What choices are there for printed black keycaps for the model M are there?
- daemonspudguy
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Unicomp New Model M 103 Key
- Main mouse: Some RedDragon branded gaming mouse from China
- Favorite switch: IBM Buckling Spring
- Contact:
Who even makes doubleshot PBT caps, much less would be willing to make some that also have to act as a slider to push the spring down?
- Polecat
- Location: Downstream from Silicon Valley
- Main keyboard: Monterey K104 Industrial Gray
- Main mouse: Logitech Optical
- Favorite switch: Early Alps SKCM
- DT Pro Member: -
Tai Hao makes doubleshot PBT keycaps for MX mount. But nothing for the Model M.daemonspudguy wrote: 12 Dec 2022, 03:33 Who even makes doubleshot PBT caps, much less would be willing to make some that also have to act as a slider to push the spring down?
- thefarside
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: IBM 4704 F107
- Main mouse: Old, boring Logitech
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
Your best option would be to sign up for the interest form ellipse has for pad printed back Model M and F caps.
- fohat
- Elder Messenger
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Main keyboard: Model F 122-key terminal
- Main mouse: Microsoft Optical Mouse
- Favorite switch: Model F Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: 0158
If you can live with "almost" black then one option is to dye ordinary caps to a dark gray with the legends still barely legible ....
- fohat
- Elder Messenger
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Main keyboard: Model F 122-key terminal
- Main mouse: Microsoft Optical Mouse
- Favorite switch: Model F Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: 0158
Not in my experience. I have 5+ year old dye that has not faded or come off at all, and using both vintage and Unicomp M/F caps.
That is what makes dye so much better than "paint"
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Just boil on the stove dye? I’ll admit I’m prejudiced (having ruined clothes with the stuff, which then came out in every wash until I threw them in the trash). But in my mental model dye is only good when it’s poured into molten plastic or baked on at prolonged high temperature from a stencil in an oven.
- daemonspudguy
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Unicomp New Model M 103 Key
- Main mouse: Some RedDragon branded gaming mouse from China
- Favorite switch: IBM Buckling Spring
- Contact:
I have.thefarside wrote: 12 Dec 2022, 07:39 Your best option would be to sign up for the interest form ellipse has for pad printed back Model M and F caps.
- daemonspudguy
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Unicomp New Model M 103 Key
- Main mouse: Some RedDragon branded gaming mouse from China
- Favorite switch: IBM Buckling Spring
- Contact:
How much money would convince Tai-Hao to make the boulders of PBT Model Ms (Models M?) use, that also act as the slider?Polecat wrote: 12 Dec 2022, 05:39Tai Hao makes doubleshot PBT keycaps for MX mount. But nothing for the Model M.daemonspudguy wrote: 12 Dec 2022, 03:33 Who even makes doubleshot PBT caps, much less would be willing to make some that also have to act as a slider to push the spring down?
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Probably about the same amount it cost Ellipse to tool up for his IBM remake caps, once all is said and done. Those undersides are active components in the switch, in a way neither Alps nor MX take part. I think they have to flex a bit in use, as well as pulling and installing the buggers. It's a non-trivial step up from merely another shape of slider-top cap-mount.
- fohat
- Elder Messenger
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Main keyboard: Model F 122-key terminal
- Main mouse: Microsoft Optical Mouse
- Favorite switch: Model F Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: 0158
I hear you. My results dyeing IBM key caps have been far better than my results dyeing clothes (although I have dyed wool successfully a few times). This is pretty long in the tooth, but reply #14 is a classic.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=35 ... #msg664178