Apple Lisa Keyboard

[snuci]

Here we have an Apple Lisa keyboard. This is from my earliest Apple Lisa 2 which was converted from a Lisa 1. There were at least three variations in Key Tronic key switches for the Lisa keyboards but they were all foam and foil.

Please excuse the dirt. I haven't had time to clean this one properly.

Here are some pics:

Apple Lisa keyboard - keyboard top

Apple Lisa keyboard - keyboard top.jpg (276.4 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - keyboard bottom

Apple Lisa keyboard - keyboard bottom.jpg (248.8 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - keyboard opened

Apple Lisa keyboard - keyboard opened.jpg (283 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - keyboard assembly top

Apple Lisa keyboard - keyboard assembly top.jpg (265.05 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - top keyboard assembly angled

Apple Lisa keyboard - top keyboard assembly angled.jpg (444.47 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - space bar spring different

Apple Lisa keyboard - space bar spring different.jpg (466.8 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - bottom circuit board

Apple Lisa keyboard - bottom circuit board.jpg (360.59 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - top circuit board

Apple Lisa keyboard - top circuit board.jpg (373.13 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - top circuit board angled

Apple Lisa keyboard - top circuit board angled.jpg (349.27 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - circuit board date

Apple Lisa keyboard - circuit board date.jpg (486.12 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - key switch markings

Apple Lisa keyboard - key switch markings.jpg (382.54 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - key switch foam removed

Apple Lisa keyboard - key switch foam removed.jpg (373.93 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - hand made key switch foam

Apple Lisa keyboard - hand made key switch foam.jpg (396.96 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa keyboard - bottom key switch profile

Apple Lisa keyboard - bottom key switch profile.jpg (393.98 KiB) Viewed 9635 times

Apple Lisa - keycaps

Apple Lisa - keycaps.jpg (234.48 KiB) Viewed 9421 times

Edit: Added key caps

[Muirium]

Intriguing it's so different from the M0110 Macintosh keyboard. What a difference a Steve makes! He was kicked off the Lisa project long before the end, which is how the Mac became its internal rival.

Thanks for posing it next to the matching Lisa mouse. Could use some more pics of the caps, though!

[seebart]

Certainly a very good looking keyboard, and pretty large. That Key Tronic freebie I got from webwit has the same switch. Not my favorite but I've felt worse.

[terrycherry]

Great post again. That look like Key Tronic foam and foil (Tactile)Butterfly switch but something different. I mention that it could be the Butterfly type 2.
Could this switch fit on tactile variant?

[Engicoder]

Nice!. I had assumed the lisa keyboard was just a variant of the M0110A, but its clearly a completely different animal. Older keytronic PCBs are always nice to look at. They did a good job reducing the foot print of the keyboard by packing the components between the alpha group and the keypad.

[andrewjoy]

Indeed , keytronic had a good PCB layout guy , there is an art to PCB design . You look at some products on the inside now and think, did they just vomit the SMD components all over the PCB ? Hey modern designers , put the autorouter down and step away from the computer.

[tigpha]

Thanks for generously showing your collection snuci.

Hey modern designers , put the autorouter down and step away from the computer.

Monsieur Joy, my point of view is entirely aesthetic, and I fully endorse your plea. Although the Lisa keyboard PCB has far too many zigzags to my taste. My preference leans toward noodle-style groovy '60s-'70s hand traced patterns. The George Risk Industries example I was shown "est l'exception qui confirme la règle." Worthy of framing in a gallery:

[andrewjoy]

The electrons are going to crash into the corners!

That is sexy, i always preferred the hand traced with the curves, you gota have curves!

And above that you have some of the super sexy wire loom and plug board stuff from the 50s and 60s...Sexy! To get somewhere to do that now would be ether impossible or crazy expensive.

[snuci]

tigpha,

I do love blue PCB boards. it reminds me of my KIM-1. I can't take a pic at work but it looks like this:

Spoiler:

It's not the earliest version I have but it is beautiful.

[andrewjoy]

With gold plated ceramic ICs, no expense spared. And that Fancy connector , looks almost military grade.

[tigpha]

tigpha, I do love blue PCB boards. it reminds me of my KIM-1.

What a riot of wonderful colours! And curves! Thanks snuci, much appreciated. I wonder if those cobalt-blue PCBs are still obtainable somewhere?

[andrewjoy]

They will be but not with the tin rolled traces , solder mask or nothing nowdays

[snuci]

Could use some more pics of the caps, though!

Sorry about that. I need natural light and don't get home early enough to take decent pics any more. I added the key caps pic above at the end.

[livingspeedbump]

beautiful board. Thanks for the great tear down and pics!