类型: GB
作者: Ellipse
发布时间: 2021-08-07 02:19:44
更新时间:
2021-08-13 14:39:21
原链接:
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=114105.0
Today is the public launch of the Brand New Beam Spring
Keyboards Project! For those not familiar, I also coordinate
and continue to mail out all of the Brand New Model F
Keyboards, a project which has more than $1.6 million in
orders so far, and will continue to mail them out before the
beam spring project continues.
To repeat, the new beam
springs don’t ship and are not a focus until I’ve sent out
the new Model F Keyboards.
This project is based on reservations. You need to sign
up on the interest form to reserve your Beam Spring
Keyboard so please sign up if interested. I expect to
offer these keyboards first come, first served based on
the timestamp of when you signed up on the interest
form!
Interest form link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdR8ygHtryVYyIl_bbVbNqW9NZgh98COkkf4U7lIhejhZ-Dkw/viewform?usp=sf_link
Details on the features and pricing are below. This
was designed to be announced after the new Model F project
ended but there was another project in the works to
reproduce the beam spring module exactly (good for the
purposes of spare parts for the original keyboards), so I
thought it would be a good time to post.
With some down
time a while back before orders started going out for the
Brand New Model F Keyboards project, the very first beam
spring keyboards in probably four decades have been
successfully manufactured and assembled. Injection molded
tooling, no 3D printed parts!
STATUS
/* 150 Keyboards
completed and in stock now. The next batch of 150 will be on
the next container ship, expected to arrive later this year.
Another batch is also in the works.
/Please note that although the first batch of 150 Brand
New Beam Spring Keyboards (a mix of 104 Key and SSK style)
keyboards is assembled and in stock, nothing is shipping
until I get out the new Model F keyboards (except maybe a
“beta tester” sample or two).
/
In no way has the beam spring project caused a delay of the
Model F project. The beam spring project was only completed
as the factory was either waiting for stuff before
continuing the Model F assembly or finished assembling the
Model F parts on hand.
SUMMARY OF EVERYTHING THIS BUY INCLUDES
/Reproduction IBM 104-Key Full Size and 84-Key SSK style
Beam Spring Keyboards, made to the exact original parts
specifications with some key (pun intended!)
exceptions:
/
New feature: Uses regular Cherry MX compatible keys. The
keyboard uses your Cherry MX type key sets! No need to be
limited to special IBM sets. The key module design has been
updated to be MX compatible. See below for the expected
double shot Cherry MX style key set offering.
/* New
ultra-low height capacitive beam spring modules to allow for
the most compact Beam Spring keyboard design! Since we did
not need the metal bar for the old style IBM keys in each
beam module, I was able to keep the exact IBM design but cut
out only the space in the module that did not affect the key
press distance. Key travel distance is the same as IBM; the
two critical metal parts in the modules are the same (the
fly plate and the rectangular piece of metal it attaches
to). Besides that, the beam modules still are the exact same
design and dimensions as the originals, so it is a 100%
reproduction in the performance sense, with one improvement:
the two small posts inside the beam module have been
enlarged slightly for an even snappier and louder sound when
the flipper moves up to hit the inside of the module as the
key is pressed. This means however that they are not drop in
replacements for the originals. In addition, I scrapped the
inner foam and contamination shields above the modules; the
beam modules friction fit directly to the case tops using a
locked/keyed connector (see photos below). There is some
foam below the PCB as a noise shield for the capacitive
sensing as well as an aid to help ensure a tight fit of the
beam modules against the PCB. The keyboard will not win any
design awards but it is a modern beam spring keyboard which
is what counts the most! The keyboard case uses countersunk
Torx style screws.
/* Each keyboard is expected to
include a small first aid kit of a few spare fully assembled
beam modules for future usage.
/* xwhatsit, QMK, and
Via compatibility. Full NKRO. USB-C connectivity with an
externally accessible USB-C port for easy cable removal. PCB
has been designed so that it uses the same open source
xwhatsit Model F controllers (16 columns x 8 rows)
/*
LED lock lights on the 104-key model. They come with just
holes as the factory default so you can see a bit of the
LEDs through them, but you can put an overlay that can be
purchased from Unicomp to make it look like the Model M
keyboards (tan brown overlay or the modern looking black
color overlays.
