Spherical Buckling Spring Thread

[jzono1]

So uhm is there any convenient way to sign up for updates for when this thing happens?

I need pretty keycaps for my F77, but I'm not a regular on any of the usual keyboard forums, just a casual lurker of /r/mk.

[rsbseb]

So uhm is there any convenient way to sign up for updates for when this thing happens?

I need pretty keycaps for my F77, but I'm not a regular on any of the usual keyboard forums, just a casual lurker of /r/mk.

You could send me a PM - "Interested in SBS" and I'll look for it and keep you updated when we're ready for a formal Interest check as well as a production run. Just let me know what your preferred method of contact is and I'll keep you in the loop without spamming you.

Welcome to Deskthority - this is a great place to lurk and learn

[Techno Trousers]

So uhm is there any convenient way to sign up for updates for when this thing happens?

I need pretty keycaps for my F77, but I'm not a regular on any of the usual keyboard forums, just a casual lurker of /r/mk.

I've been using Tapatalk on my phone, and subscribing to my threads and forums of interest. It's great because you get notified within minutes of new posts on threads you are following.

[rsbseb]

How's this for starters...

[DMA]

what kind of home row indicators will be there if any? Deep dish, like on beamspring, or some bump as on model M?

[rsbseb]

what kind of home row indicators will be there if any? Deep dish, like on beamspring, or some bump as on model M?

I hadn't really given a whole lot of thought to home row indicators, They would have to be a bump or bar, There is not enough clearance for deep dish keys in the current configuration. I'm open to opinions on the subject. I don't touch type so I don't have a preference myself.

The current tooling scheme would allow for any of the 1u legends to be indicator keys for custom layouts of desired if they are done with a bump

[Techno Trousers]

I'm a touch typist, but I don't rely on the homing indicators that much. An advantage to not having them is that since these will be all one profile, it would be simple to rearrange keys into Dvorak or Colemak layouts.

[rsbseb]

How about making indicators optional?

For those that use them, is there a preferred style? I've never seen one shaped like a small raised oval but think it might be easier to keep clean.

[DMA]

it would be simple to rearrange keys into Dvorak or Colemak layouts.

Ah.. those.. Disregard then. Those indicators are nice to have but not mandatory.

[Darkshado]

I prefer a bar near the lower edge of the cap versus a dot in the middle à la AEK II. I find the latter's dot "intrusive" (for lack of a better word) while hitting the keycaps.

The oval shape sounds interesting, overly sharp corners will trap dirt more easily.

[emdude]

I think I would prefer a bar too, if only because that has been the standard for Model M keysets. I do not care for dots as much either, but I would prefer any homing indicators over none at all.

My preference would have been for deep dishes; I understand that it's infeasible though, considering how thin Model M key tops are!

[Techno Trousers]

My preference would have been for deep dishes; I understand that it's infeasible though, considering how thin Model M key tops are!

I've never had a key cap set that used dishes for homing, but what if this project went opposite so that the F/J keys were shallower than everything else, rather than deeper?

I'm not saying that's what I'd prefer myself, but it's an interesting thought experiment.

If I had to choose, I think I'd vote for the small raised oval.

[mana]

I personally don't use homing markers - I don't rest my fingers on the home row when not in use (and as a pianist you just know where the keys are by feel and good positioning). That said, if I were to use them, my preference would be for deep dish (none of this poking out above the key stuff - comfort above all, I say).

[just_add_coffee]

How about making indicators optional?

For those that use them, is there a preferred style? I've never seen one shaped like a small raised oval but think it might be easier to keep clean.

My own preference would be the bar at the bottom. Deep dishes never seem obvious enough for me to find with only my fingers. The bumps in the middle are only preferable over administering an electrical shock when the index fingers aren't on the correct keys (F and J for us normies).

[e_l_tang]

Bars are the way to go. Homing keys should interfere with typing as little as possible.

[mana]

Had another thought (which if implemented obviously means a lot more work for you, rsbseb, lol):

Buckling spring keycaps are all the same profile, just on a curved plate. What about the possibility of different profile keycaps for different rows? This would of course be annoying because you can't flip a keycap to be another profile as keycaps only fit one way on a Model M stem. That said, if you were going to make molds for sizes as interesting as, well, the Code key, the profile molds for different rows would probably be used a lot more than for the Code key, if you could be bothered to redesign each row's profiles.

Basically the dream is to have SA-esque (or even beamspring-esque) profile on a buckling spring F62 keyboard.

That is, until someone makes a compact beamspring F62 :p

Bars are the way to go. Homing keys should interfere with typing as little as possible.

They interfere least when they are not there.

[__red__]

That is, until someone makes a compact beamspring F62 :p

What would that layout look like?

[Techno Trousers]

Buckling spring keycaps are all the same profile, just on a curved plate. What about the possibility of different profile keycaps for different rows?

I don't see why that would be needed until the next generation MF keyboards with flat plates are produced.

