're talking spring weight alone.

That's a little disappointing -- aren't orange around 60gf for actuation?

55-60g, but if you want lighter, you can pop in SKCL green springs which are 45-50g. I've heard Matias linears are even lighter so you might want to take a look at them, but I could be wrong. I don't know much about Matias at the moment.

[Wingpad]

There are a lot of different Alps spacebar sizes. I’m sure I’ve seen 4.75u, 5u, 5.25u. Not 100% sure about 6u, but I suspect there’s probably one somewhere.

I know that Signature Plastics sells Alps spacebars in 6u in their various profiles, it would just be a matter of finding the color you are looking for @mike52787.

I've heard Matias linears are even lighter so you might want to take a look at them, but I could be wrong. I don't know much about Matias at the moment.

Matias accidentally sent me their linear switches awhile ago when I bought my QCs from them. Having tried them and SKCL greens I can attest to the fact that, at the very least, Matias Linear switches feel lighter. I am not sure if this is an aging related issue, but the linear switches were smooth like butter and very light, not unlike Gateron Clears (perhaps even lighter, if that's possible). I wish I would've saved a few so I could test 'em again.

[klennkellon]

The Matias are all around 60g respectively.

[Wingpad]

The Matias are all around 60g respectively.

I don't think the quiet linears are, Matias' website lists them as 35 +/- 5 gf. Like I said, they felt very comparable to Gateron Clears.

[quasistellar]

Yeah I've done some tinkering, and the quiet click and linear Matias springs seem to be the same. The difference in weight comes from the shape of the leaf as far as I can tell, with the tactile leaf providing more resistance.

Once I build my infinity I'll have to give Orange a try to compare. I'm basically wanting a unicorn: tactile Alps at 45g.

[Mattr567]

I miss my AEKII, think ill buy another one.

[alienman82]

removed.

[Mattr567]

I miss my AEKII, think ill buy another one.

the switches in that are so bad   at least to me.

I assume your talking about SKCM Cream Damp. Dirty ones feel bad but clean nice ones feel pretty good actually. Its also that I also miss the board itself. Since I sold it I have had the opportunity to try many more Alps switches so I think my opinion has shifted.

[mike52787]

I miss my AEKII, think ill buy another one.

the switches in that are so bad   at least to me.

I assume your talking about SKCM Cream Damp. Dirty ones feel bad but clean nice ones feel pretty good actually. Its just that I also miss the board itself. Since I sold it I have had the opportunity to try many more Alps switches so I think my opinion has shifted.

Ive never personally tried them but I like regular cream. How do they stack up?

[alienman82]

removed.

[mike52787]

SKCM Cream feel really nice, but Ive never tried cream damped or SKCL Cream.

[klennkellon]

The Matias are all around 60g respectively.

I don't think the quiet linears are, Matias' website lists them as 35 +/- 5 gf. Like I said, they felt very comparable to Gateron Clears.
 
(Attachment Link)

I read somewhere Matias only did that for a few batches of the quiet linears.

[E3E]

I miss my AEKII, think ill buy another one.

the switches in that are so bad   at least to me.

I assume your talking about SKCM Cream Damp. Dirty ones feel bad but clean nice ones feel pretty good actually. Its just that I also miss the board itself. Since I sold it I have had the opportunity to try many more Alps switches so I think my opinion has shifted.

Ive never personally tried them but I like regular cream. How do they stack up?

I've never tried Matias Quiet Clicks, which seem like their closest relative to compare against, but they were essentially Alp's push against the move toward rubber domes, which were, of course, much quieter. They feel like rubber domes a bit.

I think mixing a damped slider with SKCM Brown or Green would give a near authentic Topre feel.

[klennkellon]

I agree that dampened ALPS have a rubber dome esque feeling to them. If the actuation was just slightly higher up it would definitely have a feel reminiscent of Topre.

[emdude]

So I managed to net myself a 5140 for a pretty great price, practically new too; SKCM Browns are really interesting, these certainly have a thockiness to them. )

I'll definitely be harvesting these for a 60%, I really want to go with a layout that is like the one on the 5140 so I can use all of its original key caps.



Also wondering, would it be safe to say that the SKCL Compacts are basically identical to SKCL Greens (aside from the weird mount)?

[E3E]

So I managed to net myself a 5140 for a pretty great price, practically new too; SKCM Browns are really interesting, these certainly have a thockiness to them. )

I'll definitely be harvesting these for a 60%, I really want to go with a layout that is like the one on the 5140 so I can use all of its original key caps.

Show Image

Also wondering, would it be safe to say that the SKCL Compacts are basically identical to SKCL Greens (aside from the weird mount)?

I find them to be a pinch heavier than SKCL Green, actually. I've dealt with quite a few sets of them from different boards and this always seems to be the case. They're just as pingy though, that's for sure. :)

[Wingpad]

I read somewhere Matias only did that for a few batches of the quiet linears.

Hmm, so what your saying is there is a chance that if I buy a bag of QLs there's a chance they might be heavy enough for me to like them?

