| Apple IIe Keyboard Switches [message #241924] |
Sat, 01 February 2014 19:54  |
Tom Frikker
Messages: 70
Registered: December 2013
Karma: 0
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Hello everyone,
Does anyone know where I can buy some key switches for the Apple IIe? I have the original IIe with the dark gray keys, and the key switches have a white cap on the end, if that clears things up at all.
-Tom
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| Re: Apple IIe Keyboard Switches [message #241925 is a reply to message #241924] |
Sat, 01 February 2014 22:00  |
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Originally posted by: Jay Graham
Tom Frikker wrote:
> Hello everyone,
> Does anyone know where I can buy some key switches for the Apple IIe? I
> have the original IIe with the dark gray keys, and the key switches have a
> white cap on the end, if that clears things up at all.
> -Tom
>
Tom,
I have tons of Apple IIe keyswitches from the various generations. If you
send me a picture of it, I'll see what I can go.
jay.graham@zoominternet.net
Thanks,
Jay
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| Re: Apple IIe Keyboard Switches [message #347443 is a reply to message #241924] |
Tue, 04 July 2017 01:48 |
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Originally posted by: groink_hi
On Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 2:54:41 PM UTC-10, Tom Frikker wrote:
> Hello everyone,
> Does anyone know where I can buy some key switches for the Apple IIe? I have the original IIe with the dark gray keys, and the key switches have a white cap on the end, if that clears things up at all.
> -Tom
I have the same white key switches, but it is on a rev. D Apple II plus. Are there any sources for the spring that sits under the RESET key cap? I'm also looking for the POWER light cover, as the cover I have has the letters wiped off. Or, is there someone who could laser print the letters onto my blank?
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| Re: Apple IIe Keyboard Switches [message #347452 is a reply to message #347443] |
Tue, 04 July 2017 12:29 |
Michael J. Mahon
Messages: 1767
Registered: October 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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groink_hi <groink1@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 2:54:41 PM UTC-10, Tom Frikker wrote:
>> Hello everyone,
>> Does anyone know where I can buy some key switches for the Apple IIe? I
>> have the original IIe with the dark gray keys, and the key switches have
>> a white cap on the end, if that clears things up at all.
>> -Tom
>
> I have the same white key switches, but it is on a rev. D Apple II plus.
> Are there any sources for the spring that sits under the RESET key cap?
> I'm also looking for the POWER light cover, as the cover I have has the
> letters wiped off. Or, is there someone who could laser print the letters onto my blank?
>
Any spring supplier should have springs that will work under the Reset key.
This spring was often replaced with an even stronger spring to prevent
unintended resets.
The legend on the power light cover can be replaced with transfer letters
and then lacquered to "fix" them.
--
-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://michaeljmahon.com
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| Re: Apple IIe Keyboard Switches [message #347468 is a reply to message #241924] |
Tue, 04 July 2017 18:55 |
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Originally posted by: groink_hi
I didn't realize springs is a complete science. LOL!!!!
Anyway, the original spring that comes with the keyboard is 1.0mm thick, 10mm diameter, and 20mm long. This would be 1*10*20 in spring lingo. The tension of the spring appears to be somewhat weak, as it has around two to two 1/2 windings. The more windings, the more tension therefore the harder it is to push the RESET button down.
The stem on the switch is also in play. The length from the base of the switch to where the key cap sits is 10mm. So, this 20mm spring is compressed in half while it sits there. Then, when you press the key cap, the stem shrink down to 7mm. That means the spring only pushes down 3mm.
So, while Googling around, I can't find the exact spring. But, I've found springs that come pretty close. One spring is 1*10*20, but it has four windings - double that of the original spring. There's also a 1*10*15, which is shorter but it has three windings.
I'm wondering if getting the 1*10*15 is the better one? Although it has slightly more windings than the original spring, being 5mm shorter, along with the existing stem and key cap, it may come close to the tension of the original spring.
Any thoughts????
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| Re: Apple IIe Keyboard Switches [message #347470 is a reply to message #241924] |
Tue, 04 July 2017 19:31 |
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Originally posted by: groink_hi
I didn't realize springs is a complete science. LOL!!!!
Anyway, the original spring that comes with the keyboard is 1.0mm thick, 10mm diameter, and 20mm long. This would be 1*10*20 in spring lingo. The tension of the spring appears to be somewhat weak, as it has around two to two 1/2 windings. The more windings, the more tension therefore the harder it is to push the RESET button down.
The stem on the switch is also in play. The length from the base of the switch to where the key cap sits is 13mm. So, this 20mm spring is compressed almost in half while it sits there. Then, when you press the key cap, the stem shrink down to 7mm. That means the spring pushes down 6mm.
So, while Googling around, I can't find the exact spring. But, I've found springs that come pretty close. One spring is 1*10*20, but it has four windings - double that of the original spring. There's also a 1*10*15, which is shorter but it has three windings.
I'm wondering if getting the 1*10*15 is the better one? Although it has slightly more windings than the original spring, being 5mm shorter, along with the existing stem and key cap, it may come close to the tension of the original spring.
Any thoughts????
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| Re: Apple IIe Keyboard Switches [message #347480 is a reply to message #347470] |
Wed, 05 July 2017 03:20 |
Michael J. Mahon
Messages: 1767
Registered: October 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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groink_hi <groink1@gmail.com> wrote:
> I didn't realize springs is a complete science. LOL!!!!
>
> Anyway, the original spring that comes with the keyboard is 1.0mm thick,
> 10mm diameter, and 20mm long. This would be 1*10*20 in spring lingo. The
> tension of the spring appears to be somewhat weak, as it has around two
> to two 1/2 windings. The more windings, the more tension therefore the
> harder it is to push the RESET button down.
>
> The stem on the switch is also in play. The length from the base of the
> switch to where the key cap sits is 13mm. So, this 20mm spring is
> compressed almost in half while it sits there. Then, when you press the
> key cap, the stem shrink down to 7mm. That means the spring pushes down 6mm.
>
> So, while Googling around, I can't find the exact spring. But, I've found
> springs that come pretty close. One spring is 1*10*20, but it has four
> windings - double that of the original spring. There's also a 1*10*15,
> which is shorter but it has three windings.
>
> I'm wondering if getting the 1*10*15 is the better one? Although it has
> slightly more windings than the original spring, being 5mm shorter, along
> with the existing stem and key cap, it may come close to the tension of
> the original spring.
>
> Any thoughts????
>
Nothing about the spring is critical--it just needs to fit and produce the
desired resistance.
In the day, some users put an O-ring under the Reset key, so it really
needed to be pressed!
Shame you don't have a bunch of springs to try--a well-stocked scrapbox is
a wonderful thing. ;-)
--
-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://michaeljmahon.com
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| Re: Apple IIe Keyboard Switches [message #347506 is a reply to message #347483] |
Wed, 05 July 2017 11:24 |
D Finnigan
Messages: 1154
Registered: October 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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groink_hi wrote:
> Thinking about it, I really don't need a spring. I'm keeping the
> CTRL-RESET
> option enabled on the encoder board.
>
Man, that's just a matter of personal preference. But me, I wouldn't trade
single-finger reset on the integer II and the II Plus for anything! Just way
too convenient. :-0
--
]DF$
Apple II 40th Anniversary User's Guide:
http://macgui.com/newa2guide/
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