Keyboard Switches

[MK14HAK]

I made some enquiries re key caps for the Futaba switches ...

"The picture of the switch you sent looks to be very similar to the Cherry MX
switch (at least as far as how the keycap is mounted onto the switch).
It is really expensive for us to manufacture just one or two (or even 10) of
a keycap set - set pricing for 2 sets would be around $500 per set (assuming
the sets were identical).
Signature Plastics"

Wow looks like I will have to sell up!
Are they similar to Cherry MX ? Anyone have a source for Futaba key caps?
Mike

[BillO]

They are similar but not identical. A Cherry cap can be made to fit the Futaba switch by trimming the long arms of the nylon "+" on the Futaba's plunger. While the Cherry switch has a symmetrical "+", the Futaba's is longer in one direction.

[Jeff]

trimming the long arms of the nylon "+" on the Futaba's plunger.

Wonderful outside the box thinking, right there!

/Jeff

[MK14HAK]

Thanx Bill, Ill be busy with 50 odd keys to do. Now to find some Cherry MX caps, maybe an old IBM kybd ? ...

[RedskullDC]

Hi Mike, Bill, et al.

Thanx Bill, Ill be busy with 50 odd keys to do. Now to find some Cherry MX caps, maybe an old IBM kybd ? ...

Cherry keytop sets are not that difficult to get hold of, $50.00(US) for a set. :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281627927536

You will have the problem that the shifted keys don't match the original SII/C1P though

A slightly more expensive solution (but still less than the $500 you were originally quoted)....

Japanese layout keyboards actually maintain the old shifted key layout as exists on many old machines: SII/C1P, TRS-80, Apple][ etc.

"Filco" make a few such keyboards which don't have any Katakana symbols, which would suit your purpose.
"FKBN91MC/NMU2" or "FKBN91ML/NB" are a couple of model numbers to look for.

I grabbed one for use with FPGA recreations of old machines:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/181361688129
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/181361688 ... -l1000.jpg

Will leave you with just a couple of key tops to worry about, "rub out", "repeat".

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Leslie