New - Need help with Atari MegaST Keyboard

[Bikerbob]

Hello, new to the board.

I have a real old school Cherry MX keyboard. Atari Mega ST keyboard.

All is working ok, except for the spacebar.. and this is my issue.

I did not get the Stab elements for the spacebar.. one of the inserts is missing.. the plate snap in's are there.. but no wire.. and the wire needs to me 5.25" long.

Cant find a wire for it.. so can I make one? if so what material and how to keep it flat and straight?

James

keyboard.jpg (221.22 KiB) Viewed 2321 times

[Bikerbob]

Maybe this should have been in the discussions forum.. if it needs to be moved ok.. sorry.

[SneakyRobb]

wiki/Space_bar_dimensions#9_units_.2817 ... m_apart.29


Hi this appears to be a 9 unit cherry space bar with costar stabilizers.

The stabilizers are 3.5 units to the left and right of center.

I think signature plastics has 9 unit spacebars and thus may also have the stabilizers for them?

Someone else probably knows more

Here are some stabilizer making guides

https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyb ... izer_wires
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=65132.0

[Findecanor]

You would need a 8-unit "Costar-style" stabiliser bar, and an insert. Space bars wider than 8 units use 8-unit stabilisers.

Kits with parts for space bars up to 7 units width should not be that difficult to source: there are spare parts for modern keyboards with Costar stabilisers. If not in a computer store, there are some on eBay.
8 units is more unusual though, because only vintage computing platforms' keyboards have space bars wider than seven. Unfortunately, the kinks in the wire are not straightforward.

Edit: Following one of the links above:
The insert: http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/ ... ategory/7/

I have found steel wire at a shop that specialises in plastic model kits and model airplanes. Those often have various metal parts for scratch-building besides plastic and balsa wood.

[Bikerbob]

Thanks for the reply. Ok thanks for the wiki link.. yes.. it is a 9 unit spacebar. Thanks also for the wasd link.. i found them already, so I know those are the inserts I use.. would it be worth contacting them .. none of these guys would make this stuff right? it would be mass manufactured?

Thanks

James