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New Beam Spring Keyboards

modelfkeyboards.com

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Re: New Beam Spring Keyboards

#61

Post by ModelFKeyboards »

wincy wrote: post #52
ModelFKeyboards wrote: post #49

Hello, project coordinator here. If you haven’t been following the project recently, I am happy to report that more than 7,000 Brand New Model F and Beam Spring keyboards have shipped since 2019, and the very first Round 2 classic style Beam Spring B104 keyboards started shipping this month, as noted here. If you want to see current comments about the project, please do check out the recent user feedback on the curre…

This is really interesting and a part of history. Really appreciate the candid insights. My grandfather is a long retired design engineer and has told me about designing a keyboard like this because the typists didn’t like their first few iterations because they didn’t feel “like a typewriter”. I should send this over to him and see what he thinks about it. I’m curious if this is the keyboard he designed (he’s in his…

Yes that would be fascinating! There were so many iconic designs back in the day, even of everyday household products like electric clocks and rotary telephones (two of my other collection/restoration hobbies).

The inventor of the IBM buckling spring actually had a chat session on another forum several years ago: https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?t=25847

Re: New Beam Spring Keyboards

#62

Post by ModelFKeyboards »

LAC-Tech wrote: post #56

I'm a bit of a clicky switch enthusiast. I use gateron melodics, which have a click leaf, meaning the click sound directly corresponds to actuation, unlike most modern clickies. So I am very curious about beam springs. I doubt I would ever use one every day (I am pretty set on split ortholinears that sit low on the desk with short keycaps) but would love to try one.

If you are curious, I recommend Chyrosran22's excellent overview of IBM Beam Spring keyboards on YouTube.

Re: New Beam Spring Keyboards

#63

Post by ModelFKeyboards »

sleepybrett wrote: post #8

I have his model-f, and while i like it setting it up to flash firmware to it was a bitch and a half and his docs read like a 4th grader wrote it. He should invest some money in cleaning up that side of his business.

The manual was redone recently - folks tell me now that they were new to these keyboards but were able to easily follow along the manual to set up their keyboard.

Re: New Beam Spring Keyboards

#64

Post by jolmg »

ndiddy wrote: post #27

Note that Ellipse/modelfkeyboards is notorious in the keyboard community for poor quality control and support. The keyboards often come misaligned or damaged in shipping, and it's up to you to fix them. I'm not sure about their beam spring keyboards, but their Model F keyboards come without keycaps installed, meaning that the keys haven't even been tested to actuate properly before the keyboard is shipped. If you hav…

> You just have to keep in mind that you'll be paying over $400 for a keyboard that may arrive broken, and if it does you will have as close to no warranty as what's legally possible.

PinePhone Pro vibes, except the PPP's problem isn't lack of QC; it's just lack of (FOSS) SW support. Pay 400 bucks, may need lots of tweaking/work to get it usable. Market is enthusiasts that aren't satisfied by anything else and/or that want to support it out of principle.

Re: New Beam Spring Keyboards

#65

Post by clhodapp »

jmspring wrote: post #39
ndiddy wrote: post #27

Note that Ellipse/modelfkeyboards is notorious in the keyboard community for poor quality control and support. The keyboards often come misaligned or damaged in shipping, and it's up to you to fix them. I'm not sure about their beam spring keyboards, but their Model F keyboards come without keycaps installed, meaning that the keys haven't even been tested to actuate properly before the keyboard is shipped. If you hav…

The keyboards look janky. Why buy this over something like Das Keyboard which has mechanical keys as well and is cheaper?

Essentially every keyboard key is mechanical. Most "mechanical keyboards" are using Cherry MX or Cherry MX-like key switches.

The key switches in these are as different in design from a Cherry MX switch as a Cherry MX switch is from a rubber dome.

Re: New Beam Spring Keyboards

#66

Post by userbinator »

chongli wrote: post #35
appplication wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not going to call it dumb, but I will will say… reading that bit, I don’t understand this product at all and could not be further from their target market.

I don’t understand it either and I know people who are in it. Super expensive keyboards are one of the strangest hobbies I’ve heard of!

I'd understand it more if super expensive keyboards actually improved typing speed and accuracy, but I think they just like the sound and feeling of the keys.

I have a rare board with Blue Alps switches, from when most keyboards were mechanical; it's definitely very clicky and tactile, but I rarely use it because I can type much faster on a generic low-profile one with soft and cushy rubber domes.

Re: New Beam Spring Keyboards

#67

Post by dangus »

I have used similar retro keyboards to this. I think it was that company that got the machinery from IBM.

This stuff has cool factor but it’s pretty terrible compared to the incredibly varied and fully customizable modern mechanical keyboard market.

It was a nice novelty for me to have an “IBM keyboard” but outside the novelty it wasn’t anywhere close to being a competitive keyboard.

Someone interested in this should just buy real vintage equipment as the novelty factor on that is way higher.

Re: New Beam Spring Keyboards

#69

Post by dangus »

porknubbins wrote: post #22
MengerSponge wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Like a Model F, but louder" is a heck of a pitch. I'm interested!

Are mechanical keyboards becoming a way to show off like the programmer equivalent of loud truck exhaust? The sound is satisfying yes, but with other people in mind I am looking for the quietest mechanical keyboard I can find these days. I have become self conscious about typing quietly during phone calls or meetings in case I am unmuted.

In the gaming sphere these kinds of loud-ass mechanical keyboards are absolutely not in vogue anymore.

Many gamers are even migrating over to hall effect sensors over mechanical switches, since you have a full analog customizable setup for key actuation.

Re: New Beam Spring Keyboards

#70

Post by zamadatix »

ModelFKeyboards wrote: post #58
stodor89 wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Woah, how is this legal?! Actually, is it?

All it means is you have to follow the instructions to set it up; it doesn't come working out of the box. Yes, it's legal to sell products that require setup and are only partially assembled out of the box. Think of a more extreme example like a backyard swing set for kids that comes all packed up in a box. The keyboard is guaranteed to work after you follow the setup, and you can send an email for help if you are st…

This isn't saying "you have to do some assembly" it's saying "random parts may be broken and that's your problem to solve however you can". If the "g" key is broken it might be as simple as needing to pop the key in/out or it might be as complex as a defect in the board/just plain broken key you need to go source a replacement for yourself. It's very vague because it's saying any fixes are on the buyer, not just some assembly.

If you mean to say you have to assemble but you get support/replacements if that doesn't work out then that would be a lot better to put than the current text.

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