Ryan: You may have seen my post on this list a few days back about the ALPS keyboard switches on Ebay. As you may note the following vintage "retro" computers had keys that mated with the same ALPS style low-profile keys switches.
These are: ALPS SKFL KEYSWITCHES, (Atari 600XL, 800XL, Toshiba HX-10D TRS-80 Model 100) Thus you may be able to find a spare space bar from the computers listed above that may fit your needs. (If it were me I'd just buy an old keyboard at a Goodwill, junk store or garage sale, pop off the spacebar and see if I could make it fit) Hunting for an exact 40 year old keyboard borders on insanity. NOTE: There are also specialty vendors for the mechanical keyboard crowd that sell individual key caps for the mechanical keyboard fans. See companies like Tai-Hao <https://shop.tai-hao.com/products/abs-104-a01bp301> and the Matias Store <https://matias.store/collections/switches> Tai-Hao has individual specebars of different lengths. You may find a size you like.... but will have to mod it so get out your model tools and files. Cheers DS On Wed, Nov 12, 2025 at 10:20 AM David Szasz <[email protected]> wrote: > Ryan: > > I'm retired now. But back in my days as an industrial designer I would > have pried-off the space bar from a M102 and make an RTV mold of the key > (that's room temperature vulcanized rubber) Then I would have used auto > body filler to cast as many of the keys as needed. There are many tutorials > on how to do this online. As a student in the early 80's I worked in the > model shop of the old DEC (Digital Electronics Corp) and that's how it was > done for a model of a special sized key, as this would be. > Two part molds with a cavity and core as this would be are possible with > this method. I try to avoid 3D printing because of the toxic fumes and > chemical waste in the process. RTV molds are a silicone rubber (so it's > somewhat unreactive) so in that process the fumes are mostly from the > casting compound used in the mold. > > This method saves having to create a 3d model of said key yourself. Gain > access to a 3d printer (unless you already have one, or access to one) > etc... and the other direct overhead costs. As for the RTV mold itself it > can be cast in a simple cardboard box you make yourself. So the costs are > minimal. There are also non-toxic casting compounds used by dentists, (of > all people) that are ideal though somewhat costly as a material for the > mold. I prefer the method used by dentists to cast tooth related stuff, > it's good for small parts. > > If you insist on a 3D print you could pry-off the space bar from the m102. > Then measure and create a 3d model of the key. From there export an STL > file and send it to a vendor, there are many to choose from. Let the vendor > deal with the cost and upkeep of the 3d printer, fumes and waste. The > main types of 3D printing are material extrusion (FDM) used in most hobby > 3d printers , vat polymerization (SLA, DLP), and powder bed fusion (SLS, > SLM, DMLS). As you may observe one could make the mold in a 3d printer and > use it to cast as many keys as needed in a casting material with properties > of your choice. > > Regards > DS > > > On Wed, Nov 12, 2025 at 8:01 AM Ryan Stapleton <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Hello All, >> >> I have recently picked up a 100 that is missing a space bar and I assume >> the spring based on what looks like a place for one. >> >> Is there a place to get spare parts? 3D print the space bar? Other >> ideas? >> >> The 100 seems to work fine and I have removed the battery (was just >> starting to look and didn’t see anything on the motherboard). >> >> I am pretty new to the Tandy 100/102 world. Got my first a month ago >> (102) and now a 100. >> >> I appreciate any help finding a space bar or some way to make a space bar. >> >> Thank you >> -Ryan >> >>
