[IC] Beam Spring Tour Planning

[y11971alex]

Since beamspring keyboards are so vanishingly rare on eBay, I was wondering if we could provide some incentive for a beamspring owner to lend his/her piece on a tour. 

Perhaps we could advertise on an international newspaper for "Old IBM hardware wanted".  I think we're bound to find some beamsprings that way.

Edit: interest check for beamspring 3101 tour.

[Bromono]

Since beamspring keyboards are so vanishingly rare on eBay, I was wondering if we could provide some incentive for a beamspring owner to lend his/her piece on a tour. 

Perhaps we could advertise on an international newspaper for "Old IBM hardware wanted".  I think we're bound to find some beamsprings that way.

Don't those things weigh as much as a semi?

Shipping it will be a nightmare.

[romevi]

Get one and you start.

But yeah, shipping alone will be supes expensive.

[jerue]

The 3279 could probably fit in a game board box, but I doubt anyone who owns one would be willing to have such a board go through so many hands.




Now...if we want to be a touch more realistic, we need an Unsaver tour 

[digi]

- Clicked link hoping this was actually a beam spring tour
- It's a thread for asking for a beam spring tour
- PM me when there really is a bream spring tour

Thank you for your time =)

[y11971alex]

The 3279 could probably fit in a game board box, but I doubt anyone who owns one would be willing to have such a board go through so many hands.

Show Image

Now...if we want to be a touch more realistic, we need an Unsaver tour  :cool:

I did, however, find an F122 on Taobao for less than three figures. 

[CPTBadAss]

- Clicked link hoping this was actually a beam spring tour
- It's a thread for asking for a beam spring tour
- PM me when there really is a bream spring tour

Thank you for your time =)

Sigh right? I got really excited. Oh well...I know if I were the owner of one, I wouldn't let mine out of sight. No way would I risk it on a tour.

[romevi]

- Clicked link hoping this was actually a beam spring tour
- It's a thread for asking for a beam spring tour
- PM me when there really is a bream spring tour

Thank you for your time =)

Same, tbh fat

[FLFisherman]

A flat-rate box would maybe keep the cost to something manageable.

[romevi]

A flat-rate box would maybe keep the cost to something manageable.

Would a beam spring even fit in the largest available (Large)?

[SpAmRaY]

A flat-rate box would maybe keep the cost to something manageable.

Would a beam spring even fit in the largest available (Large)?

Just the board alone for most I do believe is almost too big and as much padding as I'm sure any sensible owner would want, I don't see how it would fit.

[y11971alex]

If everything else fails, I think I'd get a selectric typewriter (or card punch) and install some sort of controller on it. 

Like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Selectric-typewriter-Green-Vintage-/371576471500?hash=item5683aeffcc:g:cdIAAOSwuAVWzoIJ

[digi]

A flat-rate box would maybe keep the cost to something manageable.

Would a beam spring even fit in the largest available (Large)?

Just the board alone for most I do believe is almost too big and as much padding as I'm sure any sensible owner would want, I don't see how it would fit.

Yea, no way a 3279 would fit in the normal large flat rate box. It would have to be sent in a bigger box for sure.

[jerue]

The 3279 might fit into a USPS Game Board box (treated as large priority), but height might still be a concern as it couldn't be padded properly on the top and bottom (sides would be OK though). A regular beamspring keyboard will not fit.

If everything else fails, I think I'd get a selectric typewriter (or card punch) and install some sort of controller on it. 

Like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Selectric-typewriter-Green-Vintage-/371576471500?hash=item5683aeffcc:g:cdIAAOSwuAVWzoIJ

I have a Selectric I and shipping would be both a hassle and more expensive than a standard beamspring KB. It's about $41 to ship across the US via Fedex ground, even more if you use USPS.

If you want a selectric I just for you though, go for it, it's the best thing to type on ever. Leave it as it is if it's working 


The beamspring tour is great idea but imo these boards are best brought in person to meetups.

[xtrafrood]

The 3279 might fit into a USPS Game Board box (treated as large priority), but height might still be a concern as it couldn't be padded properly on the top and bottom (sides would be OK though). A regular beamspring keyboard will not fit.

If everything else fails, I think I'd get a selectric typewriter (or card punch) and install some sort of controller on it. 

