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Author Topic: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps  (Read 1738 times)

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Offline FrostyToast

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Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« on: Tue, 15 July 2014, 23:05:32 »
A long, long time back, there was a big thread about a series of sort of little platforms that would go on your switch stems.
There would be ones that would fit on to Topre, MX, Alps, and maybe even BS, however all of the tops would be the exact same sort of shape.
This would allow for universal keycaps that could be placed on any switch you wanted.
I don't have the connections to make something like this happen, but maybe the rest of the folks on GeekHack can work together to make this actually be a thing.
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Quote from: elton5354
I don't need anymore keyboards

Offline rowdy

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 15 July 2014, 23:18:07 »
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Offline FrostyToast

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 15 July 2014, 23:34:07 »
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Quote from: elton5354
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Offline Oobly

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 16 July 2014, 02:58:59 »
Perhaps something like IBM buckling spring two-piece keycaps? "Just" need to make MX and Topre lower cap sections.

Or maybe a whole new design, but I'm not sure the best way to connect the keycap "top" to the stem. If it's not done well it could make them more wobbly.
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Buying more keycaps,
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Offline dantan

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 20 July 2014, 11:06:21 »
Quote from: Oobly on Wed, 16 July 2014, 02:58:59
Perhaps something like IBM buckling spring two-piece keycaps? "Just" need to make MX and Topre lower cap sections.

Or maybe a whole new design, but I'm not sure the best way to connect the keycap "top" to the stem. If it's not done well it could make them more wobbly.

did you mean to say oobly?  :D
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:10:42 »
Quote from: Oobly on Wed, 16 July 2014, 02:58:59
Perhaps something like IBM buckling spring two-piece keycaps?

IBM had already gotten it right during Reagan's first term in office.

The mistake was building the profile into the key caps instead of the keyboard.

"Imagine there's no profile .....
"It's easy if you try ....."
« Last Edit: Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:46:53 by fohat.digs »
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Offline FrostyToast

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:17:58 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:10:42
Quote from: Oobly on Wed, 16 July 2014, 02:58:59
Perhaps something like IBM buckling spring two-piece keycaps?

IBM had gotten it right during Reagan's first term in office.

The mistake was building the profile into the key caps instead of the keyboard.

"Imagine no profile .....
"It's easy if you try ....."

If we did manage to find a good way to get this sort of thing going, we could angle and raise/lower the stems of the bottom caps to have the proper profile. This would also make the same top cap fit on both DSA and DCS angled bottom caps.
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Quote from: elton5354
I don't need anymore keyboards
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