deskthority

fohat wrote: Continuing, I was happy at first with the 3/8" neoprene washers but grew disenchanted with them because they were too tall (thick) and made the keys under them feel funny. I had to force and stretch them down into place, but that seemed good. (that sentence would draw snarky comments on GH)

They seem to be the same thickness as my original 7/16" SAE stainless steel washers, and I never felt that issue, presumably they "rocked" out of the way.

Today I got some 7/16" ID x 7/8" OD fiber washers that seem to be a good thickness, but were a little bit to tight to fit over the barrels (chimneys) so I reamed them out with the Dremel. I felt that they still needed to be pretty snug since they weigh less than the steel ones.

These are another improvement, since they don't rattle and the ends of the spacebar are stabilized, but they still inhibit the downstroke of the keys that they surround. Next step:

Find a small file and file out notches where the buttresses occur so that the washer can slide farther down the barrel.

PS - what are the specs for the nylon washers? something on the order of 9mm ID x 20mm OD x 1mm thick?

When i find my calibers i will let you know

Continuing, I was happy at first with the 3/8" neoprene washers but grew disenchanted with them because they were too tall (thick) and made the keys under them feel funny. I had to force and stretch them down into place, but that seemed good. (that sentence would draw snarky comments on GH)

They seem to be the same thickness as my original 7/16" SAE stainless steel washers, and I never felt that issue, presumably they "rocked" out of the way.

Today I got some 7/16" ID x 7/8" OD fiber washers that seem to be a good thickness, but were a little bit to tight to fit over the barrels (chimneys) so I reamed them out with the Dremel. I felt that they still needed to be pretty snug since they weigh less than the steel ones.

These are another improvement, since they don't rattle and the ends of the spacebar are stabilized, but they still inhibit the downstroke of the keys that they surround. Next step:

Find a small file and file out notches where the buttresses occur so that the washer can slide farther down the barrel.

PS - what are the specs for the nylon washers? something on the order of 9mm ID x 20mm OD x 1mm thick?

wcass wrote: So my next idea was to use the geometry of the keyboard to hold the clips on - cantilevered off of a barrel. I would need a piece of metal with a hole in it; the hole must be close to the diameter of the barrels and the outer edge must extend over the stabilizer bar. I picked up two 7/16” SAE washers from my neighborhood hardware store for less than a dollar, dropped them over the C and < keys and they work perfectly with nothing but the washer's weight and rigidity keeping the washer edge from tilting up – and this keeps the spacebar stabilizer tight against the barrel frame. The spacebar registers properly and reliably even when I press at the extreme left and right of the key.

That's pretty clever. It's very satisfying when there's a simple solution to a complex problem.

If the reviews go well, look for kits in a month or so.

I’ve been asked a few times (and wondered myself) about how I will do spacebar stabilization. I’ll use Unicomp space bars of course, but how to hold the bar against the barrel frame is the question.

I did a mod a few years back that replaced an AT’s spacebar for two Alt keys and a model M spacebar. For that, I bent a piece of metal and glued this to the barrel frame. It worked, but the metal was not as thick as I would have liked (too bendy) and the connection to the barrel frame was a weak point on a keyboard famous for being almost indestructible. I wanted to try out some other options.

My first idea was to 3D print a copy of the retention clips used for the spacebar on the 122 key Model F, but there are two reasons why this is not ideal. First, mounting the clips to the barrel frame would require glue again. Second, the barrels on an XT have a alignment stud different from the alignment notch on the barrels of an AT or 122. The stud sticks up through the barrel frame slightly and would block the stabilizer from sliding easily into a clip as the spacebar is mounted. This second issue would also affect stamped or welded on clips too.

So my next idea was to use the geometry of the keyboard to hold the clips on - cantilevered off of a barrel. I would need a piece of metal with a hole in it; the hole must be close to the diameter of the barrels and the outer edge must extend over the stabilizer bar. I picked up two 7/16” SAE washers from my neighborhood hardware store for less than a dollar, dropped them over the C and < keys and they work perfectly with nothing but the washer's weight and rigidity keeping the washer edge from tilting up – and this keeps the spacebar stabilizer tight against the barrel frame. The spacebar registers properly and reliably even when I press at the extreme left and right of the key.