My F62 arrived a few days ago. Per COVID-19 precautions, I put the box in quarantine and opened it today. I requested early shipment w/o keys installed. Fortunately, I had a complete set of keys from an F-XT along with some spacebars and mods purchased some time ago from Unicomp.
Here are two views of the finished product:
After waiting for 4 years, I was eager to get started, so I forged ahead without first reading the Xwhatsit manual. This is a mistake -- you will ultimately save time by reading the manual. It might seem a bit daunting at first glance, but if you follow it step-by-step, the setup procedure becomes quite straightforward.
After installing all the keys and verifying that they all clicked properly, my first (premature) typing test revealed that all the keys were registering except the 6-key in the top (number) row. Naturally, I panicked, thinking I was going to have to do something drastic, such as taking the keyboard completely apart and repositioning the 6-key flipper. Not so! All that was required was reading the manual and discovering that I needed to systematically adjust the voltage threshold using the excellent Xwhatsit ibm-capsense software.
Again using the ibm-capsense software, I verified that my keyboard was programmed almost the way I wanted it -- a basic HHKB layout with a single function layer. I made a few minor changes, such as swapping the positions of the Command/Win keys with the Option/Alt keys and making CapsLock = Fn+Tab. Now that I have used the Xwhatsit software, I think I like it better than TMK/QMK or the Atmel FLIP program.
Mechanically, I changed the sound of the spacebar to my liking. As shipped, the spacebar had some rattle and the bottoming-out sound was a bit harsh. I applied some synthetic silicone grease to the stabilizer clips, inserted self-adhesive foam-rubber strips to the inside of the spacebar, and applied Poron Thin-Stik ultra-thin self-adhesive foam to the top plate where the stabilizer wire hits when the spacebar is pressed down. Now the spacebar makes a satisfying "thunk" and does not rattle.
I also like my keyboards angled, with the rear higher than the front. Therefore, rather than using the flat cork pads that ship with the F62, I put two small hemispherical bumpers near the front and two cone-shaped bumpers toward the rear.
Thus far, I have only three minor issues with my F62 setup, and two of these are problems with the Unicomp keys rather than the F62 per se. The Unicomp keys have some imperfections: first, the junction of the stem with the top of the key is visible from the top; second, the Return key binds a bit when struck on its left side. Nevertheless, I am grateful for Unicomp -- their keys and other parts have enabled me to complete projects with IBM keyboards that would have remained unfinished without them.
Regarding the F62 itself, this is just a matter of personal preference -- I would prefer to have a detachable cable -- I will consider installing a flush-mount connector as a future project.
The F62 experience is vastly different from that of my previous daily driver, a lubed and silenced HHKB, but I enjoy each of these keyboards for their own particular strengths. Although I still prefer the sound and feel of my first mechanical keyboard project -- an IBM XT with Soarer's converter -- to the sound and feel of my new F62, The layout, form factor, and size of the F62 is much more to my liking. Consequently, I anticipate using my F62 frequently. Fortunately, I have an isolated private office so that there is no one to complain about the noise, and I can switch to my HHKB when I am doing conference calls.
Regarding the overall appearance of my F62, I am extremely satisfied, especially with the red color of the case. I have ordered another F62 in black; now I wish I had opted for red for both of them. One of the F62s will go to my work office -- if the COVID-19 restrictions are ever lifted.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude and congratulations to @Ellipse for the incredible job he has done with this monumental keyboard project and to @Xwhatsit for his amazing work with the controllers and software.
