Apple Cross Pollination? - East Meets West

[JP!]

I have sort of an Alps project in mind, a cross pollination of two varieties of Apples.

First I have this keyboard module from a late 80's Macintosh Portable with Alps SKCM Cream Damped switches in mint condition.

IMG_4973.JPG (388.3 KiB) Viewed 1991 times

IMG_4974.JPG (764.57 KiB) Viewed 1991 times

Next I have this MO116J that I won from Yahoo! Auctions. I don't have it yet but am hoping it has orange Alps.

m0116.jpg (139.66 KiB) Viewed 1991 times

My thoughts are to put the keys with Japanese legends onto the Mac portable board. Next I want to make a hybrid orange "Creamsicle" switch which is an Alps SKCM Orange that keeps the original bottom housing, switch plate, spring, and tactile leaf, but borrows the top housing and the slider from SKCM Cream Dampened switches.

I could convert using the existing PCB but wouldn't have n-key rollover. A custom PCB like the Alps64 would be really neat. I'm not sure of the best route here. Also I'm not sure what I would do for a case yet. Maybe something made out of wood. Any ideas on this project idea would be appreciated.

[Lbibass]

Sounds like you have need of an ASK55!

Also, that's the first time I think I have ever seen thin font AEK JP caps. Nice!

[JP!]

I hope this becomes a reality!
https://paradigm.parts/guidance/ask55/faq/

[Findecanor]

There was also snacksthecat's Alps64 Mini project. It does not appear to have materialised into any GB but the PCB design files are available.

BTW. I checked also the GoldenDelicious (proper M0116/M0118 PCB replacement with numpad), which is in IC but it does not support that Return key.

[orihalcon]

Definitely an interesting idea! I've not come across any Japanese ALPS Apple boards that have oranges that did on the US models, but here's hoping those are indeed oranges

[JP!]

Definitely an interesting idea! I've not come across any Japanese ALPS Apple boards that have oranges that did on the US models, but here's hoping those are indeed oranges

I think perhaps you are right. I found a picture of one with an earlier serial number that had salmon's.