Looking for a keyboard for use in a machining shop.

[photekq]

A friend of mind is looking for a reasonably priced keyboard for use in a machine shop. He currently uses a rubber dome that has problems with metal getting in the switches, and could do with a keyboard that doesn't have this problem.

It doesn't need to look good or feel good. It just needs to be reliable.

Any suggestions?

[Muirium]

Sounds like the ideal use case for the Microsoft Surface and its nontactile keyboard, at last!

I'm not sure a "mechanical keyboard" (such a torturous phrase) is the right answer for a machine shop. The rubber dome isn't failing for the usual reason here. Quite possibly any quality keyboard would suffer the same fate. Seems like the solution would be one without moving parts, and certainly without space between and behind the caps for fragments to get into.

[photekq]

It doesn't need to mechanical.. I just thought there might be some old, rugged keyboards that you guys knew of that'd be good for this kind of thing. Microsoft surface kind of thing might work, but he says he had one of those bendable boards and it didn't last long..

[Muirium]

Other people will definitely know more about rugged keyboards than me.

Even a rollable membrane keyboard wasn't able to endure there? Sounds like metal fragments / dust is just half of the story. This keyboard needs to be sealed and as tough as nails!

[Peter]

Look for a 'industrial keyboard', like seen here :
http://www.access-is.com/industrial-des ... yboard.php
http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/keyboards/Industrial/

Or maybe a Cherry-board with cover :
http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/keybo ... /index.htm

[nanu]

Get a clear keyboard cover you often see mechanics load up with oil.

[czarek]

I'm using G81-3000 in my machine shop for all computers, those running CAD and those controlling machines (mills, lathes).
It's almost indestructible, and if it ever breaks it's cheap to replace.