deskthority

So I'm looking for the absolute strongest and best built mechanical keyboard ever made. The heavier the better. I already own a Filco MJ2 104, but want something even more durable

Model f or some even older impossible to find boards.

On the market today? Unicomp. Ever made? Well, Model F PC XT is an all metal murder weapon, and beam springs would win in a confrontation with a speeding truck.

Basically IBMs all the way down.

I want to struggle to pick it up

Muirium wrote:On the market today? Unicomp. Ever made? Well, Model F PC XT is an all metal murder weapon, and beam springs would win in a confrontation with a speeding truck.

Basically IBMs all the way down.

Pretty much this, Fs and beam springs.

Old lisp boards too. Space Cadet looks like it could be metal too.

Go to a local fabrication shop with blueprints of a Model F....

Considered a Marquardt? http://deskthority.net/wiki/Marquardt_M ... _7069.3111

Electrone EAL15X Programmable Keyboard Range :
http://electrone.com/content.php?ref=page_soln2b

Metal case, plate-mounted Cherry-switches ....

Peter wrote:Electrone EAL15X Programmable Keyboard Range :
http://electrone.com/content.php?ref=page_soln2b

Metal case, plate-mounted Cherry-switches ....

WOW... that sure looks heavy duty and outrageously expensive

Ducky has a new metal topped keyboard ready for you. The Year of the Snake.

Ducky Nordic wrote:YotS has a thick aluminum top plate and its weighs like a son of a b**** ;p.

Go check it out. The epitome of Ducky, for better and for worse.

Looks good but it looks like it's going to be really hard to get one. Or very expensive

Metal keyboards are not cheap. Unless you have patience and go on a spiritual quest for an overlooked oldie.

Sloth_mc wrote:I want to struggle to pick it up

Fill it full of lead.

(Incidentally that's probably the best thing to do with a lot of rubber dome keyboards ...)

Daniel Beardsmore wrote:Fill it full of lead.

That has been done. I think Ripster melted ingots of lead to fit inside his Filco, or was it another keyboard? It was three years ago.

Findecanor wrote:

Daniel Beardsmore wrote:Fill it full of lead.

That has been done. I think Ripster melted ingots of lead to fit inside his Filco, or was it another keyboard? It was three years ago.

That's awesome!

Findecanor wrote:That has been done. I think Ripster melted ingots of lead to fit inside his Filco, or was it another keyboard? It was three years ago.

o_O

Do you think he ingested a load of the lead by mistake? That might account for a lot of things.

Has anyone seen a metal case for a FILCO MJ2 104? I know vortex sells one for the TKL, but I've never seen one for a full layout

I am not sure that I've ever seen a community-made 104/105/108-key metal chassis. There's the WiNDy ALFEEL commercially-made alu case on (allegedly) a Filco full-size keyboard, but Google suggests that they're no longer sold.

Everyone who makes alu chassis always go for TKL or compact, sadly.

Daniel Beardsmore wrote:I am not sure that I've ever seen a community-made 104/105/108-key metal chassis. There's the WiNDy ALFEEL commercially-made alu case on (allegedly) a Filco full-size keyboard, but Google suggests that they're no longer sold.

Everyone who makes alu chassis always go for TKL or compact, sadly.

What annoys me is that KeyboardCo sells full Metal housings for full size boards but the only way to get it is for them to put it on when you order a keyboard. You can't by them separately.

Sloth_mc wrote:

Daniel Beardsmore wrote:I am not sure that I've ever seen a community-made 104/105/108-key metal chassis. There's the WiNDy ALFEEL commercially-made alu case on (allegedly) a Filco full-size keyboard, but Google suggests that they're no longer sold.

Everyone who makes alu chassis always go for TKL or compact, sadly.

What annoys me is that KeyboardCo sells full Metal housings for full size boards but the only way to get it is for them to put it on when you order a keyboard. You can't by them separately.

Aren't those just plastic cases painted dark metal colour?

You're probably right. It's described as a "metal design". Never says it's a full Metal body.

Yes, it's just a cover, not a case. Blingy but insubstantial:

http://www.keyboardco.com/blog/index.ph ... bo-covers/

Damn....

Yup. It looks like I'm out of luck, but if anyone has any other options please let me know

It's still IBMs all the way down.

I present to you the 2741. Over 300 pounds: http://www.multicians.org/terminals.html

Mind you, it is a terminal, not just a keyboard. But still...

And, it's the heaviest, nowhere near the most durable.

In any case, though, a 122-key Model F weighs 9.3 pounds. And that's a useful layout in 2013, and Soarer's adapter can easily make it a USB keyboard with NKRO.

Model F's are indeed the business. Touch one and fall in heavy metal love. Just pretend it's the turn of the 1980s and it fits your criterion perfectly.

If a Model F 122 board isn't heavy enough you can always fill the free space inside with cement, that should add some weight and make it even more durable.

Actually, I don't have a clue where you'd find one of these, so it's not on the market as per se.

Wow, I've never seen one of those before. That makes me wonder what other mysterious (and monstrous) beam spring keyboards might be out there to be discovered.

I plan on documenting all the beam springs I'm aware of soon, stay tuned! (Unfortunately for most of them, all I have are diagrams of the layouts, and no pictures.)