One man's trash is another man's treasure

[Daniel Beaver]

I posted this image a couple of weeks ago:




I friend of a friend pulls gold out of old computers for some extra cash. He has managed to fill multiple sheds full of old computer components.




Fortunately, keyboards don't have much gold in them, and so he let me take a bunch of them. And by a bunch, I mean a little over 60. Pictured below is most of the "keyboards of interest". I found a couple dozen more after I took the picture.




I found 17 terminal Model Ms




I also found 27 regular Model Ms. 15 of those are late-era blue labels (generally from 1995-1997). Three are grey labels. One is a silver label. The rest are Lexmark and AT&T branded. A lot of them are missing keys.




There were quite a few "keyboards of interest" with mechanical switches which I grabbed. I don't recognize most of them, but I suspect some of you will. I will be taking individual pictures once I clean them. There are a few Dell keyboards with linear switches, some HP keyboards with some sort of switch that I don't recognize. Not all of them are pictured here.




I also found four Model Fs, of various makes.




I don't recognize a lot of the keyswitches. I'm pretty sure this one is mechanical.




And of course, the super-majority of what I found were awful, mushy feeling things.




I've tested a few, and so far every single one has worked fine. It's going to take forever to clean these. All of these will go up on eBay eventually.

[Phaedrus2129]

*sniff* It's so beautiful.

[ch_123]

I see some quite interesting things there. Now, if only I had the money to pay for the shipping across the Atlantic...

[ClackHead]

Amazing find.

You have much work ahead of you my friend.

[spolia optima]

no doubt there are some gems in there. but damn those are disgusting. gonna take a lot of work to get those operational.  Is that funky looking AT&T keyboard made in Italy?

[WhiteRice]

Wow what a great find!

Any small form factor keyboards?

[Daniel Beaver]

Any small form factor keyboards?

Sadly, no. I was hoping to find an Model M spacesaver, but no such luck.

[erricrice]

You should probably just do a mass key cleaning batch where you take all the keys off of all of them and just through them in a huge bucket of soap water or something.  Would probably be the quickest way do clean the keys at least.  Sorting them out later would be a bit of a pain though.

[Daniel Beaver]

Ripster has it right - even among the same model numbers, the keys look ever so slightly different. That means that I will be cleaning them individually. The missing keys are more problematic... I may have to mix and match, just out of necessity. I might do whole-board key transplants from the terminal Model Ms, just to maintain consistency. We'll see.

Denture cleaner is da bomb. Makes cleaning so simple.

[audioave10]

Nice haul and you should offer some here for sale. Most will make you good money on Ebay but its probably alot of work.

[chimera15]

Wow that's crazy.  It looks like an archeological dig.  Do any of them work after being exposed to the elements like that?

[Daniel Beaver]

Wow that's crazy.  It looks like an archeological dig.  Do any of them work after being exposed to the elements like that?

I have yet to find one that doesn't work.

[Superfluous Parentheses]

I have yet to find one that doesn't work.

I'm not that surprised. The Model M I've got was stored in a leaky attic for years before I got it and covered in grime. Still works perfectly and cleaned up very nicely.

[chimera15]

Wow, I didn't notice it the first time, you found a model f AT in that mess.  Nice find, worth way more than any gold he coulda pulled out of it. lol  Does that one work?

[Superfluous Parentheses]

During my brief experience with MorningSong's attached to the experimental converter I learned that I prefer the feel of the Model M...but NKRO over USB is an attractive prospect.

As I understand it, you can't have more than 6 "normal" keys + 4? 8? modifiers over USB. If the controller is made correctly, you should be able to have any combination of those work though. Which is better than my Model M's refusal to do CAPS+Left shift+S.

[Jack]

Suggestion: Get small mesh laundry bags ( http://www.compressionstockings.com/images/JuzoLaundryBag.jpg ) and put each set of keys in them to wash.

[MissileMike]

Hey, I notice there's one of those strange AT&T build buckling spring keyboards like I have.  It's the quietest BS keyboard I have tried.

[ch_123]

Hah, I noticed that too. Was going to get it, but the shipping is a bit too much.

[Daniel Beaver]

PM me if you guys want anything right off the bat, and I can prioritize what I clean and test.

[Jack]

I can't know much from the photos, but if you could make a quick list of model numbers and quantities that'd be awesome.

