geekhack

geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: ander on Wed, 22 April 2015, 18:42:34

Title: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: ander on Wed, 22 April 2015, 18:42:34

Hey guys,

I just found something interesting: It appears to be an unused mechanical keyboard assembly, with visibly individual switches and what look
like double-shot, Selectric-style caps, for just $60.40 U.S.

NA KY-3030-C KEYBOARD ASSEMBLY (https://www.nriparts.com/electrical/controls/na/ky-3030-c-keyboard-assembly/)

NRI Indulstrial – Surplus Industrial Equipment

(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc265/FinallyAnAvailableName/00_KY-3030-C_zpsjc9y2r4c.jpg)

(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc265/FinallyAnAvailableName/01_KY-3030-C_zpsclexvd9i.jpg)

Love the caps—but as it has what looks like a floppy-drive connector, I wouldn't know what to do with it, so I thought I'd pass it along.

The page says it's new. I don't know how old it is, though, or what the actual technology is, or how many they have. The page also says it's "on
sale"; the same company has the same item on eBay for over $100.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: E TwentyNine on Wed, 22 April 2015, 18:54:35

The ebay listing does have a "best offer" option at least:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-KY-3030-C-KEYBOARD-ASSEMBLY-D464429-/291268522438

So if you're more comfortable buying through ebay you could likely get the same price.

I like the look of the keys but they look like they're kinda flat-topped, and don't look like the quality of selectric or beamspring keys.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: fohat.digs on Wed, 22 April 2015, 19:08:29

Weird-ass Enter key for sure.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: nubbinator on Wed, 22 April 2015, 19:32:42

Looks like linear Futaba switches (http://deskthority.net/wiki/Futaba_simplified_linear).

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: Snarfangel on Wed, 22 April 2015, 19:39:03

Quote from: ander on Wed, 22 April 2015, 18:42:34

Hey guys,

I just found something interesting: It appears to be an unused mechanical keyboard assembly, with visibly individual switches and what look
like double-shot, Selectric-style caps, for just $60.40 U.S.

NA KY-3030-C KEYBOARD ASSEMBLY (https://www.nriparts.com/electrical/controls/na/ky-3030-c-keyboard-assembly/)

NRI Indulstrial � Surplus Industrial Equipment

Show Image

(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc265/FinallyAnAvailableName/00_KY-3030-C_zpsjc9y2r4c.jpg)

Show Image

(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc265/FinallyAnAvailableName/01_KY-3030-C_zpsclexvd9i.jpg)

Love the caps�but as it has what looks like a floppy-drive connector, I wouldn't know what to do with it, so I thought I'd pass it along.

The page says it's new. I don't know how old it is, though, or what the actual technology is, or how many they have. The page also says it's "on
sale"; the same company has the same item on eBay for over $100.

Looking at other keyboards on that site, I saw this:
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODUzWDEyODA=/z/laEAAOSwrklVJDiW/$_58.JPG)

Are those the famous Hall-effect switches? (Seriously, I can't tell. I thought Micro Switch was the company that started making them, but I don't know if they made other types. These could be another beast entirely.  :))).

Here's the full link: https://www.nriparts.com/electrical/controls/honeywell/101sw1-4-h-micro-switch-keyboard-assembly-pcb-circuit-board/ (https://www.nriparts.com/electrical/controls/honeywell/101sw1-4-h-micro-switch-keyboard-assembly-pcb-circuit-board/)

/There were several different Honeywell keyboards on the site, but too much money and work for me to make usable. I know others are much handier with such things, assuming the switches are nice.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: ander on Thu, 23 April 2015, 00:19:12

Quote from: nubbinator on Wed, 22 April 2015, 19:32:42

Looks like linear Futaba switches (http://deskthority.net/wiki/Futaba_simplified_linear).

I love the description on that Deskthority page: "Despite the cheapness of the simplified switch, it proved itself as a robust and durable product, standing up the wear and tear of the United Kingdom's schoolchildren in the 1980s."

Quote from: fohat.digs on Wed, 22 April 2015, 19:08:29

Weird-ass Enter key for sure.

