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Stabilizers & Hooks for Apple Keyboard
Posted by: Mcbeef on 2026-03-03 12:51:48
Hi all,
I stumbled upon this Apple Keyboard from 1988. It has Alps Salmon switches and seems to be working but it is missing a stabilizer under the spacebar together with the "hooks" to attach the stabilizer to the metal backplate.

There is an online store that sells stabilizers and hooks for, among others, Alps switches but it's quite hard and expensive to get in the Netherlands. So I made a small tool to shape my own stabilizer from 304 rvs. Then I decided I might make different sizes to accommodate the other buttons on the keyboard and before I knew. I made a small toolbox for it.

If people are interested and nearby (within postal range) I can make you all the stabilizers you need.
Posted by: obsolete on 2026-03-03 15:05:47
Hey, that's a nice idea! Thank you for posting it. Do you plan to upload the 3D model files anywhere?
Posted by: Mcbeef on 2026-03-03 22:58:22
Hey, that's a nice idea! Thank you for posting it. Do you plan to upload the 3D model files anywhere?
Hi, I am not sure about uploading the files because ideas are easily stolen online. (I am not sure it even works) I might put the files up here if anyone is interested.
Posted by: gsteemso on 2026-03-04 17:19:12
"Not sure it even works" but you're offering to make them for people? Am I missing something here? That sounds like kind of an important detail to pre-verify.
Posted by: Mcbeef on 2026-03-04 22:00:35
"Not sure it even works" but you're offering to make them for people? Am I missing something here? That sounds like kind of an important detail to pre-verify.
The rvs In ordered is still in the mail.
It's also probably not like there will be a run on those stabilizers. So a day or two patience seems fair.

Then the first question in a reaction was if I would be willing to share the stl's. I answered that with a "no" due to multiple reasons of which one is: "not sure it even works"

You are indeed missing something here. And that is the fact that first of all, I want to share my findings on this website
Second, I'd like to be a constructive and contributing member of this forum.

The way you worded your response makes me feel like you think I'd want to saddle people with non-working stabilizers.

That's certainly not the case.
Posted by: gsteemso on 2026-03-05 00:14:26
Indeed, I did not think anyone would do such a thing - hence my confusion.
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