[ch_123]

Show Image

Can you get the part number of the keyboard on the top of the middle row? It may be a Model F terminal keyboard, which I'm pretty sure a few people around here would want.

[WhiteRice]

ALPs?

[8_INCH_FLOPPY]

I am so jealous.

[chimera15]

Can you get the part number of the keyboard on the top of the middle row? It may be a Model F terminal keyboard, which I'm pretty sure a few people around here would want.

What's the second one down in the middle row?  A model f type alps board? Or an xt?  The enter looks a little strange though.

[clickclack]

I am having significant and disturbing bouts of deja vu right now.

I have also been missing some keyboards lately...
(looks over shoulder)

[Daniel Beaver]

I am having significant and disturbing bouts of deja vu right now.

I have also been missing some keyboards lately...
(looks over shoulder)

Your signature disturbs me. Is this how it started for you?


chimera15: Do you mean the AT&T board? Not sure... it's buried in a pile in my car. I'll get to it eventually.


ch_123: Date: 24 Sept 85, PT NO: 6110345, ID NO R3172, EC NO 528510, PLT NO FL10. I have two of these, and I think they are the same model (the other is buried under a pile right now)


I like the Laundry bag idea.

[Manyak]

Nice find

If you've got a dishwasher you can just throw everything in there btw. I've plenty of boards like that before, it saves a LOT of work. Just make sure the keycaps are in mesh bags so they don't end up all over the place

[clickclack]

Your signature disturbs me. Is this how it started for you?

Wait till I update the sig! heehee
Nah, my "accumulation" started when I was working on a sculpture. But once the bug bites it's a long road to recovery, if indeed recovery is what you are after.

Just as a tip though-
I have had my fair share of really, really, really, insanely nasty dirty keyboards and I have learned a few things because of this. One of them being if they are really dirty (loose dirt or liquid like grime) then handle then as little as possible before actually cleaning them. You don't want dirt and grim to sneak further into the general mechanicals or between tiny contacts.

Looks like you found some fun stuff there, enjoy!
=)

[KillerBee]

ahhh love seeing that some model M's will see use again

[ch_123]

ch_123: Date: 24 Sept 85, PT NO: 6110345, ID NO R3172, EC NO 528510, PLT NO FL10. I have two of these, and I think they are the same model (the other is buried under a pile right now)

Those ones are Model Fs alright. Add that to the list of particularly interesting things to sell

[chimera15]

Your signature disturbs me. Is this how it started for you?


chimera15: Do you mean the AT&T board? Not sure... it's buried in a pile in my car. I'll get to it eventually.


ch_123: Date: 24 Sept 85, PT NO: 6110345, ID NO R3172, EC NO 528510, PLT NO FL10. I have two of these, and I think they are the same model (the other is buried under a pile right now)


I like the Laundry bag idea.

yes, looks like it

[Shawn Stanford]

Crikey, is it really going to be worth the effort to clean all those up? Hmm...

Going price for a clean Model M is about $45, you've got 34. Let's round down to 30 to cover missing keycaps and such. So, max value is about $1,500. Assuming you run the keys and case through the dishwasher, tearing down, cleaning and reassembling a Model M is at least 30 minutes work. Double that if you do it by hand.

You also have to consider the time to package and ship, so another 30 to 60 minutes each, depending on your proximity to a post office.

Then there's the eBay and PayPal percentage...

I'd be surprised if your final payday was more than $20 an hour. I think I'd just keep a few interesting ones and offer the rest as-is to Geekhackers for $25 + whatever your time is worth + shipping. Give the buyer the opportunity to clean the years of grime off (isn't that half the fun?).

YMMV...

[leqin]

I have yet to find one that doesn't work.

This doesn't surprise me - model M's are built like brick outhouse's and my own is a survivor from a coffee spill and several months flung outside to face the elements only to still be working long after other cheaper mushier rubbish gave up working.

[Shawn Stanford]

Oh, and FWIW: I'll take one of the Dells as-is (just to match my work computer).

[Daniel Beaver]

Heh, that's a good idea. So I'll put it out there officially:

If you want, you can buy anything you see straight-up, an save me the effort of cleaning them. I can take pictures and send part numbers, and things like that, as well as testing them to make sure they work. We can negotiate on price over PM (I will be reasonable).


All the ALPS boards I'm finding feel very frictiony. Can the dust do bad things, or are they just like that? (I've never felt ALPS before, so I don't know what they're supposed to feel like). The cherry switches don't seem to have the same problem.

