Once You Go Beamspring...

[Olumin]

Got myself one of those Beamspring Switch-Testers off Ebay...

Just to see what the whole thing is about...

...Now every other switch I've ever used feels like crap in comparison.

Even a Model F feels like a cheap knockoff side by side.

Its the difference between listening to a lossless Flac. file recorded straight-off the original mater tape, and listening to a ripped Mp3 uploaded on YouTube in 2009 on 360p... with the earbuds that came with your 90s walkman....

Should not have done that...

[chyros]

You can't escape now.... >

[pr0ximity]

Don't worry, they're like 3 feet tall so the switch feeling evens out with the feeling that you're using a typewriter.

[JP]

Wait until you try a proper beamspring with the solenoid turned on.

[tron]

Don't worry, they're like 3 feet tall so the switch feeling evens out with the feeling that you're using a typewriter.

Actually the 3278 typing angle isn't that bad. If you have an ergonomic workstation then you can adjust the desk height, seat arms, monitor, etc. I have a decent sized collection now and the beamer is by far my favorite. Link to restoration- https://imgur.com/a/rLjW4c1

[xueyao]

Don't worry, they're like 3 feet tall so the switch feeling evens out with the feeling that you're using a typewriter.

Actually the 3278 typing angle isn't that bad. If you have an ergonomic workstation then you can adjust the desk height, seat arms, monitor, etc. I have a decent sized collection now and the beamer is by far my favorite. Link to restoration- https://imgur.com/a/rLjW4c1

If I'm not wrong, the 3278 is one of the thinnest beamers around. I wanted to trade my 3101 with the 3278 but decided against it since it's functionally the same thing. Congrats on scoring this beauty.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[tron]

Don't worry, they're like 3 feet tall so the switch feeling evens out with the feeling that you're using a typewriter.

Actually the 3278 typing angle isn't that bad. If you have an ergonomic workstation then you can adjust the desk height, seat arms, monitor, etc. I have a decent sized collection now and the beamer is by far my favorite. Link to restoration- https://imgur.com/a/rLjW4c1

If I'm not wrong, the 3278 is one of the thinnest beamers around. I wanted to trade my 3101 with the 3278 but decided against it since it's functionally the same thing. Congrats on scoring this beauty.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Correct. The full size 3278 sits just a bit lower than my mini 3278 "typewriter" model (the full size 3278 on the right).

[ArchDill]

I have yet to try a beam spring...

I am sure that I have tried one as a kid etc. but not since getting into keyboards.

[pixelpusher]

Let's get someone to reproduce them now, okay?  Who's it?

[LightningXI]

Actually the 3278 typing angle isn't that bad. If you have an ergonomic workstation then you can adjust the desk height, seat arms, monitor, etc. I have a decent sized collection now and the beamer is by far my favorite. Link to restoration- https://imgur.com/a/rLjW4c1

Simply beautiful. I still dream of ever having a beamer and learning to restore it.

Sent from my mobile using Tapatalk

[xueyao]

Making this kind of beast will take years of planning and expertise. I might take a crack at it since I'll be actually in China next year and own a beamspring.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[Olumin]

Let's get someone to reproduce them now, okay?  Who's it?

Seeing that even something like the Model F Kishsaver can be reproduced, then why not Beamspring? Its bound to be cheaper then a original no matter what they'd like to charge for it..

Im sure there is quite a bit of Interest for such a thing.

[Olumin]

Sad thing is, I'll probably never own a Beamspring board. They don't tend to pop up in Germany...

The amount of shipping and import fees/taxes I would have to pay on top of the already insane prices... that not worth it.

Also with international shipping, the risk of the board arriving damaged (especially the keycaps...) is just too high for me. The little fly-plates just become dislodged too easily..

[E TwentyNine]

Don't worry, they're like 3 feet tall so the switch feeling evens out with the feeling that you're using a typewriter.

Funny, because the only keyboard I like better than a beamspring is the Selectric.

[pixelpusher]

Making this kind of beast will take years of planning and expertise. I might take a crack at it since I'll be actually in China next year and own a beamspring.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

We've discussed it some in the past.  I think it would take the same amount of time or possibly less than Ellipse's new model F.  Assembly should be easier since all of the switches are modular, unlike the F, right?  I would easily wait a year or two to get something this unique.

[SBJ]

Making this kind of beast will take years of planning and expertise. I might take a crack at it since I'll be actually in China next year and own a beamspring.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

We've discussed it some in the past.  I think it would take the same amount of time or possibly less than Ellipse's new model F.  Assembly should be easier since all of the switches are modular, unlike the F, right?  I would easily wait a year or two to get something this unique.

