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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: jmchargue on Sun, 08 September 2013, 21:39:38

Title: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: jmchargue on Sun, 08 September 2013, 21:39:38: Hey guys, I recently came into owning an IBM Personal Computer Model P70 386. I never really thought of it until now, but the keyboard actually really good feeling. Anyone know what kind of switches it has? It is certainly not rubber-dome (did they even have rubber back then? :p)

Attached are some pics. Thanks guys!

Oh also, hello, I am new.

Jake
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: terran5992 on Sun, 08 September 2013, 22:00:03: Seems like a type of alps
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: ___q on Sun, 08 September 2013, 22:02:19: Alps plate spring!
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: jmchargue on Sun, 08 September 2013, 22:15:13: Nice! I'm pretty sure that's good, yeah? haha. Was going to buy a happy hacking pro 2, but maybe I'll hold off a while and try this.
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: terran5992 on Sun, 08 September 2013, 22:41:46: How does typing on it feel like?

Topre switches are superior compared to alps
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: jmchargue on Sun, 08 September 2013, 23:33:33: Typing feels pretty nice, but in all honesty, it's the first mechanical keyboard I've ever typed on. So that's to say, 100% better than my macbook keyboard, but I have no experience to tell me what is the best.
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 08 September 2013, 23:37:14: Welcome to Geekhack!

If you could show us the underneat of the keycap it might help a bit.
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: jmchargue on Sun, 08 September 2013, 23:44:58: Thanks!

>underside of keycap

Is that this?
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: TimIsABat on Sun, 08 September 2013, 23:56:42: Looks like the switch on a Compaq RT101 that I own. If this is the case, then this board is using a hammer rubber dome switch. Better than the newer rubber dome switches that come with some computers. I really like typing on my RT101 when I feel like being all old school and need a break from mechanical, but it isn't something too crazy.
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: jmchargue on Mon, 09 September 2013, 00:08:00: Dissecting! Stand by.
Title: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: Halverson on Mon, 09 September 2013, 00:10:57: Woops! Meant to link this....
http://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_plate_spring
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: jmchargue on Mon, 09 September 2013, 00:13:30: ^ that doesn't seem related.

But good call on the Alps switches, guys! Pics related.
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: ___q on Mon, 09 September 2013, 00:15:58: Yeah, it seems like this keyboard:

http://deskthority.net/news-reviews-f4/ibm-ps-2-p70-p75-keyboard-alps-plate-springs-t2351.html

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_plate_spring
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: terran5992 on Mon, 09 September 2013, 03:27:17: Quote from: jmchargue on Mon, 09 September 2013, 00:13:30
^ that doesn't seem related.

But good call on the Alps switches, guys! Pics related.

Ding ding ding

I was correct

Where's my prize?
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: ch_123 on Mon, 09 September 2013, 04:19:29: Congratulations, your first mech keyboard uses a rather rare and desirable switch. These dont have a lot in common with Alps' standard SKCM switches and they are more like a simplified beam spring switch.

Quote
^ that doesn't seem related.

Two of the pictures on that article are of the same model of keyboard that you have.
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: fohat.digs on Mon, 09 September 2013, 07:59:22: And those caps look THICK.

Do you have any acetone and/or do you know how to test whether they are PBT?
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: jmchargue on Mon, 09 September 2013, 09:55:43: Quote from: ch_123 on Mon, 09 September 2013, 04:19:29
Congratulations, your first mech keyboard uses a rather rare and desirable switch.
Cool! Now I just need to find a plug for it, and I'll be in business, haha.

Quote from: fohat.digs on Mon, 09 September 2013, 07:59:22
Do you know how to test whether they are PBT?

I do not. I would be willing to test them, though... for the sake of experiment :)
Title: Re: Need help IDing some switches OLD keyboard.
Post by: jmchargue on Mon, 09 September 2013, 12:37:05: Quote from: fohat.digs on Mon, 09 September 2013, 07:59:22
And those caps look THICK.

Do you have any acetone and/or do you know how to test whether they are PBT?

Wow, you guys are on fire. Pic related, tall glass of saturated salt water.