Like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Selectric-typewriter-Green-Vintage-/371576471500?hash=item5683aeffcc:g:cdIAAOSwuAVWzoIJ

I have a Selectric I and shipping would be both a hassle and more expensive than a standard beamspring KB. It's about $41 to ship across the US via Fedex ground, even more if you use USPS.

If you want a selectric I just for you though, go for it, it's the best thing to type on ever. Leave it as it is if it's working 


The beamspring tour is great idea but imo these boards are best brought in person to meetups.

Good lord, that is what like 15 lbs?

[jerue]

The 3279 might fit into a USPS Game Board box (treated as large priority), but height might still be a concern as it couldn't be padded properly on the top and bottom (sides would be OK though). A regular beamspring keyboard will not fit.

If everything else fails, I think I'd get a selectric typewriter (or card punch) and install some sort of controller on it. 

Like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Selectric-typewriter-Green-Vintage-/371576471500?hash=item5683aeffcc:g:cdIAAOSwuAVWzoIJ

I have a Selectric I and shipping would be both a hassle and more expensive than a standard beamspring KB. It's about $41 to ship across the US via Fedex ground, even more if you use USPS.

If you want a selectric I just for you though, go for it, it's the best thing to type on ever. Leave it as it is if it's working 


The beamspring tour is great idea but imo these boards are best brought in person to meetups.

Good lord, that is what like 15 lbs?

About 35lbs if I remember correctly. It is very very heavy. 15lbs would drop the shipping rate in half  )

[xtrafrood]

The 3279 might fit into a USPS Game Board box (treated as large priority), but height might still be a concern as it couldn't be padded properly on the top and bottom (sides would be OK though). A regular beamspring keyboard will not fit.

If everything else fails, I think I'd get a selectric typewriter (or card punch) and install some sort of controller on it. 

Like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Selectric-typewriter-Green-Vintage-/371576471500?hash=item5683aeffcc:g:cdIAAOSwuAVWzoIJ

I have a Selectric I and shipping would be both a hassle and more expensive than a standard beamspring KB. It's about $41 to ship across the US via Fedex ground, even more if you use USPS.

If you want a selectric I just for you though, go for it, it's the best thing to type on ever. Leave it as it is if it's working 


The beamspring tour is great idea but imo these boards are best brought in person to meetups.

Good lord, that is what like 15 lbs?

About 35lbs if I remember correctly. It is very very heavy. 15lbs would drop the shipping rate in half  )

That would be ridiculous to ship. 

[romevi]

The 3279 might fit into a USPS Game Board box (treated as large priority), but height might still be a concern as it couldn't be padded properly on the top and bottom (sides would be OK though). A regular beamspring keyboard will not fit.

If everything else fails, I think I'd get a selectric typewriter (or card punch) and install some sort of controller on it. 

Like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Selectric-typewriter-Green-Vintage-/371576471500?hash=item5683aeffcc:g:cdIAAOSwuAVWzoIJ

I have a Selectric I and shipping would be both a hassle and more expensive than a standard beamspring KB. It's about $41 to ship across the US via Fedex ground, even more if you use USPS.

If you want a selectric I just for you though, go for it, it's the best thing to type on ever. Leave it as it is if it's working 


The beamspring tour is great idea but imo these boards are best brought in person to meetups.

Good lord, that is what like 15 lbs?

About 35lbs if I remember correctly. It is very very heavy. 15lbs would drop the shipping rate in half  )

Would've definitely jumped on your Selectric, but shipping would be a bee-otch.
We have a III at work that I'm eyeing, and have hinted very un-subtly to the manager that I'd like it when it's no longer required.

[Venatorious]

The 3279 could probably fit in a game board box, but I doubt anyone who owns one would be willing to have such a board go through so many hands.

Now...if we want to be a touch more realistic, we need an Unsaver tour 

The same thought of my Unsaver going through so many hands makes me scared.  Too easy for someone to just keep it.   

[klennkellon]

How do they compare to Buckling Springs anyway?

I've heard them described as superior to BS in almost every way.

[piemancoder]

How do they compare to Buckling Springs anyway?

I've heard them described as superior to BS in almost every way.

From what I have hears, they are much, much louder. Some describe them as a clicky Topre.

[E TwentyNine]

How do they compare to Buckling Springs anyway?

