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Author Topic: How can I buy keyswitches directly?  (Read 1946 times)

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Offline footloose

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  • Posts: 1
How can I buy keyswitches directly?
« on: Sun, 06 June 2010, 01:20:57 »
I am building a one-handed chording keyboard.
I would like some nice mechanical keyswitches.
Cherry MX are easy to find, I bought some from Digikey.

But how can I buy ALPS-like or buckling spring-like keyswitches?

I am not a connoisseur of mechanical keyswitches...  I fondly remember a Model-M-alike I had as a child, and when this project came up I naturally wanted a similiar feel.  But I don't know what ALPS-like or BS-"like" switches feel like, so I would like to test them.

It seems crazy that I can buy a keyboard with 104 switches+caps for $70 (solidtek 6600 for ALPS-like or unicomp customizer for BS-like), but I can't find a place to direct-buy the keyswitches from.

I'm guessing I'm probably going to go with Cherry anyway since that leaves several options for feel, but I thought I'd ask.
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Offline ch_123

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  • Posts: 5860
How can I buy keyswitches directly?
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 06 June 2010, 05:28:45 »
Alps doesn't make keyswitches any more. Modern Alps boards use copies of varying quality from different Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers, but I'm not sure where you can buy them individually.

IBMs do not use individual switches, but Model Fs and Japanese 5576s use detachable spring modules, but it's not going to be easy to find them seperate to whole keyboards.
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Offline didjamatic

  • Posts: 1352
How can I buy keyswitches directly?
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 06 June 2010, 06:22:32 »
Your best/only option is to find a used board and desolder the switches from it, it takes under an hour to desolder them all.

Some good options that are usually inexpensive:
Apple Extended Keyboard II - Dampened, tactile, non-clicky
Dell AT101W - Tactile, non-clicky blacks

There are plenty of clicky ALPS boards that pop up on ebay, this one should have very good complicated clicky ALPS and since it has an ugly cord and cigarette burn, it should go for cheap and be a great donor board.
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IBM F :: IBM M :: Northgate :: Cherry G80 :: Realforce :: DAS 4

Offline Superfluous Parentheses

  • Posts: 256
How can I buy keyswitches directly?
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 07 June 2010, 18:55:31 »
Quote from: didjamatic;190151
Dell AT101W - Tactile, non-clicky blacks
Don't know if I'd call them "tactile" but they're definitely the most common - and cheapest - second hand board around here with real mechanical switches (as in; separate switches you can desolder and move around - IBM buckling spring boards aside from the really rare Model F types have a membrane, so the switches are in a fixed position).

If you can find an AT 101, they shouldn't cost more than a few bucks so just get one and try them out.
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Current collection: HHKB Pro 2 black on black, HHKB Pro 2 white/grey blank, [strike]Dell AT101W[/strike] (sold to SirClickAlot), 1992 Model M, Key Tronic Ergoforce KT 2001, BTC 5100 C. Dead boards: MS Natural Elite, MS Natural 4000.

Offline Superfluous Parentheses

  • Posts: 256
How can I buy keyswitches directly?
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 07 June 2010, 19:03:59 »
Quote from: ripster;190730
Damn.  I was hoping the Dells would be some super rare thing in Europe if I ever sold mine on Ebay.


Haven't you heard?!
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Current collection: HHKB Pro 2 black on black, HHKB Pro 2 white/grey blank, [strike]Dell AT101W[/strike] (sold to SirClickAlot), 1992 Model M, Key Tronic Ergoforce KT 2001, BTC 5100 C. Dead boards: MS Natural Elite, MS Natural 4000.

Offline Mental Hobbit

  • Posts: 461
How can I buy keyswitches directly?
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 07 June 2010, 19:11:14 »
Quote from: Superfluous Parentheses;190732

Haven't you heard?!

Hmm, creative idea. I guess most buyers on ebay won't know the difference anyway.
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Typing on blues.
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