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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: Sera on Tue, 21 February 2017, 19:19:03

Title: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: Sera on Tue, 21 February 2017, 19:19:03
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-computer-click-clack-FK-8000-keyboard-FSQ4VY-works-/272564781708?hash=item3f7620828c:g:KBQAAOSwfVpYrNQU


Looks pretty clean and if the calculator works it could be a really nice cop if you live in the US
Title: Re: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: hwood34 on Wed, 22 February 2017, 09:04:50
Man, I loved my FK8000. Those futabas are surprisingly nice switches (and the calculator is pretty neet to, actually got some good use when I had it.) $50 is still pretty much the upper limit of what I would pay for this
Title: Re: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: chyros on Thu, 23 February 2017, 03:35:47
Man, I loved my FK8000. Those futabas are surprisingly nice switches (and the calculator is pretty neet to, actually got some good use when I had it.) $50 is still pretty much the upper limit of what I would pay for this
Mind you, these didn't usually come with Futabas; they were often Alps clones. Nice board, this :) .
Title: Re: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: hwood34 on Thu, 23 February 2017, 08:56:47
Man, I loved my FK8000. Those futabas are surprisingly nice switches (and the calculator is pretty neet to, actually got some good use when I had it.) $50 is still pretty much the upper limit of what I would pay for this
Mind you, these didn't usually come with Futabas; they were often Alps clones. Nice board, this :) .
Oh yea. My knowledge slipped lol. But yea, very nice boards
Title: Re: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: ander on Sat, 25 February 2017, 19:48:49
Futabas are one of those polarizing switches—you either love 'em or hate 'em. They're like okra.


[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: chyros on Sat, 25 February 2017, 20:11:45
I know you're well-known for liking them - have you restore-modded yours yet by the way? Apparently this mod dramatically changes keyfeel and sound.
Title: Re: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: ander on Sun, 26 February 2017, 22:20:28
I know you're well-known for liking them - have you restore-modded yours yet by the way? Apparently this mod dramatically changes keyfeel and sound.

Were you addressing me, Chyros? If so, what mod is that again? I'd like to try it.

My Futaba Focus is an FK-6000, BTW. So no calculator, unfortunately. It does however have the animated turn signals.
Title: Re: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: chyros on Mon, 27 February 2017, 05:39:30
I know you're well-known for liking them - have you restore-modded yours yet by the way? Apparently this mod dramatically changes keyfeel and sound.

Were you addressing me, Chyros? If so, what mod is that again? I'd like to try it.

My Futaba Focus is an FK-6000, BTW. So no calculator, unfortunately. It does however have the animated turn signals.
Yeah, I meant you. It's something someone put on DT a while ago. They postulated that the switches' rubber rings inside kinda **** up over time which messes up the keyfeel and sound. If you press down on a key really hard or something it shifts the ring back in place, making it much more tactile and clicky, something like that. Haven't tried it myself yet, but you might find it interesting :) .
Title: Re: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: ander on Mon, 27 February 2017, 17:03:51
Yeah, I meant you...

Brr, you sound like my wife.  :?)

I looked a bit for that reference but couldn't find it. If you see it again, thanks for letting me know.
Title: Re: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: chyros on Mon, 27 February 2017, 17:05:48
Yeah, I meant you...

Brr, you sound like my wife.  :?)

I looked a bit for that reference but couldn't find it. If you see it again, thanks for letting me know.
Sure, will do :) .
Title: Re: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: ander on Tue, 28 February 2017, 17:38:50
Now that I've had some coffee and am paying better attention, C., I realize you're saying this is something that's supposed to occur from use, correct? Not a spontaneous degradation of the ring material? In that case, I doubt it would apply to my FK-6000, which was NIB, and which I've used only occasionally. (I wouldn't want to enjoy it too often, since people have made it so clear here on GH that Futabas aren't supposed to be enjoyable, LOL.)

People are always searching GH for advice and tips, though—so if you do find that DT topic again, I'm sure some of them would appreciate it if you'd link to it here.

BTW, has anyone ever bothered to lube Futabas? I couldn't find references to that here or on DT. Wouldn't it be funny if lubed clicky Futabas turned out to be as good as, say, Alps Blues (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_SKCM_Blue), prompting a mad rush for Futaba boards before their prices skyrocketed? Seems unlikely—but considering that some people are glad to pay hundreds of bucks for a single key cap, it seems like anything's possible in the world of KB mania.
Title: Re: Focus FK 8000 with apparently working calculator
Post by: chyros on Tue, 28 February 2017, 20:16:35
Now that I've had some coffee and am paying better attention, C., I realize you're saying this is something that's supposed to occur from use, correct? Not a spontaneous degradation of the ring material? In that case, I doubt it would apply to my FK-6000, which was NIB, and which I've used only occasionally. (I wouldn't want to enjoy it too often, since people have made it so clear here on GH that Futabas aren't supposed to be enjoyable, LOL.)

People are always searching GH for advice and tips, though—so if you do find that DT topic again, I'm sure some of them would appreciate it if you'd link to it here.

BTW, has anyone ever bothered to lube Futabas? I couldn't find references to that here or on DT. Wouldn't it be funny if lubed clicky Futabas turned out to be as good as, say, Alps Blues (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_SKCM_Blue), prompting a mad rush for Futaba boards before their prices skyrocketed? Seems unlikely—but considering that some people are glad to pay hundreds of bucks for a single key cap, it seems like anything's possible in the world of KB mania.
No, it's from old age. Apparently the rubber mat on the inside of the switch warps upward with old age, and prevents the click plate from achieving full travel which mutes the sound and kills the tactility. I looked it up for you, and first noticed it here:

https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/futaba-clicky-switch-thoughts-t14941.html#p338255

Since then, people have tried to achieve the same without opening the switches, such as by pressing down on them hard:

https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/futaba-clicky-switch-thoughts-t14941.html

https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/alps-appreciation-t12915-1290.html

Don't think anyone's bothered to lube them tbh. Not really necessary either; while some like them and others don't, no-one would argue they're not super smooth ;) .

They're an interesting switch, really. I've wanted to do a review on one for a long time, but I'm waiting for some additional materials, and I want to try out this mod someday as well. Someday in the future maybe xD .