deskthority

What would be the best keyboard to source white keycaps for ALPS switches? I'm looking for a standard(-ish) set (winkeyless would be fine), ANSI or ISO-UK layout. 100% pure white would be perfect but white alpha and grey mods is okay. A bliss if ABS double shot or PBT dyesub. No problem with yellowing (retr0bright FTW!). Any suggestion?

Thanks

Well, there's Dell if you can live with laser-engraved caps


But maybe that's what you need them for ?
Northgate Omnikeys have VERY nice caps, but I have never seen one with UK-layout
and the keyboards are pricey collectors-items, so ..

There is also a chance you can find them on old Toshiba-"laptops",
Toshiba T3200sx fex has doubleshots, but I've only seen them in black and a 'Dolch-like' colour-scheme!

+1 for the toshiba's or the omnikey's!

If you can get your hands on an IBM PC Convertible, they have fantastic thick dye-sub caps - better than Topre caps even
Layout is a bit weird though.

thanks for the suggestions.

the toshiba ones are really nice but I need pure white caps for my next custom (code name whitefox for a reason )

all the others seem more light gray than white, but I can definitely live with them. the IBM PC Convertible are lovely.

edit: it seems the ibm convertible can be found at reasonable price, but the arrow keys are not standard size I guess

Macally MK96 ?

They are actually white, or very very light grey, rather than ivory as most are. Just lasered though, and a funny font!

Soarer wrote:Macally MK96 ?

They are actually white, or very very light grey, rather than ivory as most are. Just lasered though, and a funny font!

very nice indeed... it might work but it seems hard to find in EU

I have white keycaps from my Micro Warehouse Power User 105 on my Dell AT101W, with the Dell modifiers. It is a Macintosh keyboard. "Big-ass" Return key, though, which is why I use the Dell modifiers.

Old NeXT computer keyboards have amazing doubleshots. I have a set on my Filco Zero.

weren't next keyboards black?

yes they were, sorry

So maybe the Apple Extended Keyboard II M3501 is the best source for white ALPS keycaps (and stabs). The spacebar is ABS of course but can be retr0brighted.



Any other ideas?

The keycaps for KPT switches are ALPS compatible as well.
There's currently a KPT84 on ebay.de: http://www.ebay.de/itm/321122946648

The ESC and F keys on AEK's can't be used. The switches are mounted sideways.

tipo33 wrote:The ESC and F keys on AEK's can't be used. The switches are mounted sideways.

thanks for the heads up. I'm building a 65% anyway I wouldn't need the whole F row. ESC would be nice, though

Some dude here has a dead Tactile Pro 2 — those caps are pure, dazzling white, though you do only get nasty scorched plastic lasering. Then of course you would have to make your new keyboard do all the MacRoman extended ASCII characters printed on the keycaps ;-)

Oh but you've got to have all those! ≤≥€«÷¿…æ

I've found an Apple Extended Keyboard for few euros but it's IT layout which I'm not very much in love with

Tactile Pro has super white key caps. IMO, the vintage ALPS dyesub caps (ie AT101 or SGI Granite) are better, but not quite as white.

tactile pro is definitely white but it's hard to find at a reasonable price

Some Acer keyboards have ALPS compatible keycaps and should be be really cheap.

PS/2 P70 keyboard has Alps switches and white keycaps, although I that that's one system you could probably sell for more complete than your finished project.

The SGI Granite has nice white keys and the font is nice and crisp (dyesub PBT). The modifiers are dark grey though.

Here it is on an AEK:

Lovely! Thanks!

Now... let's see if I can find it somewhere...

Here's an older photo, showing a comparison of original AEK and SGI keycaps on AEK (ignore the lens distortion): As you can see, many keys didn't fit on the AEK because of "non-standard" switch positioning and stabilizers. (damn you, Apple!)

Sometimes you can find this keyboard very cheap. I got mine - with SGI Indy computer, mouse, cameras, etc. for $20.

The Apple keys also have different profiles than the common "OEM profile". Mixing AEK and Dell or SGI keys is weird.

Same search here for azerty alps keycaps.
Do you know some wiki about the apple keyboards history, and the switches used ?

I may have found some...

[shamelessplug]In case someone reading this is himself looking for a black German/ISO ALPS keycaps set for a Matias project, I have a black, supposedy unused Dell 102W lying around that I have no use for. Keycaps are lasered in a thin elegant font. Black ALPS of course.[/shamelessplug]

I have a faulty SGI keyboard (ansi or iso qwerty) and several AEK keyboards (azerty).

Tai Hao group buy?
http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8 ... t5028.html
"they can do Alps plus custom fonts/colours etc but didn't actually give me the MOQ "