So I managed to net myself a 5140 for a pretty great price, practically new too; SKCM Browns are really interesting, these certainly have a thockiness to them. )

Nice find! I am currently in the process of trying to find a good deal on one as well.

Anyway, I have two questions for you guys:

1) I recently bought this ALPS Wyse Keyboard to harvest it for keycaps and switches. It is definitely a Wyse-compatible board since it has the same connector as the board I harvested vintage blacks from; however, it is not externally branded as a Wyse board. I have yet to open it up, but I am sure I will find that the PCB is labelled as a 'Wyse' since, holy cow, the keycaps on this board are pretty thick and double-shot (just like SP's for the other Wyse boards). Do you guys know anything about who made these keycaps? I can post pictures when I get back home later (if that would help).

2) Is click-modding greens any smoother than click-modding oranges? In an old thread, click-modding oranges was recommended over greens but I have to wonder because the greens I opened up on this board have dried lube on their sliders. My tinkering suggests that using the top case from a Salmon switch, click plate from a White and a spring, switch plate and base from a Green yields a pretty smooth switch, albeit a pingy one with a noticeable amount of hysteresis.

[mike52787]

So I managed to net myself a 5140 for a pretty great price, practically new too; SKCM Browns are really interesting, these certainly have a thockiness to them. )

I'll definitely be harvesting these for a 60%, I really want to go with a layout that is like the one on the 5140 so I can use all of its original key caps.

Show Image

Also wondering, would it be safe to say that the SKCL Compacts are basically identical to SKCL Greens (aside from the weird mount)?

absolutely not. SKCL Green compacts have a different spring, different switchplate and different keycap mount


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mike52787]

I read somewhere Matias only did that for a few batches of the quiet linears.

Hmm, so what your saying is there is a chance that if I buy a bag of QLs there's a chance they might be heavy enough for me to like them?

So I managed to net myself a 5140 for a pretty great price, practically new too; SKCM Browns are really interesting, these certainly have a thockiness to them. )

Nice find! I am currently in the process of trying to find a good deal on one as well.

Anyway, I have two questions for you guys:

1) I recently bought this ALPS Wyse Keyboard to harvest it for keycaps and switches. It is definitely a Wyse-compatible board since it has the same connector as the board I harvested vintage blacks from; however, it is not externally branded as a Wyse board. I have yet to open it up, but I am sure I will find that the PCB is labelled as a 'Wyse' since, holy cow, the keycaps on this board are pretty thick and double-shot (just like SP's for the other Wyse boards). Do you guys know anything about who made these keycaps? I can post pictures when I get back home later (if that would help).

2) Is click-modding greens any smoother than click-modding oranges? In an old thread, click-modding oranges was recommended over greens but I have to wonder because the greens I opened up on this board have dried lube on their sliders. My tinkering suggests that using the top case from a Salmon switch, click plate from a White and a spring, switch plate and base from a Green yields a pretty smooth switch, albeit a pingy one with a noticeable amount of hysteresis.

My click modded greens are pretty smooth, they have a white top housing and click leaf though. still incredibly pingy though )


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wingpad]

My click modded greens are pretty smooth, they have a white top housing and click leaf though. still incredibly pingy though )

For whatever reason, I could not get the top housing from a white switch to fit on the bottom housing for the SKCL greens (it wouldn't snap closed on one side). I suspected it was due to the longer gray plates inside of the greens so I just grabbed a salmon top housing and it fit.

And yes, I saw your video, incredibly pingy indeed, haha.

[E3E]

absolutely not. SKCL Green compacts have a different spring, different switchplate and different keycap mount


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is mostly true. Different spring, different mount, different slider, different housing, but the switch plate is in-fact the same, and I've used the plates to fix dead or chattery standard SKCL/SKCM switches before.

Never throw out your SKCL Compacts.

For whatever reason, I could not get the top housing from a white switch to fit on the bottom housing for the SKCL greens (it wouldn't snap closed on one side). I suspected it was due to the longer gray plates inside of the greens so I just grabbed a salmon top housing and it fit.

And yes, I saw your video, incredibly pingy indeed, haha.

That doesn't make any sense though! The SKCM Salmon and SKCM White switches both have short switch plates. That said, the top housings do not have any bearing on the bottom and you should be able to use any SKCM top housing on almost every SKCM switch aside from Brown. SKCL switches too!

Are you sure you didn't just put the top on backwards? It's a really easy mistake to do until you get used to how the housings are oriented. That'd stop the top from going on.

[mike52787]

My click modded greens are pretty smooth, they have a white top housing and click leaf though. still incredibly pingy though )

For whatever reason, I could not get the top housing from a white switch to fit on the bottom housing for the SKCL greens (it wouldn't snap closed on one side). I suspected it was due to the longer gray plates inside of the greens so I just grabbed a salmon top housing and it fit.

And yes, I saw your video, incredibly pingy indeed, haha.

I think the problem youre having has to do with your click leaf placement. There is 2 little ridges on hte inside of the top of the housing on 1 side, make sure that is the side you put the click leaf in, and put the switch plate in the other side. That will prevent the switch from closing properly if you dont.