Need a Old Cheap Clicky Keyboard For Work

[Kagusaki Wolf]

I'm trying to find an old clicky full size keyboard that I can bring to work.  Something around $30 price range.  I tried finding them on ebay but so far no luck.  Does anyone here know if there are any cheap clicky type keyboards?  Any kind of switches will do as long as they make a clicking sound.  I just found a Unitek K-156 keyboard for under $30 while typing this but I have no idea if it's a clicky.  I messaged the guy about it though.  Any info on that keyboard would be great too. Thanks!

[rowdy]

Have a poke around in Classifieds - old keyboards turn up there from time to time.

For instance: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=42980.msg1037156#msg1037156

[Kagusaki Wolf]

Oh i never thought about looking at the classifieds lol  Thanks!

[rowdy]

A few here, not sure if they are all clicky or not: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=44024.0

[1391406]

Focus 2001's can usually be had on eBay fairly inexpensively. For example, this FK-2001 for $19.95.

[Hak Foo]

o.O I had no clue the FK-2001 survived long enough to be reinvented with power-control keys.

[Kagusaki Wolf]

That Focus 2001 looks tempting.  I might get that.  Also, i found out that vintage Unitek K-156 keyboard has black cherrys.  Is there a difference between the older blacks and the new ones made today?  For some reason, the keys look pretty sexy to me lol

[rowdy]

That Focus 2001 looks tempting.  I might get that.  Also, i found out that vintage Unitek K-156 keyboard has black cherrys.  Is there a difference between the older blacks and the new ones made today?  For some reason, the keys look pretty sexy to me lol

MX blacks are not clicky.

[Kagusaki Wolf]

Yeah.  When I read the guys reply, I was like  to   lol  Oh well.  Maybe some day I'll find a keyboard with those keycaps again.  Looks like I'm aiming towards the Focus 2001.

[Findecanor]

Beware that there is a lot of keyboard spamming on eBay. A "clicky keyboard" may not be clicky at all.
Ebay does not want to do anything about it because they claim that "clicky is subjective", when it isn't. Apparently, the person on eBay who said that has never tried a clicky keyboard.

[terrpn]

I'm trying to find an old clicky full size keyboard that I can bring to work.  Something around $30 price range.  I tried finding them on ebay but so far no luck.  Does anyone here know if there are any cheap clicky type keyboards?  Any kind of switches will do as long as they make a clicking sound.  I just found a Unitek K-156 keyboard for under $30 while typing this but I have no idea if it's a clicky.  I messaged the guy about it though.  Any info on that keyboard would be great too. Thanks!

i have this board and it "very" clicky

will accept mx keycaps

great gh member and seller- who will not screw you

buy it..............

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48347.0

[metalliqaz]

A plain old model M can be had for cheaps.  That's the ultimate clicky keyboard.

[Hellmark]

Ebay keyword spamming is bad. Hell, i've seen a guy trying to market his Apple Pro keyboards as "mechanical". They're fricken rubber domes. Nothing mechanical about that.

[1391406]

A plain old model M can be had for cheaps.

Difficult to find on a $30 budget.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Difficult to find on a $30 budget.

Normally I would disagree, but after a quick eBay search I realized that it is getting harder to find Model M's for affordable prices.  Cheapest (BIN) non-terminal buckling spring board was like $50 shipped.

Beginning to think I should get my Model M back from MW...

[Kagusaki Wolf]

Beware that there is a lot of keyboard spamming on eBay. A "clicky keyboard" may not be clicky at all.
Ebay does not want to do anything about it because they claim that "clicky is subjective", when it isn't. Apparently, the person on eBay who said that has never tried a clicky keyboard.

Shame on that ebay guy.  He should learn more about keyboards. 

I'm trying to find an old clicky full size keyboard that I can bring to work.  Something around $30 price range.  I tried finding them on ebay but so far no luck.  Does anyone here know if there are any cheap clicky type keyboards?  Any kind of switches will do as long as they make a clicking sound.  I just found a Unitek K-156 keyboard for under $30 while typing this but I have no idea if it's a clicky.  I messaged the guy about it though.  Any info on that keyboard would be great too. Thanks!

i have this board and it "very" clicky

will accept mx keycaps

great gh member and seller- who will not screw you

buy it..............

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48347.0

Hmm  If it's mx keycap compatible, I might be interested in it.  I'll PM ya :3

A plain old model M can be had for cheaps.  That's the ultimate clicky keyboard.

