Author Topic: DIY Das Keyboard  (Read 10175 times)

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Offline iMav

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DIY Das Keyboard
« on: Tue, 21 August 2007, 18:28:16 »
I'm not, necessarily, a big fan of the Das Keyboards...but this howto gives some good advice for painting your keyboard (vinyl paint/dye appears to be the key).  I am definitely considering painting my 84-key spacesaver!  

How-to: DIY Das Keyboard using a Model M

Offline xsphat

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« Reply #1 on: Sat, 01 September 2007, 12:33:01 »
I like this how-to, it is a very good idea. I just found out that the car paint I put on my keys chips off clean to bare plastic. This is disconcerting. I am going to do this to one of my clicky Alps switch Apple 'boards next weekend. I hope the texture of the keys remains when I do this.

If anyone has ever done this, does the black of the letters bleed through the dye if the dye is lighter than black? I am kind of hoping that answer is yes.

Offline iMav

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« Reply #2 on: Sat, 01 September 2007, 12:45:39 »
I've got some vinyl dye on its way over here.  Not sure if i will use it on my new keyboard or not.  (depends on what the new 'board looks like)  

What colors are you planning on using?

Offline xsphat

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« Reply #3 on: Sat, 01 September 2007, 13:18:11 »
Dark, dark blue on the keys, that's about as far as I have gotten though.

Offline iMav

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« Reply #4 on: Mon, 03 September 2007, 07:27:39 »
Another Do It Yourself-er...Dying his Model M (this time, a new Unicomp edition).  

See here!

Offline xsphat

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« Reply #5 on: Mon, 03 September 2007, 13:10:07 »
Well I am sold on the dye. iMav, when are you going to fix up your 'board? I can't wait to see your color scheme.

Offline iMav

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« Reply #6 on: Mon, 03 September 2007, 13:17:24 »
Quote from: xsphat
Well I am sold on the dye. iMav, when are you going to fix up your 'board? I can't wait to see your color scheme.

I haven't received my dye yet.  When I do, i still need to decide whether to go through with it...considering how new and shiny the new keyboard is.  

Probably start off with a keycap or two and see what it looks like.

Offline iMav

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« Reply #7 on: Tue, 04 September 2007, 19:45:15 »
It's official.  I am NOT dying my keyboard.  

Both bloggers cited in this thread have had issues with their keyboards since they dyed them (flaking, peeling, etc).

See here and here.

I was on the fence anyway since my keyboard is brand new and i really like the classic Model M look.  These reports solidify it for me.

Offline xsphat

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« Reply #8 on: Tue, 04 September 2007, 22:35:05 »
Thanks for that, I won't be doing that either.

Offline SigonLegacy

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« Reply #9 on: Wed, 05 September 2007, 02:42:02 »
It's unfortunate that the dye started flaking off of my keyboard after about a month of usage. Instead of dying the plastic, it did nothing more than cover it up.

I do, however, have on order a Model M that was made for Dell by IBM that's all black. No more fussing around with paint that's iffy!

Supposedly, there's some chemical in vinyl dye that softens up the plastic to let it become dyed. I live in a very, very dry place, so it may be likely that I was using the wrong technique to paint it. The compound is extremely quick drying, so if I were to have sprayed from too far of a distance...

Heck, here I was thinking I was going to try the mod with my PC/AT keyboard!

On another note, how was it you found my blog? I'm pretty sure I didn't submit it to any search engines since it's just a bit of an experiment.

Edit: Duh. The compound is acetone. I knew that... really.

Offline iMav

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« Reply #10 on: Wed, 05 September 2007, 02:55:56 »
Quote from: SigonLegacy
It's unfortunate that the dye started flaking off of my keyboard after about a month of usage. Instead of dying the plastic, it did nothing more than cover it up.

I've seen posts from a lot of people that praise the vinyl dye...however, most of that is on static pieces like monitors, cases, etc.  I'm sure if you aren't banging away at the item every day, it DOES last.

Quote from: SigonLegacy
I do, however, have on order a Model M that was made for Dell by IBM that's all black. No more fussing around with paint that's iffy!

Very nice.  Feel free and post a little review/write up here if you feel so led.  :)

Quote from: SigonLegacy
Supposedly, there's some chemical in vinyl dye that softens up the plastic to let it become dyed. I live in a very, very dry place, so it may be likely that I was using the wrong technique to paint it. The compound is extremely quick drying, so if I were to have sprayed from too far of a distance...