I've heard them described as superior to BS in almost every way.

From what I have hears, they are much, much louder. Some describe them as a clicky Topre.

Not someone who has any experience with them.

They're superior to BS in everything but available layouts.

[y11971alex]

I'm planning to acquire a sample from server parts suppliers... if any one could actually find them. 

Simons Tech apparently scrapped their supply a few years ago 
Com-Com doesn't have them

[vivalarevolución]

Anyone is welcome to visit Indianapolis and try mine. On my terms, of course.

[Niomosy]

We just need someone to get to work on making new beamspring switches.  Simple!

[HighPlainsDrafter]

We just need someone to get to work on making new beamspring switches.  Simple!

Now that's an incredible idea. A new, low-height beam spring kb with a modern (i.e. ANSI) layout. Perhaps Ellipse, et al will consider such after completing the modern F keyboard. BTW, anyone have any clue why we can't at least get those wonderful spherical keycaps (that are on beam spring boards and Selectrics) onto our existing MX switch keyboards as a custom option? If it were easy, I'd imagine someone would've done it.

[Niomosy]

Beam spring caps are being worked on by Matt3o.  He had a bunch of them sent off for scanning and was intending to get molds made for them to do some dyesub PBT caps.  There' a Deskthority thread on it, though it's gone quite for some time now.  Hopefully something comes of that. 

However, such things are not cheap.  Molds are really expensive and that's after all the work to make sure the molds are properly created.  That can take a fair amount of time, particularly since some of the caps would need to be created partly from scratch as the beam spring may not have had certain sizes we use now.

[romevi]

Beam spring caps are being worked on by Matt3o.  He had a bunch of them sent off for scanning and was intending to get molds made for them to do some dyesub PBT caps.  There' a Deskthority thread on it, though it's gone quite for some time now.  Hopefully something comes of that. 

However, such things are not cheap.  Molds are really expensive and that's after all the work to make sure the molds are properly created.  That can take a fair amount of time, particularly since some of the caps would need to be created partly from scratch as the beam spring may not have had certain sizes we use now.

Wait, wasn't he working on buckling spring sphericals? Or is that someone else?

[0100010]

If you seperate the board from terminal, an IBM 2976 beamspring might be small enough.

[Niomosy]

Beam spring caps are being worked on by Matt3o.  He had a bunch of them sent off for scanning and was intending to get molds made for them to do some dyesub PBT caps.  There' a Deskthority thread on it, though it's gone quite for some time now.  Hopefully something comes of that. 

However, such things are not cheap.  Molds are really expensive and that's after all the work to make sure the molds are properly created.  That can take a fair amount of time, particularly since some of the caps would need to be created partly from scratch as the beam spring may not have had certain sizes we use now.

Wait, wasn't he working on buckling spring sphericals? Or is that someone else?

The buckling spring sphericals was rsbseb.  I believe that was being designed from scratch.

Actually, let me get all the info to put in here.

Matt3o's Deep Dish Sphericals project: https://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/hi-profile-pbt-dye-sub-the-time-has-come-t10805.html

Buckling Spring Sphericals project:  https://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/spherical-buckling-spring-thread-t11186.html

[BSJunky]

I can't help but note that this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-5251-Beam-Spring-Vintage-Mechanical-Keyboard-/282024259374?hash=item41a9f4af2e:g:an4AAOSwVllXHWQC

...could be had for less than this:
http://www.modelfkeyboards.com/

...your thoughts??

[y11971alex]

Tamayatech.com has just confirmed that they have no 174- beamsprings in stock.

[Niomosy]

There's work on new hall effect switches that was posted on Reddit a little while back.  Hopefully we can get some new beam springs for the clicky fans as well. 

[HighPlainsDrafter]

Indeed. As awesome as a Model F is (and it absolutely has its place, old and new), there's no comparison between it and the unrestrained joy when pressing down on the keys of a beam spring, even within a huge displaywriter casing. My guess is that some (I wrote "some", not all) model F fans simply haven't had the chance to try out a beam spring. One thing holding back some from having their beam spring be their daily driver is the non-standard kb layout. That's where a new version (ANSI layout, low height profile) would seem to be the Holy Grail for some of us.

