My 1987 60% Apple Dremeled Keyboard: How and Why and Sorry
This is a model M0115 Apple Extended Keyboard first sold in 1987 as an option for the Macintosh II and SE models:
And this is what I am typing this article on right now:
This article is about both of these keyboards. How I converted the first one into the second, why I did that and finally an apology for doing that.
First, I think most important is the why and there are two major whys I believe, why this keyboard and why convert this keyboard to 60% size?
Why This Keyboard?
The original Apple Extended Keyboard is notable for several reasons. One very major one is the key switches which are Alps SKCM Orange or more commonly called Orange Alps. These are a sort of holy grail of tactile key switches. Thomas Ran, aka Chyrosran22, who has tested more keyboards and key switch types than anyone else I am aware of rated Orange Alps as the greatest tactile switch of all time.
Unfortunately, these switches have been out of production for many years and there is no modern switch that is really the same. The most common way to get this switch is from a…
