deskthority

He checked out our little forum after I mentioned it .

He's going to see if he can get further documentation from the seller and try to get it appraised. He had another F122 and says that the NASA one at least looks like it's in better shape and he likes the customization.

The KB he bought from me is a yellow Alps, so kind of the opposite ends of the scale, as far as the switches are concerned. Nothing really wrong with that, though. A tactile Topre and a linear Hall Effect are my two current favorite keyboards.

I mentioned to him that this has a built-in hobby: even if the seller doesn't have documentation and an appraiser can't confirm or deny NASA-ness, he can start going through NASA footage to see if he can what they actually did use in the 80s. Oddly, while I like NASA and I have an aunt that's an actual rocket scientist, I can't recall much stuff in "Mission Control." I remember space launches and stuff all the way through the shuttle years, though.

Thanks for this!

brb- gotta go buy some rattle cans!

hellothere wrote: 03 Aug 2021, 05:20 I mentioned to him that this has a built-in hobby: even if the seller doesn't have documentation and an appraiser can't confirm or deny NASA-ness, he can start going through NASA footage to see if he can what they actually did use in the 80s.

I was looking through various Google image searches of old NASA computers. It was cool seeing the kind of setups they had. I didn’t find a model F but I can believe they used them.

The keyboard seemed legit to me based on the supplier logo on the back which was an IT company for NASA locally based. I think someone would have to spend some time researching and creating aged labels to make a couple hundred extra on the selling price.

I have another question. I wonder if the seller has any “before” pictures of the unrestored keyboard.

Quoting the buyer.

... The seller has no documentation. He said most of it was brittle and decayed. He says he has 3 more of these and has the computers as well.

BTW, the buyer's a member here.

He also sent me pics of these which he says were worth more than the keyboard ...

Read moar on Ulysses.

I suppose that, as with anything, value is in the eye of the beholder.

How about situational value, instead? A water filtration and de-salinization station is worth more than 50 tons of gold if you're stranded on a desert island.

As another example, even if I really do a great job of cleaning and fixing up my Packard Bell BTC-5130, it's still worth only $25 on ebay. Or less.

How about sentimental value?

Hmm. Go to Great/Interesting Finds to get all philosophical.

hellothere wrote: 03 Aug 2021, 05:20
I like NASA

Here is a photo I took in the NASA museum in Huntsville, Alabama, a few years ago.

Speaking of government keyboards, I saved a couple of these from destruction yesterday: They were preparing some old gutted racks for disposal and I asked if I could salvage the keyboards. Based on a previous post I believe they are Microswitch SD. The flat buttons are really interesting and feel like a heavier, more tactile beam spring with much less travel. I was going to ask for advice on how important keeping the original wiring is and will start a separate thread.

thefarside wrote: 04 Aug 2021, 15:44 Speaking of government keyboards, I saved a couple of these from destruction yesterday:
IMG_2565.jpg
They were preparing some old gutted racks for disposal and I asked if I could salvage the keyboards. Based on a previous post I believe they are Microswitch SD. The flat buttons are really interesting and feel like a heavier, more tactile beam spring with much less travel. I was going to ask for advice on how important keeping the original wiring is and will start a separate thread.

Wow, that's awesome. Glad you saved them! Im still searching for stuff like this, but here in Austria I have the feeling that most institutions have already thrown them away

Mmm. Take another look at those keyboard legends a little more closely ...

I'd also assume this is from an airplane or helicopter of some kind. C-130?

hellothere wrote: 05 Aug 2021, 00:48 Mmm. Take another look at those keyboard legends a little more closely ...

I'd also assume this is from an airplane or helicopter of some kind. C-130?

I think Navy. All of the original equipment is gone so I’m not 100% sure.

So who's got any info about this?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265250068121?_ ... %7Ciid%3A1

Possible to convert?

SD series plus what looks like seven segment displays. Missing a keycap. NASA tags but no blue paint.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255083998572

Cheap Soviet Zbrojovka - manuals included

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304100616526

That's a decent price for a NOS one (but it's 5 days still to go, that's gonna go up). These have recently started shooting up in price even here, which is sad. For quite a while you could easily find them for 15-30 USD.

“Blue Beast” vintage mechanical keyboard:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Beast-Vin ... 4885744067

The seller thinks they’re foam and foil.

thefarside wrote: 12 Aug 2021, 14:45 “Blue Beast” vintage mechanical keyboard:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Beast-Vin ... 4885744067

The seller thinks they’re foam and foil.

Not that I want this one but when it had zero bids when first listed I placed a small bid and it instantly had a bid higher than mine which seems really sketchy to me. Not touching this one. I do have an affinity towards the NASA MicroSwitch one though.

It had no bids the last time it was listed and just got recycled...

raoulduke-esq wrote: 12 Aug 2021, 19:06 It had no bids the last time it was listed and just got recycled...

No bids?

OH!!! Somehow I missed that. So they either have a second one, buyer didn't pay, or they're trying to get a higher price... any identifying marks to tell if it's the exact same one?

raoulduke-esq wrote: 12 Aug 2021, 19:17 OH!!! Somehow I missed that. So they either have a second one, buyer didn't pay, or they're trying to get a higher price... any identifying marks to tell if it's the exact same one?

Yes, the scratches on the top left of the case. This isn't uncommon when a buyer doesn't pay.

And the second chance buyer nopes right out... but the suspected shill bidding makes ME nope right out too.

raoulduke-esq wrote: 12 Aug 2021, 19:21 And the second chance buyer nopes right out... but the suspected shill bidding makes ME nope right out too.

I don’t blame you. It takes some level of trust when negotiating and buying things on eBay. I got the second chance offer on a Northgate Omnikey 102 but the buyer and I had a good conversation and there was mutual trust that I was going to commit to the purchase.

I’m curious what the consensus is on keyboards with SMK blue alps mounts switches. I’ve recently saved three Chicony 5181s from destruction with this switch and they’re pretty interesting. They’re not quite like blue alps but they’re not bad.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chicony-KB-518 ... 4847969935

They're nothing to do with Alps, for one. Except for sharing the keycap mount shape.
They're pretty liked, people find them a bit lighter than clicky Alps like whites. Difficult to open up the switches and clean them. (but possible, if you desolder them)

They're similar to blue Alps in that I wouldn't pay $275 shipped/taxed for either one of them in a 5181...

Symbolics Lisp keyboard with an interesting description:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/R-r3-Holy-Grai ... 4933868710

derp

davkol wrote: 15 Aug 2021, 23:57 Someone on Reddit is thinking of selling a Touchstream LP.

Ergodox for folks who hate keyboards and love iPads?

thefarside wrote: 14 Aug 2021, 05:05 Symbolics Lisp keyboard with an interesting description:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/R-r3-Holy-Grai ... 4933868710

WOW