|
mewse posted:AEK2 arrived Those tan lines though...  e: mewse posted:I'm worried about the alps switches. The num pad in particular seems to have taken a soda bath because grabbing them and trying to wiggle the housing is making the crackling noise you'd expect from sticky soft drink residue. I also tried to disassemble one of those sticky ones to peek inside and the housing was stuck down, I'm going to have to find a robust method to get those off because I want to clean and lube all the switches. Will kinda be moot if the board doesn't work but I gotta wait for a teensy to show up because I can test that. Have you opened Alps switches before? I hadn't before I started on dad's AEK, and I had to experiment a bit until I figured out how to open them easily. I use the cocktail stick method and found that you have to press the sticks down quite hard to get the retaining tabs to open far enough for the top housing to come loose, but once you get the tabs out of the way the top housing comes off quite easily. Speaking of which, progress getting made:  I left the F keys as they are for now, and only cleaned/lubed the rest (the ones with the keycaps on are done). There's a very noticeable difference in scratchiness between the F keys and the rest - looking forward to trying it out for real once it's restored to its former glory. TheFluff fucked around with this message at 10:08 on Feb 9, 2018 |
#
?
Feb 9, 2018 09:15
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 29, 2024 00:16 |
|
|
Constellation I posted:Um 6ft cable: $3 + $6 shipping = $9 cad, the cable from ebay is brand new and $5.50 w/free shipping. That's a good site tho! I will suggest it at work for bulk ethernet cable orders TheFluff posted:Have you opened Alps switches before? I hadn't before I started on dad's AEK, and I had to experiment a bit until I figured out how to open them easily. I use the cocktail stick method and found that you have to press the sticks down quite hard to get the retaining tabs to open far enough for the top housing to come loose, but once you get the tabs out of the way the top housing comes off quite easily. Yeah I was able to open one of the non-cola soaked ones with a pair of spudgers and wiggling the housing out. The drink soaked ones are stuck and not budging. What are you lubing with? I'm thinking of using normal silicone oil because the forum threads all talking about dry lube don't seem to know what they're talking about, and I'm not convinced that krytox or whatever the wicked expensive stuff is is actually better.
|
|
#
?
Feb 9, 2018 14:48
|
|
|
mewse posted:Yeah I was able to open one of the non-cola soaked ones with a pair of spudgers and wiggling the housing out. The drink soaked ones are stuck and not budging. Welp, I hope you can get them unstuck :/ I just picked up a cheap can of PTFE/teflon-based "universal dry lube" at the local hardware store. The guy at the store said he'd recommend silicone spray for something like this, but it was out of stock so I figured I'd try PTFE. It seems to work well enough (I sprayed both the slider tracks inside the top part of the housing and the slider itself) but I don't really have anything to compare it against. The difference between the lubed switches and the cleaned but unlubed ones is pretty small though, but I do think it's noticeable. The uncleaned ones though are definitely quite scratchy.
|
|
#
?
Feb 9, 2018 15:17
|
|
|
mewse posted:6ft cable: $3 + $6 shipping = $9 cad, the cable from ebay is brand new and $5.50 w/free shipping. Yeah, it's pretty much Canada's Monoprice. They had a free shipping day like 2 days ago so you were kinda too late 
|
|
#
?
Feb 9, 2018 16:35
|
|
|
Thanks for the suggestions people, I think I'm going to go for the Tade68, and maybe put zealios in them? I love my cherry mx clears but they do slow me down a bit in comparison to my cherry mx browns, but the bump in browns is too subtle. I am hoping zealios will be a better option then either. Do people here have experience with them?
|
|
#
?
Feb 9, 2018 17:28
|
|
|
Yeah, they're awesome, super smooth and has a nice sharp bump for the 67g's. I'd recommend the 67g variant and the most recent iteration of it (round 8 I believe) A huge gripe I have with them is the absurd price though. But if you have money to burn, then go for it. If you're looking for something somewhat like the Cherry MX Brown but with better everything and a more distinct bump, the retooled Kailh Browns (not box) are also pretty good. I now prefer it over Kailh Pro Purple. Those are like a quarter of the price of Zealios last I checked.
|
|
#
?
Feb 9, 2018 17:46
|
|
|
I got some zealios after using kailh pro purples for a while and I found out they feel significantly different. The bump is much more significant and the whole travel is a lot smoother. Thanks for the tip about retooled browns tho, sounds interesting.
|
|
#
?
Feb 9, 2018 18:22
|
|
|
Yeah Kailh Pro Purple has the bump much higher up and once you're past that point it feels pretty linear. I still quite like it on shorter keycaps like DSA and Cherry though. Retooled Kailh Browns were a nice surprise for me too. I quite like the tactile bump on the various Outemu Ice switches too but they need to be lubed as they have that Cherry scratchy feel if you don't.
|
|
#
?
