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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: precarious on Tue, 06 November 2012, 13:00:26

Title: cherry electron scanning microscope keyboard
Post by: precarious on Tue, 06 November 2012, 13:00:26

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cambridge-Stereoscan-S200-Scanning-Electron-Microscope-Cherry-Keyboard-UB88-0008-/360506635321

any thoughts on this?

Title: Re: cherry electron scanning microscope keyboard
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Tue, 06 November 2012, 13:23:25

Interesting. Pre MX Cherry, probably late 70's from the UK plant before they moved to Germany. Went for a decentish price. Nice collector piece.
I missed something similar that was actually made in the original Cherry plant in Chicago not too long ago.

Title: Re: cherry electron scanning microscope keyboard
Post by: absyrd on Tue, 06 November 2012, 14:02:42

So clean. Think the instuctions/legend is a sticker or some kind of lasered or engraved plate?

Title: Re: cherry electron scanning microscope keyboard
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Tue, 06 November 2012, 14:18:08

Looks like some engraved infill to me, like an award plaque.

Title: Re: cherry electron scanning microscope keyboard
Post by: precarious on Fri, 09 November 2012, 21:15:01

so I received this keyboard today and it's pretty much identical to the pictures on http://www.pcwaishe.cn/thread-36933-1-1.html

the caps are all the same profile, smaller than modern cherry caps -- the keyboard is a lot smaller than it looks in some of those photos, not even as wide as the average laptop.

the caps seem like they'd fit on MX switches if the round/stem portion were smaller, or if they were somehow mounted on the switch stems prior to the stems being placed within the switch housing.  in short, they can't simply be pushed onto existing mx switches.  i mounted one on an MY switch by pushing something into the back of the switch to keep the stem in place.

the keyboard housing itself is kind of nice, but it's small and generally incompatible and the switches are terrible, so if anyone is interested in that, feel free to send me a pm.  i've been using the PBT keys from the typewriter i recently purchased, the letters replaced with dyesub PBT and the rest of the board as white on black doubleshots, so i figure a similar setup wouldn't be too bad if i could get these keys onto a modern board.

Title: Re: cherry electron scanning microscope keyboard
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Sat, 10 November 2012, 11:14:38

I wouldn't have expected it to be so compact. I have seen that switch only once before in some portable microsystem like the trs-80/100. Still an intresting collection piece.

Title: Re: cherry electron scanning microscope keyboard
Post by: dorkvader on Sat, 10 November 2012, 13:39:40

wow, so the keyspacing is closer than the normal .75 inch. I notice on the 'site you linked that it's the same size as a Cherry G84-410* very interesting.

Any idea what sort of switch that is, tactile? linear? Looks like a precursor to the M7

Title: Re: cherry electron scanning microscope keyboard
Post by: precarious on Sat, 10 November 2012, 19:30:23

they feel like linear switches, but kind of gritty despite not looking that dirty