[Niomosy]

Yup, I've yet to try a beam spring but hear nothing but good things about it.  The price and non-standard layouts are teaming up to keep me away, though.  A modern beam spring would be fantastic.

[supamesican]

We just need someone to get to work on making new beamspring switches.  Simple!

. Perhaps Ellipse, et al will consider such after completing the modern F keyboard. B

wait, someone is working on a modern model F?!

[romevi]

We just need someone to get to work on making new beamspring switches.  Simple!

. Perhaps Ellipse, et al will consider such after completing the modern F keyboard. B

wait, someone is working on a modern model F?!

You may be a super Mexican, but your observation ain't that super.

[y11971alex]

I can't help but note that this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-5251-Beam-Spring-Vintage-Mechanical-Keyboard-/282024259374?hash=item41a9f4af2e:g:an4AAOSwVllXHWQC

...could be had for less than this:
http://www.modelfkeyboards.com/

...your thoughts??

I would be having it if only the seller would ship to Canada.

[y11971alex]

The latest from Cygnus Supplies:

Hi,

We already have a waiting list of 10+ companies that want these
keyboards. They are in very high demand.

Thank you,

sales@cygnussupply.com
www.cygnussupply.com
Phone: (612) 564-9302
Fax: (815) 331-0891

[y11971alex]

I posted on Vintage Computer fora, and this was the response that I got:

If it was your intention, keyboard poachers are not really welcome around here.

If you had terminals you needed keyboards for, I might have a keyboard for the 5251 somewhere.

Evidently, we're not popular. 

[Touch_It]

We just need someone to get to work on making new beamspring switches.  Simple!

. Perhaps Ellipse, et al will consider such after completing the modern F keyboard. B

wait, someone is working on a modern model F?!

yes.

https://deskthority.net/group-buys-f50/brand-new-f62-kishsaver-f77-industrial-model-f-s-made-this-year-t11046.html

[E TwentyNine]

Yup, I've yet to try a beam spring but hear nothing but good things about it.  The price and non-standard layouts are teaming up to keep me away, though.  A modern beam spring would be fantastic.

I'd have to imagine it would be very expensive, at least two or three times the cost of a modern F.   The buckling spring components are all simple and can be produced with simple mechanisms.  The beam spring switch is this contraption of metal and plastic with the metal "rivet melted" to the plastic part.  On top of that the flyplate is a completely detachable metal and carbon plastic piece that is a pain in the ass to get back on when you only have one, assembling a whole keyboard is likely a time consuming affair unless you have the machine which the volumes for a modern keyboard run would not allow for.

Now, if someone made the pcb, mounting plate, case, etc, and sent out the switch pieces (with cherry compatible stems) as "you assemble it yourself" pieces, that could bring the cost down but I suspect that would severely limit the audience.

[supamesican]

We just need someone to get to work on making new beamspring switches.  Simple!

. Perhaps Ellipse, et al will consider such after completing the modern F keyboard. B

wait, someone is working on a modern model F?!

yes.

https://deskthority.net/group-buys-f50/brand-new-f62-kishsaver-f77-industrial-model-f-s-made-this-year-t11046.html

If I had the money I'd be all over that. Maybe I'll be able to find one somewhere when I do next spring...

[Niomosy]

Yup, I've yet to try a beam spring but hear nothing but good things about it.  The price and non-standard layouts are teaming up to keep me away, though.  A modern beam spring would be fantastic.

I'd have to imagine it would be very expensive, at least two or three times the cost of a modern F.   The buckling spring components are all simple and can be produced with simple mechanisms.  The beam spring switch is this contraption of metal and plastic with the metal "rivet melted" to the plastic part.  On top of that the flyplate is a completely detachable metal and carbon plastic piece that is a pain in the ass to get back on when you only have one, assembling a whole keyboard is likely a time consuming affair unless you have the machine which the volumes for a modern keyboard run would not allow for.

Now, if someone made the pcb, mounting plate, case, etc, and sent out the switch pieces (with cherry compatible stems) as "you assemble it yourself" pieces, that could bring the cost down but I suspect that would severely limit the audience.

And these are all likely reasons why we haven't seen a modern beam spring.  Still, it would be awesome if one came to fruition.  What I'm wondering is what kinds of alterations to the old switch could be done to keep the sound and feel while also making it cheaper and easier to produce, if anything.

