Hello once again, DT community!
I've been on a zenith kick recently, fixing up a ZKB-2 with SKCM undampened creams and a 163-73 with click modded yellows. Today, I fixed up my ZKB-2R! One of two usable SKCL green boards that I own - the other being an SGI granite that I transplanted some SKCL greens into. Hilariously, I think SKCL green is my most owned switch, but all the other boards that have them are terminal and can't be used (IBM multistation, several Zenith z-150s with XT protocol, and about 82 loose switches). Normally, I like transplanting other alps switches that are non-native to the board to give the build a unique deviation from stock built vintage boards, but this time I kept the switches green! I did change the caps though, but they are still in the Zenith Family.
First, the plate was slightly rusted, so I went with sanding and painting the plate - pretty standard procedure for my restorations these days.
I need a better system for sanding plates, though. Right now, I just go to town on the plate with 100 grit sandpaper and switch to 180 grit before I wet sand it with 1200 and 2000 grit to polish it off a little. I could take all the plates I paint to my local sand-blasting guy, but the last time I was there I got the sense that my small-scale projects are a waste of his time =/ ... Anyway, after sanding I hit it with some Metalcast ground coat and then an anodized red color. I have to give a shoutout to @E3Eves for the paint color on this one - had he not just recently painted his realforce with this exact paint color, I would have ended up painting mine a glossy red. I really like the anodized effect here though - thanks again, E3E!
Next I put the switches back in. I have to come clean here though, the SKCL green switches I soldered in are actually from a z-150. The z-150 had black switchplates, which (even though no one can see them) I thought was SUPER cool, so I used those instead. Of course, a z-150 doesn't have enough SKCL green to fill out a ZKB-2R, so I did have to use some of the original switches in the F row and a few other places.
I really went for the christmas vibe with this look! However...there was one other factor that made me want to paint the plate red....
I had recently acquired a few red logo boards. I have one more that I have another project for in mind as well...later on down the road. They look pretty awesome though!
Next came the case - easy decision for me though, as anyone who knows the kind of restorations I've done probably could have guessed, I went with industrial grey!
Last was cap choice, but I went ahead and used the caps from my Zenith 163-73 for it - you just can't beat PBT caps on linear switches, in my opinion at least =)
Overall I'm SUPER happy with this keyboard. SKCL green feel awesome and have such a cool pingy noise which this metal-based case make sound super neat.
Here are a few more pics of the board on my counter-top!
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Looking forward to the next build I can share with you all!
またね。
//gains.
.
