buckling spring with cherry on top

09 Oct 2014, 12:09

This would be ALPHA-1, just dremel work + epoxy glue, but the result is promising. Next step would be 3d print. Final step would be production...

Enjoy.

09 Oct 2014, 12:13

Nice! Very promising. All those Cherry MX novelty keycaps that people have could find a new home on a sweet Buckling spring board.

09 Oct 2014, 12:31

Very nice, that would be so great to have. How much higher than a normal BS key does the top of the cap come out actually?

09 Oct 2014, 12:44

Indeed, looks tall. Can we see it when pressed down?

When considering this before, I've also worried about the whole curved backplate issue. Caps will all be packed closer together the taller they get.

09 Oct 2014, 13:03

the keycap should be almost at the same height of the original one, maybe a pinch higher, but I could dig a little deeper into the stem and have it flush with the original.

keycaps could be tilted slightly if they hit each other. I don't know yet since I sold my last buckling few months ago. I find them once in while in a junk yard near here (for free)

09 Oct 2014, 14:54

interest alps version

09 Oct 2014, 18:26

Nuum wrote:Nice! Very promising. All those Cherry MX novelty keycaps that people have could find a new home on a sweet Buckling spring board.

Yes, this would be a good use for all those non-sculpted Cherry keycaps which are annoyingly pervasive across group buys. :roll:

09 Oct 2014, 18:32

Like, oh, DSA? Hmm… a Kishsaver in Granite!

09 Oct 2014, 19:05

Muirium wrote: When considering this before, I've also worried about the whole curved backplate issue. Caps will all be packed closer together the taller they get.

That's what i also thought instantly - i had this issue with not correctly seated keycaps, and also when i did my first bolt mod some keys were touching each other. As i found out it was rather a beginners mistake, but the caps are really packed close together.

The Model M caps i measured right now are on the bottom about 18,5 x 19 mm.

24 Oct 2014, 18:56

I wanted to thank madhias who volunteered his Model M to the cause. I received the keyboard few days ago and I'm ready to 3d print the beta 1 of the slider

Crossing fingers, let me know if you spot any issue.

24 Oct 2014, 19:19

Beaut!

How deep is the MX "socket"?

24 Oct 2014, 19:21

4.5mm

I think I should make the hole slightly bigger to better fit novelties

24 Oct 2014, 19:29

Probably a good idea.

How many are you prototyping? And are you looking for testers? If they work well, these would be a bigger deal than MX on Topre for me and all my IBMs…

24 Oct 2014, 19:30

Maybe also make the "platform" smaller? Novelties seem to have a bit too thick walls.
Is the platform really necessary? I guess it helps with stability?

24 Oct 2014, 19:38

If it can fit Mr. Beardsmore's wingnut, the chances are good it'll fit anything! That's one unique cap, I've found.

24 Oct 2014, 20:35

the platform actually stops the key. The barrel hits the platform and stops the key travel. I believe it's pretty important, but I could do a version without it to see if it works anyway (in that case the barrel would hit the keycap itself.

I'll probably run a small batch of 20. I'll send some samples to selected parties

24 Oct 2014, 20:41

I already dream of vader on one of my ibms...

24 Oct 2014, 20:44

It will be very fascinating to try different caps on BS keyboards!

Without the platform you probably would have to use glue? A "you have to have balls" sliders edition?

24 Oct 2014, 22:43

I don't know how it would feel without that platform. I don't think you need glue though

25 Oct 2014, 11:11

Really looking forward to this. I wonder, now this is probably just crazy, if damping would make any sense whatsoever with buckling spring? You know what I'm thinking: something like and o ring on the way down and a Type-S Topre collar for the upstroke. Does this make any sense? I am probably just overthinking this, believe it or not…

25 Oct 2014, 11:35

noise from BS comes from so many places that I wouldn't even know where to start from silencing it

Definitely a buffer under the top platform would be a nice start

25 Oct 2014, 11:49

Annotated image: Blue is downstroke, red is upstroke.

I think damping the upstroke would be interesting, as I like the effect it has on Alps and Topre. Perhaps buckling spring would sound more snappy with damped clacks? I need to think about that.

25 Oct 2014, 11:56

Damping the upstroke is more complicated I believe, there must be some "slap" from the flipper contributing to the noise

25 Oct 2014, 11:59

That's true. And we shouldn't forget about our good friend the spring! I am intrigued by all the different moving parts involved, though.

25 Oct 2014, 12:03

the barrel hits the top platform only. The small step you pointed with the second arrow is just for reinforcement.

The upstroke needs to be dampened from the inside of the keyboard I think (and not from the slider itself). But noise also comes from the spring and the BS "pivot plate".

25 Oct 2014, 18:43

This could be major. Looking forward to further updates!

27 Oct 2014, 15:47

order placed. I'll let you know in 10 days or so.

27 Oct 2014, 15:50

Another item for the list: Things That Shipped Before Round 5.

27 Oct 2014, 15:56

matt3o wrote:order placed. I'll let you know in 10 days or so.

Who is doing the printing?

27 Oct 2014, 16:10

shapeways

buckling spring with cherry on top

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