I actually bought a Model M last week but I'm a bit worried I might drop it, someone spilling something on it, or getting it stolen.  And it's pretty heavy to lug around every day. 

Ebay keyword spamming is bad. Hell, i've seen a guy trying to market his Apple Pro keyboards as "mechanical". They're fricken rubber domes. Nothing mechanical about that.

That's what I usually do when I'm looking for a keyboard lol  Altho like a lot of experienced collectors, I google the make and model and try to find some info about the board.  It's a shame people would do such a thing just to make a profit.

Difficult to find on a $30 budget.

Normally I would disagree, but after a quick eBay search I realized that it is getting harder to find Model M's for affordable prices.  Cheapest (BIN) non-terminal buckling spring board was like $50 shipped.

Beginning to think I should get my Model M back from MW...

I bought my Model M for around that price.  They're getting expensive maybe because of inflation or people are starting to notice that mechanical keyboards are becoming popular.  Better start hording them Model M keyboards before the bubble bursts

[rowdy]

A plain old model M can be had for cheaps.

Difficult to find on a $30 budget.

I bought 2 for $31

Disclaimer: they were both missing random keycaps and cables, so the actual cost to get two working complete Model M was somewhat higher.

[1391406]

A plain old model M can be had for cheaps.

Difficult to find on a $30 budget.

I bought 2 for $31

Disclaimer: they were both missing random keycaps and cables, so the actual cost to get two working complete Model M was somewhat higher.

From what I've seen, it's becoming rare to find deals like that(with or without missing key caps). Check out eBay.

[fohat.digs]

It will cost $13-17 to ship a keyboard, depending on how many state lines are crossed.

Using a USPS flat rate game board box, 2 can be shipped for the price of 1, but that still only leaves $13-17 to pay for the keyboard(s) on a $30 budget.

With a $40 budget (including shipping), that gets you into the range of a $20+ keyboard, at which point you can get something like an Apple AEK2, Dell AT101, or, if you are patient and/or lucky, a Focus 2001 or something like the Laser SMK I am selling (hint hint).

The only way you will get a keyboard under $20 is in an auction which does not see much active bidding.

[Tarzan]

If you want to expand your search parameters a bit, and get a New Cheap Clicky Keyboard, Monoprice has a full-size keyboard with MX Blue switches for $57.  Currently out of stock, estimating new stock arriving mid-October.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=114&cp_id=11401&cs_id=1140102&p_id=9433&seq=1&format=2

I bought one of these to try out MX Blues, and they're darned clicky all right.  Build quality is decent, comes with some pretty thin keycaps, but if it's a work computer, that may not be a negative.  Gave it to one of my co-workers, he loves it.

[Hellmark]

Are the Monoprice ones plate mount or PCB?

At that price, may almost be worthwhile to buy to just harvest for switches, especially if you see a used one.

[Tarzan]

Are the Monoprice ones plate mount or PCB?

At that price, may almost be worthwhile to buy to just harvest for switches, especially if you see a used one.

I think it's plate-mounted, but don't quote me on that. I'll have to wander over to the IT cave and pop off a keycap to check.

[microsoft windows]

THE ALPS SWITCHES IN THE FOCUS KEYBOARDS CAN WEAR OUT. I WOULD RECOMMEND AN IBM MODEL M OR A CHERRY KEYBOARD.

[Hellmark]

Any type of switch can wear out.

[tricheboars]

Any type of switch can wear out.

honeywell hall-effect switches apparently last forever. good luck finding one. you sure as **** wont find one for 30 bucks unless it is at a yard sale and the owner died and his grandmother has no idea what she is selling.

[dorkvader]

Any type of switch can wear out.

honeywell hall-effect switches apparently last forever. good luck finding one. you sure as **** wont find one for 30 bucks unless it is at a yard sale and the owner died and his grandmother has no idea what she is selling.

They are rated for 30 billion actuations. Eventually the spring will wear out. Also, and this is especially true on the "vintage" ones, the case is made of a much harder plastic than the stem, so you will get significant wear after a while.

Additionally, I bought my first two hall effect keyboards for $30 or less. Neither were at yard sales. I paid a whopping $35 (+ shipping) for the third one, but it has 142 keys of an as-yet undiscovered switch type, so I feel like it was worth it in the end.

You just have to know what to look for. I recommend becoming acquainted with the layouts, fonts, pcb, cables, part number conventions, etc.
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Sadly, HE keyboards are usually not clicky, and often not available for cheap, plus you'll need a teensy and a bunch of diodes to convert them as they usually have 4KRO.