Wanted: old Sun5 keyboard for Sol-20 restoration parts [fwd]

From: Douglas Quebbeman <dhquebbeman_at_theestopinalgroup.com>
Date: Wed Mar 6 09:43:23 2002

The following message is of sufficient interest to
SOL and Altair-era listers that I'm forwarding it
without asking its original poster; while perhaps
not perfect netiquette, I'm hoping the list has no
rule banning it.

-dq

From: Charles Eicher <ceicher_at_inav.net>
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
Subject: Wanted: old Sun5 keyboard for Sol-20 restoration parts
Date: 5 Mar 2002 13:31:26 -0800
Organization: http://extra.newsguy.com
Lines: 23
Message-ID: <a63dfe0101p_at_drn.newsguy.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: p-479.newsdawg.com
X-Newsreader: Direct Read News 2.91
Path:
news.iglou.com!uunet!ash.uu.net!news-out.visi.com!hermes.visi.com!nycmny1-snh1
.gtei.net!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.gtei.net!newsfeed.cwix.com!wn2feed!
wn3feed!worldnet.att.net!209.155.233.17!pln-w!spln!dex!extra.newsguy.com!newsp
.newsguy.com!drn
Xref: news-incoming.iglou.com alt.folklore.computers:264561

I am searching for keyboard parts for restoration of a vintage microcomputer,
my
Sol-20. In some recent research, I've learned that the Sun5 keyboard contains
the type of keyboard contact pads that are used in the Sol. I've found a place
that will sell used Sun5 keyboards for $15 plus shipping, but I figure
somebody
in the alt.folklore.computers readership might have an old Sun5 keyboard
sitting
around they might part with cheaply, since this is for a good cause.

I haven't torn apart my Sol kbd yet, but it is well known that this keyboard
used foam contact pads that deteriorated with age, so most Sol CPUs function
but
cannot be used because there's no keyboard input. You can replace the foam
pads
and they keyboard will work, but the trick is finding the pads. There are many
Keytronics keyboards that use these foam pads, but I've been unable to locate
any on the local surplus market. I should be able to pick this up cheaper than
$15+shipping, but it looks like I'll have to order a used Sun5 kbd and it will
set me back $25. All this for $0.50 worth of foam pads that I could
cannibalize
from a scrap $2 keyboard...IF I could find the right keyboard. The sole vendor
of Sol kbd restoration parts has disappeared, I heard he's having financial
difficulty. Bummer.

So if anyone has a spare Sun5 keyboard, or other keyboard that might contain
suitable foam-pad parts for cannibalization, please email me at
ceicher_at_inav.net
and I will be eternally grateful. My Sol will be happy too.
Received on Wed Mar 06 2002 - 09:43:23 GMT

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Fri Oct 10 2014 - 23:35:10 BST