Alan

@[email protected]
29 Followers
102 Following
125 Posts
30 y/o dude who likes using Linux and to tinker in general. I also help cut down on e-waste by personally hoarding it all. I also dig animu and music.
My daily OSesPC: Gentoo | Laptop: Arch | Phone: LineageOS 20.0 | Everything else: Debian
Personal Websiteleftoverpizza.rocks
Music tastePunk, *core, *metal.
Computer Collection Count:24
AlanJun 28, 2023
So I built Mac Kid a PC. I only had 2 hours so cable management isn't that great, but I have plans to go back and help him with it. I did get him interested in learning #linux though.
AlanJun 21, 2023

Set up the expansion header, installed the solenoid to the bottom of the case, went to set up the solenoid driver and saw no LEDs when I pressed a button. I took a closer look at the board and this is what I see. I'm literally like 2 steps from being done. Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh 😭

I don't know how it happened, I'm not equipped to handle micro soldering as my experience is in automotive and "large" stuff like keyboard switches and old PC components but I'm gonna try to fix it anyway.

AlanJun 20, 2023
Up date to my #vintage #keyboard #restoration and USB C modification, everything is back together for the most part just in time to find out the controller doesn't work, I'm thinking it's USB C port related. Then I lost power after I took these photos. Looks like what ever force that exists doesn't want me to finish this today. 🤬😭
AlanJun 17, 2023
I finally got everything cleaned and repainted. Took me like 3 days to paint the plates because my eye for detail was my worst enemy. Oh is that a smudge? NUKE IT ALL AND START OVER. But today for some reason I was all about the wabi sabi philosophy. Now to put this monstrosity back together before my vacation ends tomorrow. #keyboards #retro
AlanJun 14, 2023
As you all can see, the plastic or rubber or whatever it was dust covers are no longer doing their jobs and instead have become a problem. Unfortunately for me that means I'm gonna have to rebuild each switch. I mean, I have new gold plated corrosion resistant springs anyway but deep down I didn't want to rebuild the switches as that's the most time consuming part lol.
AlanJun 14, 2023
#keyboard I just sort of started and immediately this cable caught my attention. It's quite obviously old, the cloth tag says January 20th, 1979 as a date and it was made by C.P Clarke Cable ltd. I wonder if they made it by hand. It's the little stuff like this that really excites my passion for junk lol.
AlanJun 14, 2023
Since I'm on vacation, I'm going to spend the next day or so restoring and modernizing this magnificent piece of #history. It's a highly coveted IBM 5251 Beam spring #keyboard. It's sought after by #keeb enthusiasts because of the beam spring switches, which have what I would describe as a smooth, yet tactile and clicky feel. What is also cool is that there is a solenoid that taps the side of the case every time you press a key, emulating a typewriter. And yes, I will be saving all OG parts.