Oh yeah same here for sure.
I could wait a looong time for something like that.

[tron]

Let's get someone to reproduce them now, okay?  Who's it?

This thread gives me hope for a modern reproduction-https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/ibm-beam-spring-mx-mount-t19862.html

It solves at least one of the major problems with creating a repro by avoiding the cost/time to produce the double shot key caps. I can see MT3 or KAT working, although I'm not sure how much they differ from the OG caps. The switches are really the only thing that would be difficult and expensive to make. If Elipse takes a beamspring repro on, I'd be willing to send him a spare 3278 and extra parts for reference.

[SneakyRobb]

Let's get someone to reproduce them now, okay?  Who's it?

This thread gives me hope for a modern reproduction-https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/ibm-beam-spring-mx-mount-t19862.html

It solves at least one of the major problems with creating a repro by avoiding the cost/time to produce the double shot key caps. I can see MT3 or KAT working, although I'm not sure how much they differ from the OG caps. The switches are really the only thing that would be difficult and expensive to make. If Elipse takes a beamspring repro on, I'd be willing to send him a spare 3278 and extra parts for reference.

The keycaps would absolutely be super hard to reproduce and being able to use mx keys would slash a massive chunk of cost away.

 The backplate, circuit board, foam, case and controller would be very similar to the Elipse reproductions. The model f is basically a streamlined child of the beamspring after all. Really almost everything is very similar to the model f aside from the keycaps.

The beamspring and model f are extremely similar in their construction. To refurbish a beamspring, you can basically follow a model f guide and make it work.

One thing that I would want to have different would be the plastic rivets inside the beam spring. Obviously if we could have a bolt mod it would be great. It's kinda whacky that beamsprings are held together by plastic rivets.

[JP]

Plastic rivets...wut? Model M's have those plastic rivets.

[Olumin]

Plastic rivets...wut? Model M's have those plastic rivets.

The two springs in the switch assembly are attached using plastic rivets. Normally I'd call it plenty durable, but because of their old age plastic tends to get brittle and...

[E TwentyNine]

Plastic rivets...wut? Model M's have those plastic rivets.

The two springs in the switch assembly are attached using plastic rivets. Normally I'd call it plenty durable, but because of their old age plastic tends to get brittle and...

(Could you not use that font?)

They're not really attached using plastic rivets, not in the same way of an M.   The metal on the flyplate is pressure mounted to a thick plastic stub on top of the plate, sort of self-clamping. The beam attached to the stem is also pressure mounted to a thick plastic stem and while that's pressed down it's more to ensure the beam doesn't slip, not as a major stress point.

Neither of the stems act as rivets per se, they're more of a mounting point for a low stress member.  Nothing like the rivet stresses seen on an M.

[JP]

(Could you not use that font?)

But it is a TP4 approved font 

[Techno Trousers]

Making this kind of beast will take years of planning and expertise. I might take a crack at it since I'll be actually in China next year and own a beamspring.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Do the world a favor and invent a low profile capacitive switch with the same key travel and feel of the classic beamsprings. Then we can put it into all the different layouts that people like today (I'm only interested in TKL myself).

[SneakyRobb]

Making this kind of beast will take years of planning and expertise. I might take a crack at it since I'll be actually in China next year and own a beamspring.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Do the world a favor and invent a low profile capacitive switch with the same key travel and feel of the classic beamsprings. Then we can put it into all the different layouts that people like today (I'm only interested in TKL myself).

I have this figured out. Just cut a keyboard sized hole in your desk and sink the the beamspring into it with some straps to give you the feel of low profile. If your keyboard is high profile, raise the profile of the desk around it. 


There is no reason you couldn't make a low profile beamspring style keyswitch. But consider that just changing the case on a model f. Just the case from one of the plastic ones on the F AT to the 107 with its heavy metal case, makes the keyboard sound totally different. Okay, maybe coke vs pepsi different.

Once you make such drastic changes to the height, the material weight etc. It wont feel the same at all.

[JP]

Once you open Pandora's box there is no turning back.

I have this figured out. Just cut a keyboard sized hole in your desk and sink the the beamspring into it with some straps to give you the feel of low profile. If your keyboard is high profile, raise the profile of the desk around it. 

Exactly.

[tp4tissue]

Once you open Pandora's box there is no turning back.

(Attachment Link)

I have this figured out. Just cut a keyboard sized hole in your desk and sink the the beamspring into it with some straps to give you the feel of low profile. If your keyboard is high profile, raise the profile of the desk around it. 

Exactly.

(Attachment Link)

Overwhlming Beige-P0wr