geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: bscandanavia on Mon, 24 October 2011, 19:16:55
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Hi - I'm trying to determine the type of plastic used in recent apple keyboards. The keys used on the latest wireless keyboard and the mac book pros seems to be the same. Does anyone know what type of plastic they are made from? I'm guessing PBT like the AEII - but would like confirmation if anyone else has figured it out.
Thanks,
bjorn
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It seems like PBT to me. I owned an Apple Aluminum Keyboard for about four years, during which it was VERY heavily used. After those four years, only a few keys were starting to show signs of shininess (mainly the spacebar). The lettering didn't wear off either, which leads me to believe the legends are laser etched.
Apple Aluminum Keyboards might not be the most comfortable to type on, but they're very durable.
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I could be totally wrong, but the keys seem far too durable for ABS (which the keys on my older "clear plastic wedge"/"dirt trap" Apple keyboard are made of, which are now shiny as hell). Don't know enough about the legend marking method to know for sure.
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Apple's keyboards are certainly lasered though.
The ones at school are also somewhat shiny and they're only ~3 years old.
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I meant the scissor switch Apple Aluminum is probably pad printed.
Boiling tests here.
(http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?23335-What-s-For-Lunch!!!-It-s-TIME-to-boil-some-keys.&p=439088&viewfull=1#post439088)
(Attachment) 29899[/ATTACH]
Dear The Dude,
Would you like a free slightly beer-soaked apple wireless keyboard to do cruel test on? (And report back your findings!) It works, but kind of sticky... I bought another one. If so, PM me your address and I'll ship it away.
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Most Excellent! :)