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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: fotune on Thu, 10 December 2009, 18:51:08

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: fotune on Thu, 10 December 2009, 18:51:08

What kind of switches are these?? theyre more of a lime green in acuality.

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: microsoft windows on Thu, 10 December 2009, 18:51:49

I've never seen those before but I don't think they're Cherries.

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 10 December 2009, 18:52:36

They're not Cherrys. They remind me of some older linear switches I've seen on 70s/80s terminal keyboards, which, judging by the keycaps, is probably what your keyboard came from.

Do you have a better shot? Do you know what system they came from?

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: fotune on Thu, 10 December 2009, 18:57:56

It came off an electric typewriter, acually. my friend picked it up at a yard sale for $2. He took it apart for the motors or something, and he let me keep the keyboard.

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: microsoft windows on Thu, 10 December 2009, 18:59:05

It would be fun to make those keys work on a computer keyboard.

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:00:26

Are the keys clicky, or are they just linear?

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: fotune on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:00:32

thats acually what i was planning on doing, except just taking the switches, i like how they give a little 'ring' when they botom out.

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: microsoft windows on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:01:22

I bet they could be rigged up to a keyboard controller somehow. But I'd ask someone who's done this kind of work before about it.

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: fotune on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:01:46

they are pretty much linear, with the slightest bump halfway down for the keypress registering.

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: fotune on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:08:48

i just desoldered one, they look pretty normal on the underside...

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:14:43

Do they say Cherry on the switch anywhere? Seeing them in that profile reminds me of their older switches.

edit: Pics (http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/keyboard.html)

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: fotune on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:19:08

It says 'ALPS' on the underside, its tiny and in cursive in the little circle thing... sorry for the image quality, i need a new camera

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:23:06

Interesting, an early Alps switch...

Is the switch linear or tactile? (i.e. when you press the key, does it build up to a 'bump', or does it get progressively stiffer until you bottom out?)

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: fotune on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:24:41

I think linear, there is a slight 'bump' about halfway down

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:25:51

Got the order mixed up there - that would be a tactile switch. Linear is where there is no bump. When it gets to the bump, does it click?

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: Arc'xer on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:26:51

They look more like these that ch_ posted.

(http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/old_mx/old_cherry_keys1.jpg)
(Talk about double-shot molded, must have some nice plastics in them).

Are those switches you post some sort of double-mechanical switch? Like a joint per travel point or is it all one piece?

Gotta say they look more impressive than current.

The specific area is follow ch_'s link and go to others and at the bottom of the page is old cherry MX.(seems like the page doesn't change the link).

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:28:32

Those ones I linked are Cherry switches. Fotune's ones are Alps though. They do look surprisingly similar though.

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: fotune on Thu, 10 December 2009, 19:30:13

sorry :P
no, its very slight, no noise, just the tap at the bottom.

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: ak_nala on Fri, 11 December 2009, 05:47:18

What Make and Model of typewriter?

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: sandy55 on Fri, 11 December 2009, 06:30:05

early ALPS before long square stem.
link (http://www7.ocn.ne.jp/~hisao/image/paso700.htm)

Title: Green Cherry Keys?? Maybe???
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 11 December 2009, 09:01:43

Sandy's the man.