As to a kit, I think it would be somewhat limiting but that doesn't seem to stop people from scooping up kits on the regular these days.  You might even get the non-kit people like me willing to take a stab just to try out the beam spring hype.

[chyros]

Yup, I've yet to try a beam spring but hear nothing but good things about it.  The price and non-standard layouts are teaming up to keep me away, though.  A modern beam spring would be fantastic.

I'd have to imagine it would be very expensive, at least two or three times the cost of a modern F.   The buckling spring components are all simple and can be produced with simple mechanisms.  The beam spring switch is this contraption of metal and plastic with the metal "rivet melted" to the plastic part.  On top of that the flyplate is a completely detachable metal and carbon plastic piece that is a pain in the ass to get back on when you only have one, assembling a whole keyboard is likely a time consuming affair unless you have the machine which the volumes for a modern keyboard run would not allow for.

Now, if someone made the pcb, mounting plate, case, etc, and sent out the switch pieces (with cherry compatible stems) as "you assemble it yourself" pieces, that could bring the cost down but I suspect that would severely limit the audience.

And these are all likely reasons why we haven't seen a modern beam spring.  Still, it would be awesome if one came to fruition.  What I'm wondering is what kinds of alterations to the old switch could be done to keep the sound and feel while also making it cheaper and easier to produce, if anything.

As to a kit, I think it would be somewhat limiting but that doesn't seem to stop people from scooping up kits on the regular these days.  You might even get the non-kit people like me willing to take a stab just to try out the beam spring hype.

Pretty sure beam springs are not a hype xD . That said I would love to try them out myself.

[pr0ximity]

I can't help but note that this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-5251-Beam-Spring-Vintage-Mechanical-Keyboard-/282024259374?hash=item41a9f4af2e:g:an4AAOSwVllXHWQC

...could be had for less than this:
http://www.modelfkeyboards.com/

...your thoughts??

$50 controller + $25 solenoid driver brings it a little closer.

[Niomosy]

I can't help but note that this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-5251-Beam-Spring-Vintage-Mechanical-Keyboard-/282024259374?hash=item41a9f4af2e:g:an4AAOSwVllXHWQC

...could be had for less than this:
http://www.modelfkeyboards.com/

...your thoughts??

$50 controller + $25 solenoid driver brings it a little closer.

It would seem that the beam spring is still the better deal.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Lol. I own a piece of such, but it would require a custom controller or some beefy piece of a converter (on converter on converter) to work with a PC. Zero chance for normal recognition, perhaps a chance of miracle through all the conversion into a USB keyboard, eventually. Though this is probably wishful thinking. Cost me a grand total of eight bucks. The key feel is enormously kewl. I might be tempted to harvest the springs and install them in a hi-quality rubber dome with removable caps and/or a natural one such as those Fujitsu Siemens butterflies that I bought 3 of for 5% of the NIB price (supposing you can even get them), and they actually seem to be NIB — perhaps too fancy for anyone to actually use, so when the leasing expired they were sold along with other hardware. That would be kinda (poor man's) reverse-Topre + ergo. Yeah, it could be worth trying. But first I still need to finish my project with putting buckling springs in SK8820 or whatever that venerable IBM rubber dome was called (5 times better than a new rubber dome and 5 times cheaper).

[pr0ximity]

Lol. I own a piece of such, but it would require a custom controller or some beefy piece of a converter (on converter on converter) to work with a PC. Zero chance for normal recognition, perhaps a chance of miracle through all the conversion into a USB keyboard, eventually. Though this is probably wishful thinking. Cost me a grand total of eight bucks. The key feel is enormously kewl.

Do you have pictures? Sounds very kewl indeed.

[SBJ]

Indeed. As awesome as a Model F is (and it absolutely has its place, old and new), there's no comparison between it and the unrestrained joy when pressing down on the keys of a beam spring, even within a huge displaywriter casing. My guess is that some (I wrote "some", not all) model F fans simply haven't had the chance to try out a beam spring. One thing holding back some from having their beam spring be their daily driver is the non-standard kb layout. That's where a new version (ANSI layout, low height profile) would seem to be the Holy Grail for some of us.

Still remember the beam spring keyboard I tried when I was visiting my mother at her job as a youngin' - to this day I remember how it felt. So nice!