Feb 9, 2018 18:28
|
|
|
TheFluff posted:This is an orange switch AEK1. Oh. Derp. My m0118 is probably the best feeling keyboard I own, next to the planck I built out of a different m0118. Orange alps are the best. Also, I just picked up a matias laptop pro for $30 off craigslist from someone who had no idea what it was. I think these switches actually feel better than the AEK2. There's much more cap wobble but it bothers me far less than I thought it would, and the tactile bump is absolutely perfect. The deck is also really solid and rigid due to its small size, and the layout is the least compromised and best implemented 75% design I've tried. And it's bluetooth! The downside is that the case is bullshit garbage. It's ugly as gently caress, creaky, the plastic feels as cheap as it looks, and the miniscule front feet do nothing to keep it from sliding around. I'm tempted to 3d print a replacement, I genuinely think I can do better with my cheap rear end printer and practically zero maker skills. I'll document my inevitable failure itt.
|
|
#
?
Feb 9, 2018 19:58
|
|
|
Constellation I posted:Yeah, they're awesome, super smooth and has a nice sharp bump for the 67g's. I'd recommend the 67g variant and the most recent iteration of it (round 8 I believe) A huge gripe I have with them is the absurd price though. But if you have money to burn, then go for it. Hmmmm yeah i might get the Kailh Browns from NovelKeys instead. I didn't realize that the zealios were sold at $4.25 / 5 on KBDFans, though it was / 10! Thanks guys!
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2018 15:21
|
|
|
TheFluff posted:Those tan lines though... I didn't notice but how in heck are you gonna plug that into a USB port?
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2018 16:16
|
|
|
Constellation I posted:If you're looking for something somewhat like the Cherry MX Brown but with better everything and a more distinct bump, the retooled Kailh Browns (not box) are also pretty good. I now prefer it over Kailh Pro Purple. Those are like a quarter of the price of Zealios last I checked. How do the retooled non-BOX Browns compare to BOX Browns?
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2018 16:32
|
|
|
redeyes posted:I didn't notice but how in heck are you gonna plug that into a USB port? There are commercial Apple Desktop Bus to USB converters available, but because I'm a huge loving nerd I ordered a programmable converter based on an 8-bit RISC microcontroller from some guy in Japan for $40 including shipping, so I can customize more if I want to. The AEK is actually really well suited to modern computers because unlike a lot of other 1980's keyboards it has an essentially bog standard 104-key layout (plus the power button in the upper right corner which just use a standard tactile switch ).
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2018 17:14
|
|
|
TheFluff posted:There are commercial Apple Desktop Bus to USB converters available, but because I'm a huge loving nerd I ordered a programmable converter based on an 8-bit RISC microcontroller from some guy in Japan for $40 including shipping, so I can customize more if I want to. The AEK is actually really well suited to modern computers because unlike a lot of other 1980's keyboards it has an essentially bog standard 104-key layout (plus the power button in the upper right corner which just use a standard tactile switch thats cool man, I dig it.. it's kind of the Apple equivalent of the Model M.
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2018 18:29
|
|
|
I don't think I ever knew the joy of the AEK, but I have the indelible memory of the horrifying typing experience that was the OG iMac keyboard
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2018 19:40
|
|
|
I spent 2 hours last night cleaning 5 of the switches in the aek2. I want to murder the child that spilled pop on that keyboard
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2018 20:17
|
|
|
goondolences to both of you
|
|
#
?
Feb 10, 2018 23:01
|
|
|
I picked up a Ducky Shine 6 with Cherry MX browns based on the advice in this thread and am very happy with it, thanks all!
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 04:34
|
|
|
What's a good compact tenkeyless keyboard with browns, that I can bring with my work laptop?
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 11:28
|
|
|
Boz0r posted:What's a good compact tenkeyless keyboard with browns, that I can bring with my work laptop? Vortex Race?
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 12:04
|
|
|
LochNessMonster posted:Vortex Race? It doesn't have to be that compact, just a normal key layout with a small frame. Also, I have to find it in Denmark :-)
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 12:30
|
|
|
Das Keyboard has a TKL with Browns, I think alternate.dk has them. E: oops, didn't see the small frame part...
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 15:13
|
|
|
JazzmasterCurious posted:Das Keyboard has a TKL with Browns, I think alternate.dk has them. That actually looks pretty good, if a little expensive. EDIT: How about Cooler Master MasterKeys S. Are they good? Boz0r fucked around with this message at 17:32 on Feb 11, 2018 |
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 17:26
|
|
|
Boz0r posted:That actually looks pretty good, if a little expensive. I have a Cooler Maser Storm Rapid TKL, which I bought in 2015 or something. It's okay, it was very good value and has a nice soft plastic frame. The ABS keycaps it came with were pretty crappy, with distinctly raise legends that I found maddening. Also the space bar is sort of loud.