Man, it is! Maybe they thought that making it full-size big-ass would draw too much attention from those rampaging English schoolkids. I think I would've just avoided it and used the normal-shaped LINE FEED key above it. When you're trying to be productive, the last thing you need is to be weirded out by strange-feeling keys. I'm sure we've all been there.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: ed_avis on Thu, 23 April 2015, 02:13:24

According to Deskthority the only known use of linear Futaba switches was in the BBC Microcomputer - hence the comment about schoolchildren.  This Honeywell board doesn't come from anything used in British schools AFAIK, but it may be an unknown-until-now additional use of those switches.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: ander on Thu, 23 April 2015, 02:18:08

Really! Maybe that's why it's so cheap—maybe you have to hire an English schoolchild to operate it.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: andCoffee on Thu, 23 April 2015, 04:55:33

I've very recently become obsessed with these vintage terminal-type keyboards and I've been thinking of rewiring one for USB using a Teensy. 

Does anyone have any insight on if most boards are connected in the standard row*column way?  It's hard to tell from the back of the PCB on this one if the leads out of the cable could simply be connected to a Teensy or if I'd need to desolder the whole PCB and manually wire the switch array. 

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 23 April 2015, 09:07:46

Quote from: ed_avis on Thu, 23 April 2015, 02:13:24

According to Deskthority the only known use of linear Futaba switches was in the BBC Microcomputer - hence the comment about schoolchildren.  This Honeywell board doesn't come from anything used in British schools AFAIK, but it may be an unknown-until-now additional use of those switches.

The board in the OP is the one that looks like Futaba, not the Honeywell.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: andCoffee on Thu, 23 April 2015, 15:07:53

If anyone else was curious, I asked them for pictures of the switches:

(http://i.imgur.com/JrYNRQT.png)

(http://i.imgur.com/BW7dqPW.png)

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: andCoffee on Thu, 23 April 2015, 15:26:46

What do you think the odds are of these caps fitting on my NovaTouch stems?  They look pretty spot on, but even a millimeter would be enough to waste a lot of money...

(http://i.imgur.com/we12LEW.png)

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 23 April 2015, 15:43:09

Quote from: andCoffee on Thu, 23 April 2015, 15:26:46

What do you think the odds are of these caps fitting on my NovaTouch stems?  They look pretty spot on, but even a millimeter would be enough to waste a lot of money...

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/we12LEW.png)

0%

They're Futaba switches and not compatible.  From what I remember, the stems are larger and the stem is massively round.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: ander on Fri, 24 April 2015, 03:37:02

I think I'd get one just so I could say "Futaba" every time I saw it. No matter how you feel about the switch itself, you have to admit, it's one of the more fun-sounding switch names.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: ander on Sun, 25 October 2015, 04:48:30

Since I was the OP, I figured I could add this update without too much "necro" abuse...

As far as I can tell, the switches in the assembly I posted about are actually Bar-Mount Futaba Complicated Linears (http://deskthority.net/wiki/Futaba_complicated_linear#Bar_mount). The examples of Futaba Simplified Linears I've seen have the clips face the short sides of the rectangular base below the stem:

(http://deskthority.net/w/images/thumb/6/65/BBC_Micro_Type_1_switch.jpg/200px-BBC_Micro_Type_1_switch.jpg)

...while in Complicated the clips face the rectangle's long sides:

(http://deskthority.net/w/images/thumb/8/8b/Futaba_complicated_linear_infobox.jpg/200px-Futaba_complicated_linear_infobox.jpg)

Also notice the distinctive notches in the non-clip sides of the Complicated's enclosure. (Thanks to Deskpedia for the images.)

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: SamirD on Sun, 25 October 2015, 19:50:28

Nice update.  Pretty interesting keycaps.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: ander on Sun, 25 October 2015, 23:07:16

Quote from: SamirD on Sun, 25 October 2015, 19:50:28

Nice update.  Pretty interesting keycaps.

You'll also notice I ridiculed myself for posting to an old  thread, to save the rest of you the trouble. I'm so considerate.

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: SamirD on Mon, 26 October 2015, 10:49:33

Quote from: ander on Sun, 25 October 2015, 23:07:16

Quote from: SamirD on Sun, 25 October 2015, 19:50:28

Nice update.  Pretty interesting keycaps.

You'll also notice I ridiculed myself for posting to an old  thread, to save the rest of you the trouble. I'm so considerate.

Nah, I wouldn't dream of such--I've never seen the need to create a new thread when an old one can be picked up right where it was left off.  :cool:

I actually have years shut off on my site for this reason.  No one knows if it's May 15 of 2010 or 2015, lol!

Title: Re: New double-shot, mechanical assembly, $60?
Post by: ander on Sat, 31 October 2015, 03:57:41

Wow, another sane voice in the wilderness! I'm impressed.