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Packard Bell Typewriter Switches
Posted: 14 May 2020, 21:33
by joebeazelman
I occasionally see Packard Bell typewriters for sale at my local thrift store. They are fairly modern looking, but can't date when they were made. Until fairly recently, I discovered that some 'Packed in Hell', as us old farts fondly remember them, used ALPS switch on their older model PC keyboards. Are there any clickies, tacties, thockies or smoothies teasing us under their skirts?
Re: Packard Bell Typewriter Switches
Posted: 17 May 2020, 08:10
by mcmaxmcmc
Well, in that one in particular it probably isn't Alps because of the lock light placement, but maybe there are Alps Packard Bell items out there
Re: Packard Bell Typewriter Switches
Posted: 17 May 2020, 16:22
by Thorogrimm
Bring a key puller next time you're out and give it a discreet look
Re: Packard Bell Typewriter Switches
Posted: 17 May 2020, 18:33
by Muirium
“HEY! What the hell are you doing? Pulling buttons off the typewriter! We’re never going to sell it if it’s missing those!”
Then the part where they offer you a demonstration that it can in fact still type, while you nod and consider if it’s even worth telling them why you might really want those keycaps…
Re: Packard Bell Typewriter Switches
Posted: 17 May 2020, 22:26
by Findecanor
Changed URL to get bigger image.
BTW. The image looks like it was shrunk slightly on the horizontal. The keys are not perfectly square.
There
are some switches used for typewriters where you can pull a key and not put it back on again without having to first disassemble the typewriter. (That was not fun to find out...)
The SHIFT LOCK key reminds me of the Amiga's Caps Lock... Could be Mitsumi KPQ or KPR type, but there are more types that have a LED window in the upper/right corner.
Edit: I think the NMB Hi-Tek's key's LED window is too big to be a match.
Re: Packard Bell Typewriter Switches
Posted: 17 May 2020, 22:43
by TheInverseKey
Findecanor wrote: 17 May 2020, 22:26
Changed URL to get bigger image.
BTW. The image looks like it was shrunk slightly on the horizontal. The keys are not perfectly square.
There
are some switches used for typewriters where you can pull a key and not put it back on again without having to first disassemble the typewriter. (That was not fun to find out...)
The SHIFT LOCK key reminds me of the Amiga's Caps Lock... Could be Mitsumi KPQ or KPR type, but there are more types that have a LED window in the upper/right corner.
Edit: I think the NMB Hi-Tek's key's LED window is too big to be a match.
The printing on the keycaps is far off for NMB so I'm thinking that it's either F&F or rubber dome of some sort.
