F104+SSK+122+62+77+50+Ergo orders now open! New Kishsaver+Industrial Model F Keyboards

[Ellipse]

They will be matte like the originals - if you are looking for a custom color/glossy I will look into it when I start taking orders next month.

[Touch_It]

This tempts me every day. I would love a F77. Finances likely won't allow me to. Just to throw this out there, it is an amazing feat that this is happening. Excited to see the end result.

[Ellipse]

Thanks touch! I expect to make a high definition video with a good quality microphone once the prototypes are finished, so you will certainly be able to see a representation of the final product.

[Ellipse]

The F62 and F77 inner assembly prototypes have been made! They have not yet been powdercoated black.

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[kuato]

This is too awesome.

[Redmaus]

This IS too awesome.

I still can't figure out which one I want though... F62 or F77 such a hard choice

[romevi]

This IS too awesome.

I still can't figure out which one I want though... F62 or F77 such a hard choice

I can't imagine using a keyboard without arrows. No numpad? Sure. But no arrows? Heck no! F77 for me!

[XMIT]

I'm getting more used to doing Fn + WASD for arrows on my V60 keyboards. I wish by default they also mapped Fn + hjlk since I'm used to vim key bindings. The V60 also does Fn + pl;' which just seems odd to me.

[Muirium]

It's pronounced HHKB.

[Hypersphere]

Close, but should be Fn + [;'/

[wcass]

My Kishsaver has arrows on the top layer.

Where most other folks have RAlt, Menu, RCtrl - I have Left, Down, Right. I split my RShift, so Up is between ? and 1.75 wide RShift. The alignment is very comfortable.

[romevi]

Well, I guess if I can program a function layer, then I may have to reconsider and get the F62. Goodness knows I'll never own an original Kishsaver...

[Hypersphere]

My Kishsaver has arrows on the top layer.

Where most other folks have RAlt, Menu, RCtrl - I have Left, Down, Right. I split my RShift, so Up is between ? and 1.75 wide RShift. The alignment is very comfortable.

Interesting. Nice that the venerable Model F boards enable such flexibility. The plentiful mods is one of the things I enjoy about my XT.

[darkspider]

If it is fully customizable, I'm now considering an F77 with a layout like below.
I prefer vim-like cursor mapping, but also like dedicated arrow keys on the right side.

[Ellipse]

Some more prototype photos! The F62 split right shift and F77 split right shift prototype top inner assemblies have also been made.

These might even be the first metal Model F parts to come off the assembly line in 20+ years!

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[Muirium]

Ah, so new! These are going to be great.

[Codingcpa]

looks amazing!

[hammelgammler]

Oh yeah, everything is looking gorgeous! Keep up the good work.

[RoastPotatoes]

Are you just waiting for the flippers before you can do a full assembly?

[Ellipse]

We still need the custom-made styrofoam shipping packaging, the top and bottom metal case, the double-walled box, flippers, barrels, inner foam, and springs at this point.

The bottleneck will be the mold design for the barrels and flippers, which is still ongoing.

[RoastPotatoes]

We still need the custom-made styrofoam shipping packaging, the top and bottom metal case, the double-walled box, flippers, barrels, inner foam, and springs at this point.

The bottleneck will be the mold design for the barrels and flippers, which is still ongoing.

OK, so still a lot to go. But everything so far is looking quite promising.

[Muirium]

Damn it, how I want one of these, but how my bills are already too stacked up to have a hope! Anyway, I'll enjoy the prototype builds vicariously. The HHKB style 60% will be stunning, I bet.

[potatowire]

Everything is looking great so far!

[tigpha]

Very, very interesting project. I love the feel of my vintage Bigfoot, but the size of it is overwhelming, certainly not as portable as the KBT Pure Pro I take to work. I'm considering rebuilding the Bigfoot as a 60% board, but if barrels, flippers and springs could be bought new, I could save the Bigfoot from cannibalism...

Regarding the electrically conductive flipper resin, I discovered this: milled carbon fibre resin filler. The product description says:

Electrically Conductivity / Antistatic Properties

"Because carbon fibre is eclectically [sic] conductive, milled carbon fibres can be mixed into paints, resins and other materials to make them electrically conductive or anti-static. Polymers containing milled carbon fibre can be engineered for resistivity from anti-static, through static dissipative to conductive, depending on the fibre content."

Maybe this is what the original flipper material contains? I thought that it might be graphite powder filler, but the product description does not emphasise electrical properties quite as much:

"When mixed with casting and laminating resins, graphite powder also adds a smooth, hard wearing, low friction property to castings, components and laminates along with a degree of electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity."

Low friction properties seem to suggest that the barrels could benefit from graphite filler, and the flippers would benefit more from milled carbon fibres to add electrical conductivity.

Is this useful information?

[Ellipse]

Yes tigpha - I selected a resin containing 20% carbon which should (hopefully) be more than sufficient to allow the flippers to work well with the capacitive PCB.

You can save a small amount by re-using your original barrels, flippers, and springs if you were ordering an F62 without those parts but you would have to cut off the alignment pins of each bigfoot barrel so that they fit. They are a slightly different design than all the other barrels.

[joc]

Some more prototype photos! The F62 split right shift and F77 split right shift prototype top inner assemblies have also been made.

These might even be the first metal Model F parts to come off the assembly line in 20+ years!

Wow! They look great! What gives the bottom inner assembly its golden/greenish/bluish color?

[tigpha]

You can save a small amount by re-using your original barrels, flippers, and springs...

True, but the Bigfoot is pristine. Spotless and barely a scratch, and functions almost* perfectly. I'd be very sad to snip the positioning pegs, and compromise reassembly of a museum piece.

I'm watching this thread to see if a kit of selected parts can be purchased, eventually. The PCB looks gorgeous. I'm very interested to know how it was designed, and if someone can describe how to design one.

Gambatte kudasai!

* Almost: s/w tuning required, scan speed may be a bit high, causing occasional backtick characters to pop up every few hours of typing. Tweaks imminent...

[Ellipse]

joc - it is the zinc chromate process that gives the interesting bottom inner assembly colors, same as was used originally.

tigpha - yes you can buy individual parts too.

[Muirium]

I bet Model F barrels and flippers will be quite popular. I'll need some barrels myself.

[darkspider]

Coming future will make it very easy for everybody to restore and revive junk F keyboards.
It's very fortunate not only for me, but also for the pile of Fs.