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Author Topic: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help  (Read 3193 times)

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Offline Awful

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Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« on: Thu, 15 January 2015, 03:49:15 »
I found these on an old typewriter. The steams opening appears too big. Can you suggest maybe a semipermanent solution like silcone glue or do I have to redo the steams? I included picture and the modifier key I know I will have to mod.
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Offline Awful

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Re: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 15 January 2015, 04:32:51 »
Just to clarify I mean dremel out the old stems for new donor ones. I can see that for the shirt etc. Maybe not the others.
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Offline Oobly

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Re: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 15 January 2015, 05:24:54 »
Those will only work with MX switches with heavy modification. The crossbars will need to be cut down a lot and possibly also the outside surface of the stem, so it fits inside the MX swirch case when pressed.

You can try wrapping electrical tape around the switch stem to see if it make it fit tight enough.
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Offline jacobolus

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Re: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 15 January 2015, 06:15:21 »
What kind of typewriter? Why not build something out of the whole typewriter keyboard, including the switches?
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Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 15 January 2015, 06:32:20 »
Sugru?
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 15 January 2015, 08:14:48 »
I got a typewriter with keys something like that a couple of years ago, and ended up selling the caps to somebody here on the forum.

They were totally awesome, and I harvested the stems, too, so that they could be used together.

At the time, I had a fantasy about adding them to IBM key stems, somehow, to make extra-tall extensions for a possible steampunk-like keyboard, but I gave up on the idea.
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Offline berserkfan

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Re: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 15 January 2015, 13:50:48 »
Quote from: Awful on Thu, 15 January 2015, 04:32:51
Just to clarify I mean dremel out the old stems for new donor ones. I can see that for the shirt etc. Maybe not the others.

Just use one or more layers of plastic sheeting. That works wonders in making a loose keycap fit tight. As a dremel owner myself I have no ldea how you can do the dremeling safely and accurately. What dremel head were you planning to use?
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Offline Awful

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Re: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 16 January 2015, 23:46:10 »
Oh I wasn't.. I'm not anywhere capable of using a Dremel especially if you're not! Hah, I had just assumed someone would suggest something along those lines.
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Offline jacobolus

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Re: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 16 January 2015, 23:51:59 »
You still haven’t said what the typewriter is, but my guess from the keycaps is that the switches are Alps tee mount, which (assuming they’re in okay condition) are IMO nicer linear switches than Cherry MX black or red. Once again, why not just turn the whole typewriter keyboard into a project?

I’m guessing the typewriter is a Canon, Panasonic, Sharp, or other Japanese brand, and from the early 1980s?

I really like those spherical tee Alps caps, they have a great profile and shape.

If I manage to work through my large backlog of various projects, I might someday buy one of these to make something out of http://www.ebay.com/itm/380994210683
« Last Edit: Fri, 16 January 2015, 23:55:55 by jacobolus »
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Offline Oobly

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Re: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 17 January 2015, 08:59:53 »
Quote from: jacobolus on Fri, 16 January 2015, 23:51:59
You still haven’t said what the typewriter is, but my guess from the keycaps is that the switches are Alps tee mount, which (assuming they’re in okay condition) are IMO nicer linear switches than Cherry MX black or red. Once again, why not just turn the whole typewriter keyboard into a project?

I’m guessing the typewriter is a Canon, Panasonic, Sharp, or other Japanese brand, and from the early 1980s?

I really like those spherical tee Alps caps, they have a great profile and shape.

If I manage to work through my large backlog of various projects, I might someday buy one of these to make something out of http://www.ebay.com/itm/380994210683

This is really not a bad idea :) You could perhaps find some inspiration / ideas from here: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49641.0

Benefits of this approach are you could end up with a great feeling and rare board and you don't have to hack at the cap to make them fit. Possible downsides are you have to do some soldering and may have to modify the existing PCB by cutting tracks, etc. Also you need a Teensy or similar to act as a controller.
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Buying more keycaps,
it really hacks my wallet,
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Offline Awful

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Re: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 17 January 2015, 18:28:42 »
Quote from: Oobly on Sat, 17 January 2015, 08:59:53
Quote from: jacobolus on Fri, 16 January 2015, 23:51:59
You still haven�t said what the typewriter is, but my guess from the keycaps is that the switches are Alps tee mount, which (assuming they�re in okay condition) are IMO nicer linear switches than Cherry MX black or red. Once again, why not just turn the whole typewriter keyboard into a project?

I�m guessing the typewriter is a Canon, Panasonic, Sharp, or other Japanese brand, and from the early 1980s?

I really like those spherical tee Alps caps, they have a great profile and shape.

If I manage to work through my large backlog of various projects, I might someday buy one of these to make something out of http://www.ebay.com/itm/380994210683

This is really not a bad idea :) You could perhaps find some inspiration / ideas from here: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49641.0

Benefits of this approach are you could end up with a great feeling and rare board and you don't have to hack at the cap to make them fit. Possible downsides are you have to do some soldering and may have to modify the existing PCB by cutting tracks, etc. Also you need a Teensy or similar to act as a controller.

WOW!! That's probably one of the coolest thing's I've seen on Geekhack EVUR.
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Offline nubbinator

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Re: Found odd typewriter caps... Possible mod? Come help
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 17 January 2015, 18:30:47 »
If you really want to use the caps, you can make a convertor to 3D print then cast with TinkerCAD.
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