Help with the switch in an M0487 Apple II keyboard

elecplus · 10 Apr 2016, 03:42

I know this is supposed to have rubber sleeves, according to the wiki, but this one does not. It was manufactured in Taiwan. The insert inside the caps is so difficult to remove that I am afraid any more insistence on my part will break something. Inside is a clear membrane over what appears to be a shiny metal plate. This keyboard weighs about 2.8 pounds, which is rather heavy for this type of Apple keyboard. Suggestions, anyone?

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Edit: I am trying to get this listed on my site for sale, but I don't know what this switch is!

elecplus · 10 Apr 2016, 04:00

After several minutes of fiddling, I got it to come apart.

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Does that give anyone a better idea what this is?

ohaimark · 10 Apr 2016, 04:25

SMK Alps mount spring over membrane?

elecplus · 10 Apr 2016, 04:31

Does that make it some sort of buckling spring? It does not "click" but it does have an actuation point before it bottoms out. It is rather quiet to type on, but does not feel like a rubber dome at all.

Redmaus · 10 Apr 2016, 06:26

Picture of the back? I had a board just like this with rubber sleeves and it definitely didn't weigh 2.8 pounds.

ohaimark · 10 Apr 2016, 06:38

It might buckle, but I can't say for sure without examining the switch in person.

I'm basing my guess on the wiki entry (which says that some were made by SMK with the aforementioned switch) and the following site.

http://www.applerescueofdenver.com/prod ... -ii-parts/

elecplus · 10 Apr 2016, 07:03

It matches Version B on Apple Rescue's site. Thank you, Ohaimark!

ohaimark · 10 Apr 2016, 07:06

Glad I could help.

elecplus · 10 Apr 2016, 07:07

Redmaus wrote: Picture of the back? I had a board just like this with rubber sleeves and it definitely didn't weigh 2.8 pounds.

Here you go, Eric

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Redmaus · 10 Apr 2016, 08:05

Thanks for the picture, but it ohaimark beat me to it.

keycap · 11 Apr 2016, 14:04

That's odd. I've never seen any spring over membrane switches in an M0487.. Or maybe that's because I've never owned one.

How does the keyboard feel? Does it sometimes actuate earlier in the keystroke if you press it quickly? I've never owned a spring over membrane keyboard and I'm curious as to how it feels.

elecplus · 11 Apr 2016, 18:45

It feels sturdy. I don't know of a better description. It is quiet, and there is a slight "bump" before the cap hits bottom. The keys pop back up under your fingers. It is not crisp, but not mushy either. Kinda hard to describe!

elecplus · 24 Jun 2016, 02:19

The same keyboard, cleaned up. I noticed something different about these keyboards while cleaning; the "dots" for finger orientation are on the D and K keys, instead of on the F and J keys!

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emdude · 24 Jun 2016, 03:46

That's pretty standard for Apple keyboards of that period, the Apple Standard and Apple Extended Keyboards are like that too. Yet another thing Apple was trying to do different from its competitors.