deskthority

kbdfr wrote: 22 Sep 2019, 08:01 I would suggest you edit the title of the thread and remove the word "backlit".
It would almost have deterred me from reading the thread at all

Fixed.

One issue that comes to mind for me is what LED windows actually look like. They shine as a bar on the key. They look like an indicator light—WARNING!—rather than an always-on identifier, like a legend. Yet it is possible to use LED windows in large numbers, and do so with a neat vintage look. Nord ...

I'm sure someone's thought of this, but I didn't see one in the search.

ALPS & Cherry both had/have caps with LED windows back in the 1980s and probably earlier. As everyone knows, they were usually used for the Num Lock, Scroll Lock, Caps Lock, etc.

At my local recycler, they have lots of vintage ...

I tried using the developer creme twice, and both times it marbled even when using plastic wrap and keeping it moist. I'd never recommend it. Just leaving the case out in the sun will brighten it, but it can take several days of exposure. It also avoids making the plastics more brittle. Otherwise ...

Well then, looks like I have a few more switches to buy and stock up on incase anyone needs some.

If the tall one is indeed a magnetic or hall effect, that'd be nifty. I'll get one and dissect it, see what's inside. It has that clip on it and it does lock like a capslock. I wonder if I remove the ...

They're linear switches. Light to the touch at first, then it gets stiffer the further you press the key. I have no idea when it actuates because I don't have anything that uses them. Only other common switches I have at the moment are Cherry MX Black and MX Grey that i just picked up today at the ...

They were indeed General Instruments switches and not Alps. Unfortunate for me since the stem is too small for Alps key caps, so they won't work with my M0110 Macintosh and Apple II keyboards. :(

I did find a few more switches not on the Wiki, although one was easy to identify because it was ...

I just found two boxes of these Oak switches. They're slightly different from both yours and the one in the patent you listed.

The text on the switch says: US Patent 3,708,635.

Someone suggested they might be General Instruments S950. But it also lists an Alps equivalent. Either way I'm gonna get a bunch and try them out.

Thanks a bunch for that link. I should've googled that first.

Oh, holy cow, you're right! I can't believe I didn't recognize that first switch. I have a couple M0110 keyboards and a numeric pad. Sure enough, that's the switch.

I'm gonna go back and buy the whole box. :P

I'm also going to get a ...

Hello, new to keyboard stuff. I was at my local electronics surplus place, and I found several boxes of what look like keyboard key switches. I was wondering if people could identify them, or if they're even switches for keyboards. I was able to figure out the 3rd switch because it has the Cherry ...

That's an incredible job. I really would like to make a keyboard similar to yours. I only just started exploring the idea of a custom keyboard that would look at home on my 486 DOS gaming PC as well as my modern PC.

Ideally I'd like to use Alps SKCL green like yours but with amber/yellow LEDs ...