Tenkeyless with Alps Black (or similar)

[daerid]

Do they exist?

Since receiving the AT101 from Akimbo's tour, I've rediscovered my love for these switches. However, I'm not a fan of the huge footprint. Is there a board out there in the tenkeyless form factor with Alps black switches (or equivalent)? I can't say I've ever seen one, but that doesn't mean they don't exist!

Now that I think about it, this might be a good idea for a custom pcb mod project too

[absyrd]

http://www.mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=89

[FoxWolf1]

http://www.mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=89

Not the same black Alps, though...you'll have to swap them.

[rootwyrm]

http://www.mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=89

Not the same black Alps, though...you'll have to swap them.

Actually, I think what he's looking for is the Black<->White. The newest Fuhua Whites should be about the same as the Alps Blacks. (UP94-95/BB2 is simplified so Fuhua should feel about the same.)
Problem is that the only Fuhua White board I know of is the Matias Tactile. Nothing against Matias, it really seems like a great keyboard, but it's not what I'm looking for and I wish they'd not have eaten the entire supply of Fuhua Whites to make 'em.

[pasph]

http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/deskthority-alps-keyboard-project-t4651.html

[daerid]

I thought the 1087's were dogsh*t in terms of build quality though?

[Hak Foo]

I don't know what everyone is doing with their Duckies, but my 1008XM has been solid since arrival, as has the blue-Cherry 1008 I took to work.  The latter has a case-not-snapped-together-exactly thing going on, but it in no way affects functionality and could well have happened in shipment.

Maybe it's a silent-upgrade thing as their manufacturing or supply chain improves?  I do notice the keycaps on the Cherry 1008 were MUCH nicer than the ones on the 1008XM-- the laser etching being bright and legible instead of dim and faded.  Sadly, they only lasted long enough to be pried off for a CC&G set.

[daerid]

Well, I ended up ordering a 1087XM w/ black alps (type IV) from mechanicalkeyboards.com

Only $50, and I can write it off, so why not. We'll see how it turns out.

[daerid]

Will do! Kind of excited about

[Burz]

Oh boy... I hope it's better than what I've heard. Good luck!

And while you're at it, can you make a direct comparison with the Dell AT-101W you got from Akimbo?

If the Ducky is a disappointment and you still have your heart set on a TKL board, you could look for a Filco Zero. Beyond that, there are compact boards like the SMK85 and SiiG MiniTouch.


...As usual, typed on a Dell AT-101W.

[rootwyrm]

Will do! Kind of excited about

Then go find PBT keycaps for Alps so I can actually order one and not have to replace the whole thing every 3-4 months.

[daerid]

@Burz: Yeah, for sure. I thought the Filco Zero was based on the Alps White (the clicky one)? I don't think I could handle the clicky alps. I like the feel of blacks too much (although I might just remove the tactile leaf on the 1087 when it gets here.. love that smooth buttery feel).

@rootwyrm: For some reason, shinyness never bothered me on my AT101Ws, so we'll see how the Ducky holds up.

[rootwyrm]

@rootwyrm: For some reason, shinyness never bothered me on my AT101Ws, so we'll see how the Ducky holds up.

Problem isn't shine as much as destroying them. Grooving, peaking, complete annihilation of raised bumps, the works.  Anything short of the thick doubleshots does not last 6 months against my typing. The current Costar 'value' (i.e. not cheapest) ABS keycaps don't even last two months.

[daerid]

Damn. What are you doing? Pretending your fingers are jackhammers?

[Burz]

You would have to replace the switches on the Zero, but at least the result will be a good quality TKL with the switches you want.

[AKIMbO]

You would have to replace the switches on the Zero, but at least the result will be a good quality TKL with the switches you want.

My zero with complicated oranges is one of my favorite boards.  Matias filed an application with the FCC for a tenkeyless alps board.   The pics are out there if you look hard enough.  Just buy the Matias tkl when it comes out and solder in some real black alps.

[daerid]

I don't think I could do that, as I don't really care for the Matias TKL look (I've seen the pictures). There's too much extra space. If the 1087XM satisfies, then I'll be good to go.

[rootwyrm]

Damn. What are you doing? Pretending your fingers are jackhammers?

Three big things. One, 20+ years on buckling spring or other >70cN switches. And I bottom those out, so you can imagine what I can do to anything <60cN. Two, I type. A lot. Over 450 keystrokes per minute, 12-16 hours per day, on the same keyboard. So more than 90% of it is actually just normal wear and tear - compressed into a very short timeframe. Three, ABS keys just aren't nearly as sturdy as PBT, and I need that sturdiness.
I mean honestly, it's not just ABS that gets worn out. IBM PBTs also wear out, but they take a lot, lot longer - usually 1 to 3 years depending on batch and type versus 2 to 3 months to give you an idea of how tough dye-sub PBT can be made. (Remember that I'm impacting these keys with a lot of force and I also rest both hands on the keyboard so there's gradual friction wear as well.) And $30-50 every 2 years to extend the life of a working frame is a lot more tolerable than having a ton of essentially useless keyboards laying around just because the keycaps are toast.

[Burz]

@rootwyrm:   YOU. Are. A. BEAST!!!

LOL!

[TwistedMentat]

Each one of his fingers must be like a tiny Chuck Norris.