Making Keyboard Membranes

Any discussions related to the creation of new hardware or software for the ZX80 or ZX81
RWAP
Posts: 1348
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 8:42 am
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, UK
Contact:

Re: Making Keyboard Membranes

Post by RWAP »

I did start a discussion a few years ago about CoCo membranes but there was just not enough interest - and not helped by several different membranes in these machines.

The main market seems to be in the USA and so ideally you need a manufacturer in the US because of the costs of importing them etc.

My thought was that these would only be viable if there were at least 250 needed.
User avatar
gammaray
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2016 2:44 am
Location: Texas

Re: Making Keyboard Membranes

Post by gammaray »

Maybe a rubberized conductive paint is available to make small batches of membranes halves with conductive traces using stencil.

The nickel paint I just used is too brittle.
5-TS1000,UK ZX81<-Sheelagh, US ZX81, 2-TS1500/KDLX , 3-TS2040 printer, 2-TS2020 cassette decks, ZXPAND+AY, ZeddyNET, ZXBlast, UDG, ZX8CCB, AERCO, BUILDS/REPAIRS ZX Spectrum, ZX80 Minstrel, ZXMAX48 v1 v2, 2-TS-2068, ROM, 16kRAM
User avatar
mrtinb
Posts: 1906
Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2015 5:44 pm
Location: Denmark
Contact:

Re: Making Keyboard Membranes

Post by mrtinb »

Here https://www.smart-prototyping.com you can get flexible PCBs for ZX81 keyboard size for $480 for 10. That is $48 each.

They make flexible pcbs down to 0.1mm.
Martin
https://zx.rtin.be
ZX81, Lambda 8300, Commodore 64, Mac G4 Cube
RWAP
Posts: 1348
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 8:42 am
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, UK
Contact:

Re: Making Keyboard Membranes

Post by RWAP »

mrtinb wrote: Fri Dec 21, 2018 9:53 pm Here https://www.smart-prototyping.com you can get flexible PCBs for ZX81 keyboard size for $480 for 10. That is $48 each.

They make flexible pcbs down to 0.1mm.
Except they are based in China - so you also have to add on US taxes and potentially import duties as well - will be close the $60 each already mentioned...
User avatar
gammaray
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2016 2:44 am
Location: Texas

Re: Making Keyboard Membranes

Post by gammaray »

Actually I am thinking I need two so that would be $240 each cuz the other 8 would go unsold and get thrown away in a few decades. :D
mrtinb wrote: Fri Dec 21, 2018 9:53 pm Here https://www.smart-prototyping.com you can get flexible PCBs for ZX81 keyboard size for $480 for 10. That is $48 each.

They make flexible pcbs down to 0.1mm.
5-TS1000,UK ZX81<-Sheelagh, US ZX81, 2-TS1500/KDLX , 3-TS2040 printer, 2-TS2020 cassette decks, ZXPAND+AY, ZeddyNET, ZXBlast, UDG, ZX8CCB, AERCO, BUILDS/REPAIRS ZX Spectrum, ZX80 Minstrel, ZXMAX48 v1 v2, 2-TS-2068, ROM, 16kRAM
Post Reply