[WTB list, UK] Apricot, IBM, and Alps boards

[an_achronism]

Sun Microsystems Type 3 (Oak FTM)



I have most of the boards Sun brought out from the Type 4 onwards, but I don't have one of these yet. I would like to rectify that.


Apricot XEN/XEN-i keyboard



I'm Scottish. So is this thing.

This one I have now had clearly been left outside or perhaps in a damp shed/basement for a long time because it had rusted to oblivion. I've already done a significant amount of work on this but it's never going to be 100% due to the extent of the rust so I would very much like to find one that's less messed up.


Apricot 40796 (all variants)




IBM 102-key for 4704 a.k.a. "Pingmaster" (Alps SKCC green), ideally with the Japanese legends



I'm also generally interested in other Japanese IBM keyboards, such as those with Brother buckling spring, Alps buckling spring, and Alps plate spring switches.


SEGA HTR-2106 for TeraDrive (Alps buckling spring) and any other Alps buckling spring boards e.g. Alps SM-101 / RM Nimbus, especially UK versions

[Bjerrk]

This is an expensive hobby, eh? Deary me.

Keyboards will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope keyboards!

[Weezer]

Doesn't the money get you through the times of no dope by buying more dope?

[Bjerrk]

Doesn't the money get you through the times of no dope by buying more dope?

Supply, dude. Sometimes the guy selling Blue Alps down behind Gino's is, let's say, otherwise occupied for a few months.

[an_achronism]

Updated a few things. I now have quite a few of the things on this list but they're not perfect so I'm still interested in upgrading them with better condition ones and/or by replacing dodgy parts with better ones. Still many boards on the list I don't have as well though, of course.

[Muirium]

If you put [ s ] tags [ / s ] around text you can score things off without deleting them entirely which feels extra satisfying for wish lists! Not that I'd know anything about that XT and AEK you recently picked up…

[an_achronism]

If you put [ s ] tags [ / s ] around text you can score things off without deleting them entirely which feels extra satisfying for wish lists! Not that I'd know anything about that XT and AEK you recently picked up…

I know, however...

I actually do already have some of these, but am leaving them listed here because I'm ultimately either looking for a slightly different variant or one in slightly better condition (in some cases this could be middle-grounded by sourcing some parts and doing some maintenance/repairs on the ones I already have, e.g. replacing springs in Model F/M boards). Boards highlighted in bold are somewhat higher priority for me at the moment.

I was thinking about possibly using some kind of syntax to indicate which ones I already own but I'm not that sure it's important because if I'm going to replace one I already have then it's irrelevant whether I have it or not.

[an_achronism]

Rejigged some bits and bobs. Almost all of this is currently way out of the realm of affordability for me right now but there are a few in here that aren't crazy valuable (e.g. the Apricot Maxi-Switch rubber dome with slider board, one of which I'm actually typing this on) so feel free to have a browse and keep me in mind either now or later, depending on what you've got and might want to shift at some point. Also, I might be interested in parts for some of these boards, since I have a few of them but they could use some TLC.

Thanks!

[Bjerrk]

1. Apricot 40796 (Maxi-Switch dome with slider)

I have one of these but the keycaps are in pretty bad shape (right Shift is cracked, there's a lot of yellowing and it's quite uneven) so it'd be nice to get another one or two of 'em. Incidentally, if you have any other Maxi-Switch dome with slider board or just caps that you could sell me, let me know so I can check if they'd suit my Apricot one.

Since they're MX mount, one would think that you'd have tons of options? I don't remember how they're stabilized, though. (The few keys which are stabilized, that is)

This isn't a great board, frankly, especially since a lot of keys that clearly should be stabilised just straight up aren't

Yeah, my Groupe Bull maxi switch dome with slider board has the same "feature". Have to say, it's a board I'm not very fond of :p

[an_achronism]

Since they're MX mount, one would think that you'd have tons of options? I don't remember how they're stabilized, though. (The few keys which are stabilized, that is)

You'd think so, wouldn't you? But they use a wire stabiliser on that big right Shift key, not the Cherry-mount style ones you find on modern boards. Since the biggest problem on my Apricot one is that right Shift has a huge crack in it that has been glued back together, there's little point in replacing all the other keys and leaving that one alone, seeing as it's the one that needs replaced the most.

This isn't a great board, frankly, especially since a lot of keys that clearly should be stabilised just straight up aren't

Yeah, my Groupe Bull maxi switch dome with slider board has the same "feature". Have to say, it's a board I'm not very fond of :p

If it wasn't for the obvious giant failing of not stabilising keys that badly need it, I wouldn't have any serious issues with this board. It's nothing amazing, but I actually quite enjoy typing on it. But the lack of stabilisers is a horrible, horrible failure.

If you don't like that Groupe Bull, might the keycaps be of any use to me?

[Go-Kart]

Curiously, that Apricot is still nicer to type on than my Anykey. It is still shocking to me that that ISO enter wasn't stabilised That enter, cleaned and lubed, binded less than stabilised the fat-ass enter on my BFK! Though, after a few hours of cleaning and lubing, the BFK is now pulling it's weight.

[an_achronism]

Curiously, that Apricot is still nicer to type on than my Anykey. It is still shocking to me that that ISO enter wasn't stabilised That enter, cleaned and lubed, binded less than stabilised the fat-ass enter on my BFK! Though, after a few hours of cleaning and lubing, the BFK is now pulling it's weight.

Aye I really like this thing for whatever reason. I wasn't that convinced when I just sort of had a poke at it out of the box but having actually plugged it in and used it for a wee while it's quite pleasant. Just wish I could replace those caps.

[Bjerrk]

Yeah, my Groupe Bull maxi switch dome with slider board has the same "feature". Have to say, it's a board I'm not very fond of :p

If it wasn't for the obvious giant failing of not stabilising keys that badly need it, I wouldn't have any serious issues with this board. It's nothing amazing, but I actually quite enjoy typing on it. But the lack of stabilisers is a horrible, horrible failure.

If you don't like that Groupe Bull, might the keycaps be of any use to me?

Sure, but it'll cost ya! The equivalent of, ohh, I dunno, a NOS space invader keyboard.

I've actually never shipped anything to anyone - I just buy things and hide in my little dungeon with all my things and keyboards and things and ahh... Ahem...


Throw me a reminder PM at some point. The caps are at home, in the basement I think, so I'll have to go hunt for them. And they'll of course be very yellowed!

[an_achronism]

I think I've got that Maxi-Switch Apricot sorted (there's one on the way with what seem to be unyellowed keycaps). I've started looking into converting the older XEN-i one now though and would very much like to find another one that's in better condition than the one I've got right now. I've done a significant amount of work on it already and it's going to take a lot more to get it into decent shape.

Also looking for a case and cable for an 83-key IBM Model F module, not that fussy which version. If you have an F "XT" with a nice case but some problem or another with its guts, please let me know. Or, you know, if you have one that's nice overall. Some potential options include:

• IBM Personal Computer (5150) keyboard
• IBM Instruments CS/9000 ("System 9000”) keyboard
• IBM 5291 Display Station keyboard ("Bigfoot")
• IBM PC XT (5160) keyboard

[an_achronism]

Significantly cut down the list because I've either got most of what I was after or decided I didn't want some of them for very specific reasons. For instance, I thought I'd want the ISO variants of the Apple stuff until I actually used a Mac and some of the ISO boards, at which point I realised how crap Apple's implementation of "ISO" actually is (imo, don't @ me) compared to the elegance of their versions of "ANSI".

[an_achronism]

Cut down again, with one addition (one I thought I'd already listed but apparently hadn't: the Sun Type 3).