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Author Topic: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M  (Read 2631 times)

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Offline QuidNYC

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Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« on: Thu, 31 January 2013, 21:31:50 »
Although I recall owning a Model M back in the days of Windows 3.1, I have only recently come to understand and appreciate how much better they were than the commonly manufactured keyboards of today.  This message board is likewise new to me -- despite having read a fair bit in recent weeks, I feel as though I have quite a lot of catching up to do.

I'm going to try to attach pictures of my new setup, a Model M (1391401; produced in 1989) obtained on ebay a couple of weeks ago.  I have cleaned it up thoroughly, replaced all of the keys with a black unprinted set from Unicomp, and connected it to my home computer with an SDL to USB adapter cable (the black LED overlay is also from Unicomp).

I liked it enough that I've gone ahead and replicated the setup exactly (with a 1991 board from ebay) in the office.  It's turned more than a few heads from passersby (thankfully with our office setup I don't believe the noise will be an issue).

One question for the Model M experts here:  it seems the keyboard I use in the office was used a bit harder than my other one, and it seems there are at least a few keys that have a somewhat softer response than the others (even after reseating the plastic key several times).  Is there an easy remedy for this?  Should I consider trying to replace those buckling springs?
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 31 January 2013, 22:09:09 »
Welcome to Geekhack!

A lot of Model M enthusiasts joining lately, surely one of them will know about the variable spring strength.
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline daerid

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 01 February 2013, 03:29:31 »
That is a mighty fine looking board you got there.
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Offline snoopy

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 01 February 2013, 03:52:34 »
some keys on my ssk also have a softer feel then the others. I think replacing the springs should help. You could swap the spring from a less used key like the F-keys to the one that feels soft.
there is an easy method to swap single springs: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=5265.msg77401#msg77401

Another problem could be that your board has a lot of broken rivets. If this is the case, some keys have a different feel than others or completly stop working. Then you have to do a bolt-mod... http://wiki.geekhack.org/index.php?title=Modifications:IBM_Model_M:Nut_and_Bolt_Mod

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Offline rowdy

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 01 February 2013, 04:08:53 »
^ told you :p
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline QuidNYC

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 01 February 2013, 07:15:32 »
Many thanks, snoopy!
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Offline wolfofsin

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 01 February 2013, 09:27:28 »
Welcome QuidNYC. Manhattan born and raised here
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Offline QuidNYC

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 01 February 2013, 13:38:19 »
A picture of Model M #2 in the office...
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Offline snoopy

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 01 February 2013, 13:48:19 »
wow, an exact replica :)

If you fell in sleep in front of your keyboard.... after you wake up again, you don't know where you are... :D Work? Home? Where am I?
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Offline QuidNYC

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #9 on: Fri, 01 February 2013, 13:55:40 »
 :)  I suppose I could have taken advantage of the detachable cable to carry it back and forth to the office... but it's a tad heavy for a twice daily commute, and I think I'd get some weird looks on the subway. 

Of course, the upside is that it would make a highly effective and street-legal self defense weapon!
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Offline snoopy

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #10 on: Fri, 01 February 2013, 14:04:30 »
a red esc-key and switching the led color to red would be cool
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Offline QuidNYC

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #11 on: Fri, 01 February 2013, 14:19:46 »
Quote from: snoopy on Fri, 01 February 2013, 14:04:30
a red esc-key and switching the led color to red would be cool

Hmm... I think you may be on to something there (at least for my "home" version).  I'm going to have to research replacing the LEDs though, as I'm not really sure how to go about it.
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Offline QuidNYC

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Re: Greetings from Manhattan -- "new" Model M
« Reply #12 on: Thu, 07 February 2013, 08:54:29 »
Quote from: QuidNYC on Fri, 01 February 2013, 14:19:46
Quote from: snoopy on Fri, 01 February 2013, 14:04:30
a red esc-key and switching the led color to red would be cool

Hmm... I think you may be on to something there (at least for my "home" version).  I'm going to have to research replacing the LEDs though, as I'm not really sure how to go about it.

Pic of new escape key... not sure yet how much I like it.  Will have to see if it grows on me...
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