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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: spolia optima on Fri, 22 January 2010, 22:01:56

Title: these springs are made for bucklin'
Post by: spolia optima on Fri, 22 January 2010, 22:01:56

And that's just what they'll do
but I am curious about what sort of spring is made to suffer buckling, and what sort of spring will not buckle at all. I am sure that Unicomp and IBM had to put billions of hours of research into their spring options. They must have messed around with hundreds of variations before landing at the right buckle-ing spring.

What is the #1 complaint about buckling springs? They are too heavy, right? There are other complaints? Well forget about those ones. I am to understand that Unicomp springs, compared to a new M, are relatively light. Since a ton of folks like low/medium-low force actuation, it should follow that Unicomp sell a board with EVEN LIGHTER BUCKLING SPRINGS! Eureka! I mean, everyone knows that the action of the BS is perfect, but not many can appreciate a keyboard that takes a deal of work to type on. Best of both worlds, no?
  No?

Title: these springs are made for bucklin'
Post by: spolia optima on Fri, 22 January 2010, 23:13:44

Ah, I should probably learn how to use search. please disregard this thread.

Title: these springs are made for bucklin'
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 23 January 2010, 05:03:59

Also, Model M and Unicomp springs have been shown to be identical. The perception lightness is probably something related to the build quality of the keyboard.

Title: these springs are made for bucklin'
Post by: spolia optima on Mon, 25 January 2010, 18:08:05

Quote from: webwit;153202

Buckling weights for IBM Space Savers from 1987 and 2007, a Model F AT, a 3278 beam spring keyboard, a Model M from 1999 by IBM UK, and a Unicomp Model M13. Check that last one.

Code: [Select]

         ESC/ATTN  J        F5       4        E        B        ARRLEFT  Avg

Mini 87   73.65     66.00    71.30    73.25    72.15    72.45    76.50    72g
Mini 07   72.30     68.95    71.65    71.60    71.60    71.60    69.70    71g
F AT      65.70     64.30    65.45    66.20    60.30    64.80    60.65    64g
3278      42.20     46.60    54.00    53.95    48.25    56.25    41.00    49g
42H 99    65.90     74.70    66.00    72.20    72.50    69.25    69.80    70g
M13 UniC  60.40     60.30    65.45    64.15    59.45    65.65    62.95    63g

I'm guessing that the 3278 uses beam springs?
whatever it uses, it looks to be the least consistent of the group.