[rsbseb]

Had another thought (which if implemented obviously means a lot more work for you, rsbseb, lol):

Buckling spring keycaps are all the same profile, just on a curved plate. What about the possibility of different profile keycaps for different rows? This would of course be annoying because you can't flip a keycap to be another profile as keycaps only fit one way on a Model M stem. That said, if you were going to make molds for sizes as interesting as, well, the Code key, the profile molds for different rows would probably be used a lot more than for the Code key, if you could be bothered to redesign each row's profiles.

Basically the dream is to have SA-esque (or even beamspring-esque) profile on a buckling spring F62 keyboard.

That is, until someone makes a compact beamspring F62 :p

Bars are the way to go. Homing keys should interfere with typing as little as possible.

They interfere least when they are not there.

That would be a lot more work to say the least. It would approach SCM in scope and I don't really see the need at this point in time. If flat plane model F's ever become a thing I would probably adapt SCM to fill a need for sculpted caps in that realm, but even then there are issues to address as BS keys and switches were designed for a curved backplane, the stems are off center, and the footprint of the caps in not square.

That said I could see the appeal in tweaking the the angle of the face on SBS caps, especially in the top two rows. Maybe at a future date an option for this will develop. We discussed it a couple of years ago when questions were being asked if SBS was the same as SCM, (it's not) and we quickly dismissed it because of the huge increase of work and expense that would be required. We were also advised to be careful in changing to much of what people already loved about the IBM boards. But like I said maybe in a future iteration of some sort.

[e_l_tang]

Had another thought (which if implemented obviously means a lot more work for you, rsbseb, lol):

Buckling spring keycaps are all the same profile, just on a curved plate. What about the possibility of different profile keycaps for different rows? This would of course be annoying because you can't flip a keycap to be another profile as keycaps only fit one way on a Model M stem. That said, if you were going to make molds for sizes as interesting as, well, the Code key, the profile molds for different rows would probably be used a lot more than for the Code key, if you could be bothered to redesign each row's profiles.

Basically the dream is to have SA-esque (or even beamspring-esque) profile on a buckling spring F62 keyboard.

That is, until someone makes a compact beamspring F62 :p

Bars are the way to go. Homing keys should interfere with typing as little as possible.

They interfere least when they are not there.

Then they wouldn't be homing keys.

[Techno Trousers]

It just occurred to me that I never commented on the proposed colorways. I love it! Especially if we can mix and match those together--white on gray alphas and black mods would be awesome.

Dumb question: Does this mean that the mods would only be available as blanks for the first run(s), or just that you haven't decided on legends for those yet? In principle I'm okay with either--as long as we can buy just a set of mods with legends in a later round.

sbs_gray_black.jpg (126.64 KiB) Viewed 6282 times

[rsbseb]

It just occurred to me that I never commented on the proposed colorways. I love it! Especially if we can mix and match those together--white on gray alphas and black mods would be awesome.

Dumb question: Does this mean that the mods would only be available as blanks for the first run(s), or just that you haven't decided on legends for those yet? In principle I'm okay with either--as long as we can buy just a set of mods with legends in a later round.

sbs_gray_black.jpg

Those colorways were not meant to be proposals and I would suspect mixing them up would be expected. I was really looking for feedback on the font mostly.

Legends for mods have not been selected by any means. I would like some more discussion on those as well. Blanks would of course be an option.

[Techno Trousers]

I like the fonts and sizing, but I'd be the first to admit that I'm not as picky about those as others are. I hope lot_lizard will weigh in here when he gets back from all of his business travel. He really has a lot of knowledge about the historical fonts.

[E TwentyNine]

Not a fan of the font. Wouldn't you want to go something a bit closer to the original?

[rsbseb]

I like the fonts and sizing, but I'd be the first to admit that I'm not as picky about those as others are. I hope lot_lizard will weigh in here when he gets back from all of his business travel. He really has a lot of knowledge about the historical fonts.

I am not against historical fonts but I generally find something that could be done better in any of them, including the one presented. That said I do like it. I'm curious if if it's close enough to a classic font and if it has the "right" feel. It can of course be altered or scrapped if needed.

One thing that is important to me is whether or not I can get specific permission to use any given font, There are no issues with this one.

[rsbseb]

Not a fan of the font. Wouldn't you want to go something a bit closer to the original?

Original what, M, F, Beamspring, something else?

I could conceivably use any of those as inspiration for creating a font for this project but would definitely need some insight from people on what they love and or hate about original IBM fonts and WHY so the spirit of the work doesn't get lost in any new work.

[E TwentyNine]

Original Beamspring/Selectric font. If you're going for the shape, the whole nine yards I think works best.

Just a whole cohesive throwback to the originals.

[rsbseb]

Original Beamspring/Selectric font. If you're going for the shape, the whole nine yards I think works best.

Just a whole cohesive throwback to the originals.

understood

[just_add_coffee]

I'm excited about this project and can't wait to see the result. I really like the full-sized legends on spherical caps. And black, grey, and white, being neutral colors, can be mixed with each other and any future colors rather nicely.

[RaleghDirat]

For me, any color scheme is good as long as you provide:
- Blanks for alphas and modifiers (all blank kits);
- Homing key bars/bumps;
- ISO return;
Great job!!!