LOL,Microsoft Natural Keyboard : something similar to Topre Switch......?
Ignorance is a sin, this line doesn't feel so right before I heard that line.

---

Added on May 6, 2012, 5:33 pmFor wood, the best wood from Malaysia Peninsular is Chenggal, if from Borneo is Belian,
they both are so tough that can sink into water immediately, once you drop it into water,
for Chenggal the fiber are very fine and dense, its color is yellow, and will change to deep red or even dark brown if exposed to sun,
and they won't rot in water even if soak in water for decades, thus Chenggal is made into boats, and ship, and harbors.
Chenggal is unique to Peninsular not found in Borneo, and Belian is not found in Peninsular Malaysia, but unique to Borneo,
for Belian, there is very rare now they forbid export from Borneo state even to West Malaysia is prohibited.
its yellow and will be turning to deep red or dark brown like Chenggal too, its fiber is dense and fine like Chenggal too,
Those are the best wood of Malaysia, or should I say best wood of tropical, even termite(white ant) do not eat them.

Teak are good to make into furniture due to it's form are unchange in condition,
it will not shrink, bent or crack even made into very thin boards, and its wooden texture are very nice to see.
but not very hard and do not have very good resistance to water.

I myself have some furniture made of Belian, Chenggal and Teak too, if there is chance, I will upload the photos of them...

If it is mention that the exotic wood, I think those 3 can be counted as exotic wood from Tropical.
they might not be so famous since tropical country do not have fine craftsmen to made them into fine furniture
like those exotic woods from China or India or Africa.

This post has been edited by kaysa: May 6 2012, 05:33 PM

wow... that's quite a crash course for peninsular exotic wood

Just some basics.
for these kind of things, You need to touch the real thing feel them,
even work with them to know the real deal.

My grand father is a carpenter, My father learn alot from him,
and he made some of our own furniture, so I learn some from him.

and I made my own arm rest for my HHKB. although it look extremely bad and cheap looking @@

Actually I went around looking abit more after that.... the information at the v4 topic is not helpful for my keyboard. The information @ v4 is more suited to be said as switches that are available in the market rather than the type of switch manufacturing technique used. After looking around for almost an hour, I found this which gives me the most helpful information. My keyboard is using linear switch with with membrane contact mechanism (tho it's a 1 layer membrane in contact with a PCB if I remember correctly). I mentioned similar because both use membranes and spring, I didn't say it is using topre.

This line could offend people when used inappropriately which is true in my case. I wanted to learn and given the incomplete information, that's the best deduction I could do at the time. Have you even looked inside the Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro before posting?

Heck I'm not coming back after this treatment for trying to learn. At least my inferior keyboard has proven its worth by being in use for over 10 years.

---

Added on May 6, 2012, 9:02 pm@kaiserreich & Human10 thanks for the info.
@JohnDiew0107 as I said similar.
Btw I don't think my switch for each key can be removed individually.

EDIT: at least not with the tools I have or with the risk of losing my keyboard.

This post has been edited by scaler: May 6 2012, 09:14 PM

O.O.... now i learnt something on woods.... thanks for the info....
@scaler, i think kaysa is so "excited" because he just got a HHKB which uses topre switch and you told him that you think your membrane keyboard is a topre board
well, i think if im in your shoes, with that amount of knowledge, i would conclude the same too....

chill bro, sorry if any of us offended you.

Indeed the information you searched from the deskthority wiki is more informative than what we have here.

I'm rather interested to know when you stated that your Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro uses membranes and spring. Got pictar?

Because we're in doubt that keyboard has spring under the rubber dome.

similar != same
In this sense similar materials used rather than the design as a whole.

@rurushu I couldn't open the required area, only can see slightly from the side. Microsoft seems unwilling to have their toys taken apart. So I can't risk it... I only cleaned with moist cloth and blow in with my air pump during cleaning.

@JohnDiew0107 the spring not under the dome, that's for sure. But I can't remember the exact set up either, I only opened it once and that's more than half a year ago.

It uses quite a few of what seem to be flex cables (similar to those used in flip phones etc), and I can be quite clumsy at times lol. That's why don't want to risk it.

P.S came back out of boredom....
P.P.S I was worried that people might misunderstand me so I included "similar" but.....

This post has been edited by scaler: May 6 2012, 10:18 PM

from your statement shows that you're a programmer. lol
anyways, taking it apart won't be too troublesome as long as you remember where things are suppose to be in the first place. else, photos. xD

@kaysa - That is some knowledge of wood!
@Kaiser - I think teak is going to be too damn hard to make a keyboard case. But if anybody does a nice one, I'll buy it for 160 Euros or more in a sec. I seem to prefer heavy keyboards, like the IBMs (~2.5 kg or more) - they have a more solid feel. I liked the Montereys on the SIIG Minitouch but the whole thing was light like a feather. When I started typing/pounding on it, the case would wobble, and then I have thoughts about Made in USA vs Taiwan... Haven't owned an aluminium keyboard yet, but I guess it would have a more solid feel than plastic (I mean modern day plastic, not vintage IBM plastic). I like the idea of touching the wood - feels better/warmer than plastic or metal - but I've never seen one that interests me.

haha just following kaiserreich's example, I'm still learning tho. I might take it apart these few days when I have the time..... It's my only keyboard and I don't like using my laptop keyboard (yeah connected to laptop with its USB1.0/1.1)

Pictures of KBC(Imsto) new colored PBT.
http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?31132-b...h-grey-together

epiguru: Teak aren't as heavy nor as hard as Chengal or Belean.
But rest assured its heavier than any plastic.

---

Added on May 7, 2012, 12:26 am@scaler my apology if any insult are posted to you,

think I got too excited because I got myself a HHKB with a Topre switch.

I too owned a MS natural keyboard around 10 years ago,
in my memories, the touch of the Natural keyboard are not similar to a Topre switch.

"Finally got an answer after wondering for so many years lol"
your quest to your keyboard knowledge had just begin!
don't let 2 of my rude lines ruin your passion to seek the truth!
if you really seek the truth, come in to this hell of mechanical keyboard with us,
and start your quest on the Path of Keyboards.

This post has been edited by kaysa: May 7 2012, 12:44 AM

Keycool had made new spacebar. Rejoice for Leopold 500R owner. Hope they will continue to support their older(Leopold 500R) standard despite going the new KBC/Filco standard.

right after I place order for 1 red and 1 yellow and a set of white blank key from Keycool......

http://keycool.taobao.com/
But I didn't saw it on official site then nor now....

Dono why, for some reasons, their products always no update or update dam late compare to other resellers...

BTW, as you had asked, their new product not only that spacebar, but a whole 37keys of rainbow keycaps(lighter color this time). Though, it isn't as cheap as b4...

This post has been edited by Human10: May 7 2012, 01:19 AM

Now I confuse again.
The keycool spacebar fits 500R/700R but not 200R?

What are srars goods? lololol

probably yes. Cause the FC200R is following DAS's spacing IIRC.
BTW, the one above may even fit FILCO, anyone want to be the white rat?

---

Added on May 7, 2012, 1:36 amBrain 404.

This post has been edited by Human10: May 7 2012, 01:36 AM

Chinese with their engrish. By the way, is geekhack down?

Probably yes... Being try to get there since 11pm just now...