Group Build prototyping phase

[snoopy]

what do you think of a KMAC-mini layout?

kmac mini layout in iso would be awesome

[matt3o]

Mateo i got dwg file for kingsaver you can get stab placement dimensions from there, well at last some of them.

kewl! thanks! I'll give it a shot

[skrsh3r]

what do you think of a KMAC-mini layout?

kmac mini layout in iso would be awesome

I agree iso layout would be awesome, btw i know it's off topic but i have to ask.
I'm getting some mx linear whites and i have to know how do they compare to blacks and reds?

[Muirium]

Linear whites? Aren't whites clicky?

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_White

[skrsh3r]

nah i'm getting these.
http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8 ... t4247.html

edit they are actually clears silly me.

[matt3o]

clears are stronger browns.

[skrsh3r]

Oh well ill see when i get them but i'm positive that they are indeed linear so they are not current clears that are in production.

[mohitgarg]

I'd love to help with the PCB designing and would recommend getting the PCB made from a fab.

[matt3o]

I'd love to help with the PCB designing and would recommend getting the PCB made from a fab.

Thanks!

I don't think we will have enough orders to justify manufactured PCBs, that's why we will probably have to CNC them.

Mateo i got dwg file for kingsaver you can get stab placement dimensions from there, well at last some of them.

DARN it's ANSI. We still miss the ISO enter specs!

[damorgue]

Wouldn't Matias be pleased if we made something which was compatible with their switches? They would probably welcome a more widespread adoption and might be able to help us with stabilizers.

[rindorbrot]

But I don't have any ALPS-Keycaps

[mohitgarg]

Making Alps compatible PCB is not a hard task at all, the only roadblock is the stabs and there position. If I'm not wrong, they use similar stabs to Costar design?

[Muirium]

Thing is, Matias switches cost less than half Cherry MX (both via 7bit) and they are very well weighted right in the middle of the range, where ergo clears etc. aim to go. Add the damping on the tactile version, and I'm highly interested in going for an Alps build. Also: clear shells as standard.

If you've got caps: go for it. (I do. Some excellent doubleshots and a nice grey dyesub PBT set. But they're both ISO UK alas, so need care on the stabs.) And if you don't: you've come to the right place. DT is a hive of Alps!

[skrsh3r]

Problem is you can't get new caps for alps boards, pcb and case can be made easily,problem is when you need to get caps and stabs, and as we all know on old alps boards stabs are all over the place plus it's hard to score nice alps caps in good condition.

[Muirium]

True. But there's enough of us who have them that it's worth a shot. Everything being strictly MX never feels right.

[skrsh3r]

Well i actually prefer alps over cherries and i already designed tkl pcb but caps are keeping me from making my alps custom...If people want alps i can help with pcb design and if anyone wants ansi winkeyless pcb i already have that one designed.

[Muirium]

Tell us about your stabs. Matteo's forever raising that as the one thing between him and going into production.

I have two keyboards (whose Alps mount caps I like and want to build as customs) that I can try measuring from, but it's tricky to get right.

[skrsh3r]

pcb i designed can go with dell at101w,at101,omnikey 101 and sgi granite i was planing on using that dwg for kingsaver that i uploaded for mateo, i can design an iso version to but i never saw anything iso that isn't dell.Basically sgi,dell and omnikey have the same stabs from the info i gathered, as for AEK i need someone to take a picture of stabs and plate and i also need a picture of iso plate of dell at102w for the enter key.

[Muirium]

I've got an AEK II. I'll take some pictures.

The board I want to ransack is an Acer switch <four digit model number I can't remember> with standard looking full size UK ISO winkeyless layout. Its rollover is too bad to use, and the caps are its best feature.

[Acanthophis]

[matt3o]

problem with ALPS is that there's no clear standard for stabs. My keycap set comes from a Focus 2001 and it has some crazy stabs on enter that you don't find anywhere else. So it's not only the problem of finding the specs for the stabs, it's that there's no standard for ALPS.

[skrsh3r]

problem with ALPS is that there's no clear standard for stabs. My keycap set comes from a Focus 2001 and it has some crazy stabs on enter that you don't find anywhere else. So it's not only the problem of finding the specs for the stabs, it's that there's no standard for ALPS.

That's exactly what i was trying to say.

[7bit]

[Acanthophis]

HYPER7.png

That would be a tank!

[collector of junk]

I too like alps switches (mainly for a change from cherries)
after looking at http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8 ... t7468.html it's inspired me to to do something !!

what about asking Matias who make there keycaps and or if they wound sell sets etc and use Matias stabilizers as the new standard ??

[skrsh3r]

Here you go mateo stabs for iso enter are same as backspace the switch and the stab holes for enter are rotated 90 degree.
http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8 ... t7468.html

[matt3o]

this is stainless steel would be at least 5kg

Here you go mateo stabs for iso enter are same as backspace the switch and the stab holes for enter are rotated 90 degree.
http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8 ... t7468.html

Like I said... there's no standard here...

[JBert]

Like I said... there's no standard here...

Still, can't you just pick one version like "collector of junk" said above:

I too like alps switches (mainly for a change from cherries)
after looking at http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8 ... t7468.html it's inspired me to to do something !!

what about asking Matias who make there keycaps and or if they wound sell sets etc and use Matias stabilizers as the new standard ??

Matias keyboards with ISO return keys exist, here's an example: http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard/mati ... -pc-uk.asp
Since he supplies the switches, wouldn't ordering stabs from him also ease things?

The only hurdle I could see is when his stabilizer clips are actually molded into his keyboard frames...

[matt3o]

Matias is not selling caps, it's something they are pondering, but not yet.

Re picking an arbitrary ALPS keyboard and work on that, it's something that can be done. We just have to find a cheap widely available ALPS keyboard, but we would end up with a Poker-like layout.

I really like the focus because is one of the few with a 1u key to the right of the right shift



but they hard to find in Europe

[Ichigo87]

I have nothing against alps because i've never tried them but the fact that you cannot provide new keycaps easily is a pretty bad start for a group buy and that would reduce the number of participants and raise the price.