[erricrice]

Heh, that's a good idea. So I'll put it out there officially:

If you want, you can buy anything you see straight-up, an save me the effort of cleaning them. I can take pictures and send part numbers, and things like that, as well as testing them to make sure they work. We can negotiate on price over PM (I will be reasonable).


All the ALPS boards I'm finding feel very frictiony. Can the dust do bad things, or are they just like that? (I've never felt ALPS before, so I don't know what they're supposed to feel like). The cherry switches don't seem to have the same problem.

ALPS can just kinda be like that, if you haven't used them before.

But with all the dirt and probably usage, I'm sure they're more stiff than they should be.

[vils]

I'll grab a model F if shipping to Europe is reasonable.

[Daniel Beaver]

I'll grab a model F if shipping to Europe is reasonable.

Shipping to Europe is never reasonable, especially with the weird dimensions that a keyboard demands from a package.

[Daniel Beaver]

Here's some stuff I cleaned up yesterday. PM me if you are interested in buying.


Dell AT101W

Many of the keys are very unresponsive. They all work if you pound on them enough; here are the keys that are giving me the most trouble:



And the keyboard itself:






IBM Terminal Model F

I have no way to test this, but it seems to be in very good shape. This was under a roof, so it never go rained on. It feels divine to type on. All the keys are present.






IBM Model M Blue Label

Works great.






IBM Model M Grey Label

Works great.

[ironman31]

If you have any at model f's I'd be interested for the right price.

[Daniel Beaver]

Yeah, I'm really disappointed with the boards that have ALPS switches. The barn is was really dusty, and a lot of them hard dirt packed under the keys. I was hoping to actually use that AT101W, but I think it would only be really useful for spare parts.

[Shawn Stanford]

Well, I'm not interested in the Alps switches, just the BS. Are any of those Dells BS? If you don't get any takers on the terminal keyboard you showed, I'd be interested in just the keycaps...

[Daniel Beaver]

Well, I'm not interested in the Alps switches, just the BS. Are any of those Dells BS? If you don't get any takers on the terminal keyboard you showed, I'd be interested in just the keycaps...

Do you mean Model Ms with Dell logos? There aren't any of those, only AT101Ws and a couple of rubber domes.

[itlnstln]

I'm not sure about other ALPS-based keyboards, but those AT-101Ws didn't store for ****.  Welly and I had bought some used ones, and they were terrible.  The NIB ones I had weren't too bad for ALPS.  It seems like everyone that has had used AT-101Ws got a poor-feeling 'board.

[Daniel Beaver]

Cleaned one more today:

IBM Personal Computer Keyboard
Similar feel to the 122 key terminal Model F boards. Has an AT connection, but I haven't been able to get it to work with and AT to PS/2 adapter; is it even possible to do that with this keyboard? The F9 key is missing, which is frustrating, although I suppose I could just swap an F9 in from one of the terminal Model M boards. They stabilizer bar in the spacebare is bizarre, and I can't figure out how to mount it properly. Despite my best efforts, the case has significant scuffing on it, and one of the legs is broken.

[microsoft windows]

Well, you can always use its keys.

[chimera15]

What colors are the alps? Also complicated or fakes? Given their age I assume they're real?  The bases and bare switches, and leaf springs are worth something, even if they're gritty.  If they're real alps switches they're worth something.  Also any double shot alps caps are worth something.

[Daniel Beaver]

Also any double shot alps caps are worth something.

I'll get to those in a bit :bowl:  I'm surprised how many of these boards have double-shot keys.

I need to read up on the ALPS wiki and try to find out what types are in these. They have all different colors.

[Oqsy]

Daniel: very interested in a Terminal Model F cleaned or uncleaned.  I'm also after any era Model M (must be 100% functional), also cleaned or uncleaned (I prefer to clean them myself to save you time/work and also because that way I know exactly what's going on with the board).  

I also have a method for cleaning / "defrictioning" alps key switches that might interest you... it will NOT be cost effective at the size of your haul, but after using this method, the switches are as smooth at silk (minus any engineered tactility )

PM me with a price on any of the above you have available in whatever condition and I'll get back with you promptly

edit:  Oops forgot to mention that I'm looking for a Model F AT as well.

[JBert]

Any of those thick Displaywriter or other buckling beam keyboards in there? They can be recognized by their bulky case.