Well, considering I'm am in the middle of Iraq, I doubt my conditions would fair any better.  As I mentioned before, I originally purchased the dye to use on my 20 year old Model M 84-key space saver I purchased from clickykeyboards.  But now that I have a new one from Unicomp, I don't think I want to alter the look.

BTW, you might want to consider giving Unicomp a call if you really would like a Model M in all black.  They assemble the keyboards right there, so I'm guessing if you wanted different-colored keycaps they could likely accommodate you.

Quote from: SigonLegacy
On another note, how was it you found my blog? I'm pretty sure I didn't submit it to any search engines since it's just a bit of an experiment.

Doesn't matter if you submit the site to the search engines...they will find you.

Offline SigonLegacy

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« Reply #11 on: Wed, 05 September 2007, 03:07:46 »
Quote
BTW, you might want to consider giving Unicomp a call if you really would like a Model M in all black. They assemble the keyboards right there, so I'm guessing if you wanted different-colored keycaps they could likely accommodate you.


I was thinking about doing that within the next couple of days, even though I have the Dell one on order. I've been a huge fan of buckle spring tech ever since I acquired a PC/AT keyboard from a garage sale. You know you're alive when your wrists hurt from typing for a few hours. Or injuring yourself. Either one.

As to the keycaps, I'd definately want it in all black. I'm a fan of no branding at all, glyphs included. Strange that removing something makes it all that much more unique.

Offline Mikecase00

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« Reply #12 on: Wed, 05 September 2007, 17:46:40 »
Quote from: SigonLegacy
Quote
BTW, you might want to consider giving Unicomp a call if you really would like a Model M in all black. They assemble the keyboards right there, so I'm guessing if you wanted different-colored keycaps they could likely accommodate you.


I was thinking about doing that within the next couple of days, even though I have the Dell one on order. I've been a huge fan of buckle spring tech ever since I acquired a PC/AT keyboard from a garage sale. You know you're alive when your wrists hurt from typing for a few hours. Or injuring yourself. Either one.

As to the keycaps, I'd definately want it in all black. I'm a fan of no branding at all, glyphs included. Strange that removing something makes it all that much more unique.


I called Unicomp last month to inquire about a set of replacement keys for a black M-13 trackpoint board.  Apparently they don't make black keys/key caps anymore since they're about $10 more per set to produce.  :roll:
IBM Model M 1391401 (dyed black) w/ keys from M-13
IBM M-13 Trackpoint (naturally black)
IBM Model M 1392934 SpaceSaver
Several plain IBM 1391401 Ms
Epson Equity Q203A
http://www.mikecase.net

Offline iMav

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« Reply #13 on: Wed, 05 September 2007, 17:56:15 »
Quote from: Mikecase00
I called Unicomp last month to inquire about a set of replacement keys for a black M-13 trackpoint board.  Apparently they don't make black keys/key caps anymore since they're about $10 more per set to produce.  :roll:

So, they don't have any available, eh?  

Did they say what colors they DO have available?

Offline Mikecase00

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« Reply #14 on: Wed, 05 September 2007, 18:09:46 »
They offered me a set of the gray ones available on their standard black Customizer series.  They could probably do other colors too.  The issue with black is that unlike most other colors it apparently requires a different and more expensive manufacturing process to embed the key characters into the plastic, hence they don't carry the black keys anymore.  At least, that's how I understood it from the brief conversation I had with them.  The guy didn't seem all that knowledgeable about it though, so maybe you'd have better luck with someone else from Unicomp...
IBM Model M 1391401 (dyed black) w/ keys from M-13
IBM M-13 Trackpoint (naturally black)
IBM Model M 1392934 SpaceSaver
Several plain IBM 1391401 Ms
Epson Equity Q203A
http://www.mikecase.net

Offline iMav

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« Reply #15 on: Wed, 05 September 2007, 18:43:08 »
It makes sense in that...why ELSE would you offer the black customizer with those gray keys?  In the context of budgetary constraints I can accept it.  Especially considering the fact that, even though their keyboards are awesome, I can't imagine that they do a ton of business.  (maybe I'm wrong in that assumption)

I know that clickykeyboards sell around 90 USED keyboards a month (at least that is what they tell ME).  I'd be interested in knowing how Unicomp fairs.  (suppose I could ask them)

Offline Mikecase00

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« Reply #16 on: Wed, 05 September 2007, 18:56:26 »
BTW as I prepare to dye one of my M's (plan here...) I note that there are several sites that seem to indicate poor results with the Dupli-color vinyl product.  Seems like the Plastikote product is actually a dye rather than a paint with "specially formulated bonding" properties as most other brands seem to be.  The guy at Linear1 seems to have done several projects with the Plastikote with good results.

