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Author Topic: Microswitch keyboard.  (Read 4858 times)

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Offline keybeatz

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Microswitch keyboard.
« on: Wed, 10 June 2015, 09:37:13 »
Hi all,

Been trawling the internet in search of a keyboard that uses microswitches similar to the ones used on mouse buttons i.e. minimal travel and response, but to no avail. Do you guys know of any keyboards commercially available that use these?

Cheers!
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Offline trillobite

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Re: Microswitch keyboard.
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 10 June 2015, 15:26:11 »
I searched the same thing out of curiosity a few months ago, and to my knowledge, none exist.

Personally, I think micro-switches would be very interesting, and I would at least want to try a keyboard made with them at least once! It looks like the only way you could get one is to either build one yourself, or have someone do it for you. I had the idea to build one using micro-switches, due to the reduced cost compared to mx switches, but I realized that you would also have to produce some custom key-caps. I do have access to a 3D printer, but even then, the time spent designing the keys would be immense!
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Offline Blaise170

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Re: Microswitch keyboard.
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 10 June 2015, 15:57:55 »
Almost all mice available on the market use Omron momentary microswitches. Omron currently only produces the Romer-G keyswitches for Logitech so I don't think you'd find a microswitch keyboard available. I can't imagine a microswitch board feeling very nice either.
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Offline rm-rf

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Re: Microswitch keyboard.
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 10 June 2015, 16:11:03 »
a long time ago, i was interested in a keyboard that used those switches.
and i figured one day when i had enough time, i would try to make one.
although... i am not sure how satisfying it would be to type on, if there was such a thing.

once had an idea of using the micro switches that are a bit larger...
something like this.
http://www.switchchannel.com/switches/micro%20switches/sd001/SD001%20micro%20switch.htm

the metal leaver thing, depending on how long it was can lengthen or shorten the switch actuation.
seeing all those photographs of the "data hand" keyboard made me want to try and make something similar with these switches.
but its just another one of those project ideas that never gets put into the works.

who knows. maybe there is a keyboard out there that uses something like that.
or maybe i will eventually get enough time to work on all of my project ideas...
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Offline Vintage

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Re: Microswitch keyboard.
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 10 June 2015, 16:11:49 »
I think it would feel quite weird as there is no travel on a microswitch.
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Microswitch keyboard.
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 10 June 2015, 19:08:22 »
Scissor switches on laptops and the thin metal Apple keyboards have minimal travel.

My wife, a magazine editor who types thousands of words a day, and has for decades, swears by them. She should know.

Personally, I like machines with moving parts.
 
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Offline rm-rf

  • Posts: 357
  • Location: Bellingham, WA
Re: Microswitch keyboard.
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 10 June 2015, 19:44:34 »
the micro switches with the moving metal bar do have a bit of travel distance.
and the longer the metal piece is, the more it travels.
so in theory.. you could make something with as much movement as you wanted.
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Offline t13

  • Posts: 12
Re: Microswitch keyboard.
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 11 June 2015, 17:01:10 »
If you have an Apple store nearby, check out the new MacBooks. They are razor thin, as are their keyboards, with little travel to them, less than with the scissor models. There's some rumbling that the next group of external keyboards might use these new switches.
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Offline Roibhilin

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Re: Microswitch keyboard.
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 11 June 2015, 17:51:49 »
the only microswitch keyboard i know exists looks like this
http://mykeyboard.co.uk/microswitch/
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Offline keybeatz

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Re: Microswitch keyboard.
« Reply #9 on: Thu, 11 June 2015, 23:31:40 »
Cheers for the replys chaps. I've already orded the apple keyboard and a smaller fake knockoff to see what the travel is like on them. Hopefully they'll do the job! If not I may have to make a frankenkeyboard from the husks of old mice.
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