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 17:43
|
|
|
Boz0r posted:That actually looks pretty good, if a little expensive. I ended up getting one of these (the non-LED version, with blue switches), and I love it. I'm still a mechanical keyboard noob, but the case feels sturdy, and the PBT keycaps feel good. I was surprised by how heavy the thing is (in a good way). The only complaint I have is Cooler Master's limited macro functionality, but for the moment AutoHotkey takes care of everything I need (and if I ever get more ambitious, there's this). Folks on the mechanical keyboard subreddit have had positive things to say about this model, but for some reason it rarely comes up here. YMMV, but for $70, I'd argue that it's a totally legit, very solid choice as an entry-level mechanical keyboard. Trustworthy fucked around with this message at 18:36 on Feb 11, 2018 |
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 18:30
|
|
|
Have to work this weekend so finally brought in my modded redragon vara - gateron silent browns, maxkey sa dolch
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 18:42
|
|
|
That is verrrry niiice. I would sex it.
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 18:55
|
|
|
Boz0r posted:What's a good compact tenkeyless keyboard with browns, that I can bring with my work laptop? Ducky one tkl, is pretty compact, it has a detachable cable too.
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 19:38
|
|
|
 All cleaned up and ready to go, just hoping the adapter will show up in the mail tomorrow  Haven't tried actually typing on it much since I can't hook it up to anything yet, but the preliminary impression is that it feels great. The tactile bump is quite high up in the stroke, it's very well defined and once you're past it, the switch is very light. It feels much... sharper? crisper? than the Cherry MX boards I've tried, where the tactile bump is much more subtle and there's a lot more travel before you encounter it. The switches are technically non-clicky but since the switch resistance after the tactile bump is so low, you tend to bottom them out, making a satisfying, bassy clack rather than the dinky little click you get from many clicky switches (the most stand out example that I've encountered is the new Kailh low profile switches, which make a very high pitched tiny little click, even more high pitched than my mouse buttons). I think I'll keep it pretty much stock - there's something cute about using my father's keyboard, a weapon for a more civilized age. TheFluff fucked around with this message at 21:57 on Feb 11, 2018 |
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 21:54
|
|
|
I ordered the same housing this guy used to hopefully house the 1 or 2 adb-to-usb adapters I'm going to make. Since I don't have any teensy boards in my hands yet I tried to modify some code to get my arduino uno talking ADB and I failed.
|
|
#
?
Feb 11, 2018 22:58
|
|
|
mewse posted:Have to work this weekend so finally brought in my modded redragon vara - gateron silent browns, maxkey sa dolch BACK SPACE I want Dolch, in PBT, cylindrical (gently caress, not spherical), with symbols instead of words for the modifiers. Is that so much to ask? G-Prime fucked around with this message at 00:26 on Feb 12, 2018 |
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2018 00:06
|
|
|
G-Prime posted:BACK SPACE I finally realized today what people were talking about with the shift off center (on the right shift key, the legend is too far to the right)
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2018 00:17
|
|
|
HappyCapybaraFamily posted:How do the retooled non-BOX Browns compare to BOX Browns? Sorry it's been awhile since I've typed on one, since it was a board I built for a friend. From what I remember, the box browns felt a little lighter and the bump was slightly higher and smoother.
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2018 07:21
|
|
|
mewse posted:Have to work this weekend so finally brought in my modded redragon vara - gateron silent browns, maxkey sa dolch Sweet jesus. I'm having to stop myself from ordering a set of those caps because they are absolutely gorgeous.
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2018 11:25
|
|
|
JazzmasterCurious posted:Das Keyboard has a TKL with Browns, I think alternate.dk has them.
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2018 12:38
|
|
|
Constellation I posted:Sorry it's been awhile since I've typed on one, since it was a board I built for a friend. From what I remember, the box browns felt a little lighter and the bump was slightly higher and smoother. Thanks for the comparison. I'm on BOX Browns right now and like the higher bump. Might prefer a slightly sharper bump too, maybe something between this and the Speed Coppers I had before this keyboard. The Speed Coppers felt a bit scratchier and a little too light for me. The bump on the return also took some getting used to, and it did make the keyboard noisier than the BOX Browns.
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2018 12:58
|
|
|
The Deadly Hume posted:I think the Das 4 TKLs actually use switches that aren't Cherrys for some reason... Not sure if they were equivalent but it was a sticking point for some. Oh yeah. They use Greetech according to their website.
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2018 14:41
|
|
|
mewse posted:Have to work this weekend so finally brought in my modded redragon vara - gateron silent browns, maxkey sa dolch
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2018 18:44
|
|
|
Speaking of K-Type, here is my stereotypical photo-of-keyboard-in-random-location (click to embiggen)
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2018 23:29
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 29, 2024 00:16 |
|
|
HappyCapybaraFamily posted:Speaking of K-Type, here is my stereotypical photo-of-keyboard-in-random-location (click to embiggen) 
|
|
#
?
Feb 12, 2018 23:57
|
|