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Author Topic: Tandy Enhanced Keyboard  (Read 10886 times)

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Offline instantkamera

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Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« on: Sat, 17 July 2010, 11:54:24 »
So I have been a lurker here for a bit. I have been enjoying my model M, recently acquired a BNIB Dell AT101W (which is nice, but not as nice as my IBM) and was out hitting yard-sales today when I came across this tandy keyboard.

 It was an interesting feeling board so I bought it just to see what it is packing in terms of a switch.
I popped one of the caps off, and it looks just like the two peice keys on the model M (where this top part of the cap that pops off is just a cover that doesn't actually interface with the switch). However, I have no idea what the switch is underneath. The plastic "key" underneath the cap is oddly molded, with seemingly unnecessary grooves, holes and an odd shape. This definitely doesnt handle or sound buckling spring.

Long story short, does anyone have an idea what this is. Is it worth tearing into for refurbing?

The keycap/cover looks like it will fit my IBM and are in good shape so Ill probably keep it for that.

Thanks.

P.S. -  Ill try to take some pics later if anyone cares.
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Offline Morning Song

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Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« Reply #1 on: Sat, 17 July 2010, 12:19:37 »
The best way to find out is to take a screwdriver and open the thing up... the older the keyboard, the more different mechanisms it can be.
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Clicky keyboards and big trackballs forever!

Keyboards:
Buckling Spring: IBM Model M 1391401, Unicomp Customizer 104, PS/2 modded IBM Model F Terminal 6110668 (current favorite)
Cherry: Filco Majestouch 105 Blue NKRO w/ doubleshots
ALPS: Dell AT101W Black SNAFU (Silent No-longer; All Fukka\'d Up), Siig Minitouch KB1948 Geek Hack Spacesaver edition, Focus FK-2001 w/ WinKeys+XM Alps
Rubber Dome: Belkin F8E887-BLK, Silitek SK-6000, Logitech Internet Navigator Keyboard

Works in Progress:
Prism ATX N9 Keyboard w/ Fukkas (Clickleaf Donor), Cherry G80-8113HRBUS-2/02 Brown NKRO, Cherry G81-7000HPCUS-2/02 (Doubleshot donors), Unicomp Customizer 101 (Springs donor, needs boltmod)

Pointing Devices:
Kensington Expert Mouse 7, Wacom Intuos3 6x8 w/ classic pen

Looking to buy/trade for:Dolch Cherry keycaps, Northgate Omnikey (With Fkeys on top, or both top & left), IBM Model F AT

Offline ch_123

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Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« Reply #2 on: Sat, 17 July 2010, 13:39:02 »
From your description, it might be a rubber dome with slider keyboard.
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Offline EverythingIBM

  • Posts: 1269
Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« Reply #3 on: Sat, 17 July 2010, 13:49:50 »
Quote from: instantkamera;203583
So I have been a lurker here for a bit. I have been enjoying my model M, recently acquired a BNIB Dell AT101W (which is nice, but not as nice as my IBM) and was out hitting yard-sales today when I came across this tandy keyboard.

 It was an interesting feeling board so I bought it just to see what it is packing in terms of a switch.
I popped one of the caps off, and it looks just like the two peice keys on the model M (where this top part of the cap that pops off is just a cover that doesn't actually interface with the switch). However, I have no idea what the switch is underneath. The plastic "key" underneath the cap is oddly molded, with seemingly unnecessary grooves, holes and an odd shape. This definitely doesnt handle or sound buckling spring.

Long story short, does anyone have an idea what this is. Is it worth tearing into for refurbing?

The keycap/cover looks like it will fit my IBM and are in good shape so Ill probably keep it for that.

Thanks.

P.S. -  Ill try to take some pics later if anyone cares.


It does kind of sound like a rubber dome with sliders. If there's a hole at the top of the slider, you sometimes can see a little rubber dome.

Lurkers!
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Offline instantkamera

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Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« Reply #4 on: Sat, 17 July 2010, 18:36:25 »
define "slider", you dont mean like a regular dome with the long arm that pushes the rubber dome down, correct? Those keycaps are usually one piece and when they are removed you can clearly see the dome (but im sure you all know that).

I mean to take this apart when I have the time but was just wondering if anyone had an info. The only info I have found on this keyboard indicates that it could be similar to a fujitsu "peerless" ...
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Offline ch_123

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Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« Reply #5 on: Sat, 17 July 2010, 18:41:44 »
Slider means an intermediate element between the keycap and the underlying mechanism.

Can you pull the thing up and out?
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Offline instantkamera

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Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« Reply #6 on: Sat, 17 July 2010, 19:07:15 »
Quote from: ch_123;203687

Can you pull the thing up and out?


nope ... looks like this:


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Offline ch_123

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Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« Reply #7 on: Sat, 17 July 2010, 19:09:44 »
That's what I was expecting... Can you pull it up? It's probably either rubber dome or a Peerless.
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Offline instantkamera

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Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 17 July 2010, 19:16:17 »
yeah hold on I stand corrected ... I went ape **** on the white section and it pulls up eventually (and nothing appears broken). These are the guts:

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Offline ch_123

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Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 17 July 2010, 19:29:59 »
Peerless!

Not exactly people's favorite keyboard around here, but at least something of a step up from a standard rubber dome keyboard.

To qualify my earlier guess - there are some keyboards that used the exact same type of slider, except it's a rubber dome underneath.
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Offline instantkamera

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Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 17 July 2010, 20:03:11 »
ahhhh ... interesting. In fact, you are correct, I noticed after tearing this open that it does have some reserved spaces that have exposed the unused portions of the membrane:


In all honesty it kinda feels like ****, but I may take a stab at cleaning it up to see if it improves.

Right now I think I prefer my Keytronic 3601 to this thing...

Few things to note:

- keycaps are NOT interchangeable with the model M ... the cross-shaped molding on the underside of the tandy's caps keep them from "locking" in place on the IBM.

- this thing IS reasonably well constructed. At least, when I cracked it open I noticed the internals are not held together by plastic rivets:



So has already had the rivet mod done ;)

Anyway, thanks a bunch for your help.
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Offline Great Hierophant

  • Posts: 11
Tandy Enhanced Keyboard
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 19 January 2011, 00:04:22 »
Although I do not like the feel of the switches of this keyboard, I will say one thing for it, it works with XT and AT keyboard interfaces without flaw.  It even works with an IBM PC Model 5150, with which even IBM's Model M's have a mixed record.
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