/* Layout Customization options: Two
choices only, besides the fact that you can choose your own
Cherry MX key set. As opposed to the vast customizability of
the Model F offerings the New Beam Spring Keyboard Project
only has two choices: 104 Key ANSI or 84 Key ANSI. Every
keyboard has an aluminum ultra-compact case and black
powdercoating. If interested in ISO please let me know in
the interest form but that’s not a likely possibility.
/*
Solenoid possibility. There is room for a solenoid, though
the New Beam Spring Keyboards are too thin to accept the
extra beefy custom solenoids offered with the Model F
project. A slightly smaller solenoid is expected to be made
available for the beam spring keyboards, closer to the
smaller solenoids originally offered by IBM in many of their
beam spring keyboards.
/* Possibility of offering
Double shot keys: I may order a small batch of them to
include as an add-on option - the color schemes may be
limited to the pictured color scheme or black/white like the
beam spring originals. Please express your interest in the
interest form
/* Cost: Approximately $500 to $600 each
for the early birds - about $4 or so per module if you think
about it (plus the cost of every other part of the
keyboard)! Rather than the made to order model of the Brand
New Model F Project, for this one I have already purchased
two batches of 150 keyboards each at a higher expense than
expected due to project cost overruns. Instead of increasing
the price for everyone I expect to offer the first 100
keyboards at one price as a reward to the early birds. Then
the next group will be offered at $100 or so higher in
pricing, and the final remaining units will be offered $100
more than the last group.
Notes and Disadvantages of Beam Spring Modules
/* Many of you have heard of the beam spring
keyboards but have never tried one. They are very different
from Model F keyboards in several ways.
/* First, the
beam spring keys wobble noticeably, just like old fashioned
typewriter keys if you’ve ever typed on one. However my
reproductions wobble much less than the keys in my two
original beam spring keyboards as I made the tolerances
tighter. It may take some time to get used to typing on it
but not too much stands up to the uniqueness of the IBM Beam
Spring typing experience! MX stabilizers are expected to be
included but I’ve found that the beam mechanism actually
works better without stabilizers for the most part - only
the space bar needs a stabilizer. The modules are wide
enough to allow an extra wide key, even like the right shift
key, to work 100% even pressing it on the edges. IBM’s beam
spring keys were kept not too big so they did not require
stabilization outside of the space bar, to my knowledge.
/*
Next, the beam spring modules require more work to maintain,
though the keyboard comes fully assembled (besides you
having to install the keys themselves). Documentation and
videos will be provided in the future. The main issue is
that the fly plates (the metal parts that connect to the
flippers) can easily separate and require opening up the
keyboard for repair. The advantage with the new Beam Spring
keyboards is that the keyboard case opens up and you have
direct access to the beam modules - just open up the bottom
of the keyboard. For this reason the beam spring keyboards
are only for those willing to learn how to repair and
maintain these keyboards, not for those who just want a
keyboard with 100% uptime.
/* Given the smaller case
made of aluminum, and the slightly snappier beam modules as
described above, the sound is not going to match IBM’s 40
year old beam spring keyboards exactly. Please don’t expect
that. These are not exact reproductions of beam spring
keyboards, case and all; these are reproductions of the IBM
beam spring modules (with some upgrades noted above). There
is far less case, inner foam, and other materials to deaden
and dampen the sound of the new Beam Spring Keyboards
compared to the originals.
/* I want to reiterate again
that in no way is this project being prioritized over the
new Model F project, for which I am continuing to mail out
orders and will continue doing so for the remainder of this
year into early next year. Nothing’s happening with the beam
springs for now: the beam spring keyboards are going to sit
in their boxes until the Model F keyboards have gone out.
Although the first batch of keyboards are in hand I will
note that these specifics are all subject to change and
subject to typographical error.