geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: bond1 on Sun, 28 November 2010, 22:40:52
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I found this keyboard today at a thrift store for a whopping $1.00. As soon as I pressed the keys I knew it wasn't a cheap keyboard. Does anyone know much about NMB keyboards - are they desirable? I had never heard of them but this is obviously a good keyboard.
Sorry I don't have any "before" pics, I already cleaned it up. It has a nice solid metal base underneath the mechanical keyswitches. And the keys have a fantastic light click to them. I may just use this as my everyday keyboard now. Also unusual are the SPACEBAR/BACKSPACE keys. They can be configured in several ways (I just use both of them as SPACE keys).
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2129966/nmb1.jpg)
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2129966/nmb2.jpg)
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love the split space bar :)
good find! :D
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love the split space bar :)
good find! :D
Yup, that split spacebar is pretty cool and unique.
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I found this keyboard today at a thrift store for a whopping $1.00. As soon as I pressed the keys I knew it wasn't a cheap keyboard. Does anyone know much about NMB keyboards - are they desirable? I had never heard of them but this is obviously a good keyboard.
Sorry I don't have any "before" pics, I already cleaned it up. It has a nice solid metal base underneath the mechanical keyswitches. And the keys have a fantastic light click to them. I may just use this as my everyday keyboard now. Also unusual are the SPACEBAR/BACKSPACE keys. They can be configured in several ways (I just use both of them as SPACE keys).
love the split space bar :)
good find! :D
Yup, that split spacebar is pretty cool and unique. I'm not sure how much cleaning you had to do but it looks in very good condition. Congratulations on a great deal.
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Yeah the more I use the split spacebar the more I like it. Even though I have them both set as space keys, it just feels nice and balanced. It eliminates any kind of "torqueing" effect from a long spacebar. And the switches in this thing sound classy and feel wonderful.
I took it apart and cleaned everything - it was pretty grimy, but no scratches or cracks in the casing at all. It could pass for a new keyboard now.
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Those are nice switches. I've never seen a model with a split spacebar. nice find!
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Space invader switches are very nice for sure. Very similar in feel and sound to cherry blues.
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Space Invaders with Erase-Eaze, wow, that must have been a late one. Nice catch there. People do seem to like these switches EXCEPT for their fragility, apparently they're quite easy to damage when taking off keycaps.
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Yeah you have to be careful, they're not so much fragile, but it's really easy for the top of the switch to come off with the keycap, and there's a little spring in there that can fly right out and is easy to lose. They are easy to put back together though (as long as you don't lose the spring).
Here's a tip for anyone else with one of these NMB boards: I've found that the keycaps come off really easy if you just pry the very corner of them at an angle. Don't pull straight up. This way they will pop right off leaving the switches intact.
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Where does one find old keyboards like this? I try value village and goodwill once in a while with no results. Local used computer shops are a no-go. Where can I go other than ebay?
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I think you just need to check those places often, they get new stuff in on a daily basis from all over - donations, schools, old closed down office buildings, etc. I've seen Model M's at Goodwill before. This one was at the bottom of a bunch of cheapo keyboards. Dirty and grimy, most people just assume it's an old piece of junk. My wife goes to these stores all the time - I've since told her: If the keys click, buy it! Especially since they are usually priced at only a couple dollars...