Unfortunately it looks like, at least in my area, the Plastikote is difficult to find.  I found a store on Amazon that carries it though and have 4 cans on the way...
IBM Model M 1391401 (dyed black) w/ keys from M-13
IBM M-13 Trackpoint (naturally black)
IBM Model M 1392934 SpaceSaver
Several plain IBM 1391401 Ms
Epson Equity Q203A
http://www.mikecase.net

Offline iMav

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« Reply #17 on: Thu, 06 September 2007, 06:45:18 »
Hey Mike,

I have to disagree with this statement from your website:

Lastly, its generally accepted that the Lexmark and Unicomp built boards have lower build quality and slightly diminished tactile response as compared to the original IBM boards.

I am typing on a Model M 84-key space saver, model #1393278 that was assembled by Unicomp on 28 Oct 2007 (less than two weeks ago).  It is IDENTICAL to a circa 1987 Model M space saver I recently sent back to clickykeyboards.com (except for the fact that this one is brand new and the other is 20 years old).  As far as I know, they use the same buckling spring mechanisms to make the Customizer that they did to assemble this keyboard.  If that is the case, I believe the Unicomp product to be just as good.  YMMV

Offline Mikecase00

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« Reply #18 on: Thu, 06 September 2007, 11:13:33 »
The Lexmark and Unicomp examples have all had some build quality sacrifices made compared to the IBM made M's I've used.  As a good example, after IBM outsourced the manufacturing of the boards they switched to permanently attached, lighter duty, PS2 cables.  Also the PCBs seem cheaper, and the key action just feels a little looser to me.  I've seen a few other websites touting similar experiences.  Admittedly, all of the IBM, Unicomp, and Lexmark boards I've typed on have been used full size 101 key models, so perhaps the situation is different with the space savers, and perhaps a brand new Unicomp board feels better.  They do all use the same buckling spring design though, and all of them are very well built compared to the toys that pass as keyboards produced today.
IBM Model M 1391401 (dyed black) w/ keys from M-13
IBM M-13 Trackpoint (naturally black)
IBM Model M 1392934 SpaceSaver
Several plain IBM 1391401 Ms
Epson Equity Q203A
http://www.mikecase.net

Offline iMav

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« Reply #19 on: Thu, 06 September 2007, 11:27:06 »
Quote from: Mikecase00
They do all use the same buckling spring design though, and all of them are very well built compared to the toys that pass as keyboards produced today.

Agreed.

Offline alienman82

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Re: DIY Das Keyboard
« Reply #20 on: Fri, 29 September 2017, 19:26:23 »
removed.
« Last Edit: Thu, 01 March 2018, 00:03:29 by alienman82 »

Offline Coreda

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Re: DIY Das Keyboard
« Reply #21 on: Fri, 29 September 2017, 19:38:36 »

Offline mike52787

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« Reply #22 on: Fri, 29 September 2017, 20:11:44 »
your link is dead
And the necro of the year award goes to... Alienman82!!! Congratulations!

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« Reply #23 on: Sat, 30 September 2017, 17:03:30 »
I love watching that little surge of power peeps get when they spot someone committing the crime of posting to an older topic, just because (a.) it was new to them; and (b.) they found it interesting.

And yet, I can't help finding it ironic that it's considered standard procedure to criticize someone who continues—even 10 years later—a discussion involving a classic, vintage stuff. Is this our way of saying that keebs like these shouldn't be considered timeless? And saying that KB enthusiasts who didn't happen to be there when a thread was started (like, maybe, they were still too young to type?) should be inhibited from joining in about certain aspects of them?

I know, someone's going to reply now and say, "Hey, lighten up—the 'necro' thing's just a joke." And maybe it is a joke. But noobs, or people new to GH, don't necessarily know that... All they know is that someone's giving them a hard time for expressing interest in something.

And if it's not just a joke, and it's that offensive when someone posts to an older topic, let's ask the admins to make threads read-only after a certain amount of time. That seems dumb, though, considering how specialized the discussions can be here about stuff that's so specialized to begin with.
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