Author Topic: Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay  (Read 7862 times)

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Offline iMav

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Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« on: Tue, 22 January 2008, 13:18:45 »
Well, I picked up two Model M 84-key spacesavers (Model M "mini"s) from Ebay this past weekend.  The first of two arrived today.  Here are some pics:

Packed pretty decently (was surrounded by packing peanuts as well):


Here it is fresh out of the packing material:


The "birth certificate":


YUCK!!!!



A bit dirty but appears to be in good shape:


12 plastic "rivots" broken.  Actually pretty decent (30-some still intact):


Nice and clean:


Here are those broken rivots that were rattling around loose:


No keycaps on this model.  (I was actually a bit surprised simply because my "new" one has the keycaps):


I love the Model M's...but it floors me that a keyboard that was/is so solid has such an obvious Achilles Heel with the plastic rivots.  They are notorious for breaking off quite easily.  Fortunately, this keyboard has aged well.

Offline xsphat

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Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 22 January 2008, 15:24:32 »
I now fully understand why you loath used keyboards. What are you going to do with the spacesavers?

- giveaway - contest - hoard -

Offline Mikecase00

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Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 22 January 2008, 18:44:45 »
Nice boards.

I've been using Ms for years now, one in particular has been my everyday axe for at least 7 years now, and it hasn't suffered a single broken plastic rivet.  They sure do look like a failure point, and a few of theboards I've purchased have had broken rivits, but I've never actually figured out how to break one myself under normal use.
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 nrp

  • Posts: 60
Do you guys replace them
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 22 January 2008, 20:47:35 »
Do you guys replace the rivots? With what?

I have 3 model Ms here.

Two are perfect. One is a little stiff. All keys. It's like they use a different spring.

Offline iMav

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Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 22 January 2008, 23:27:10 »
Quote from: nrp;2550
Do you guys replace the rivots?

Repairing a Model M.

Offline fkeidjn

  • Posts: 237
Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 23 January 2008, 01:35:51 »
Quote from: iMav;2551
Repairing a Model M.


There has to be a clearer explanation of the pictures, plus bigger pictures.  Anyone find another page like this elsewhere?
Kinesis Keypad - Filco FKBN104M/EB - Unitek space-saver - Acer 6511-TW - Apple Extended II (M3501) - Scorpius M10 - Cherry G80-1800, AT - SGI Granite - vintage Fujitsu - IBM Model M, 101 and mini - Model F, 84-key AT - Dell AT101W - Northgate 101

Offline iMav

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Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 23 January 2008, 06:50:22 »
Quote from: fkeidjn;2552
There has to be a clearer explanation of the pictures, plus bigger pictures.  Anyone find another page like this elsewhere?

I don't know of another site off hand.

If I ever find myself in possession of a Model M in need of such repair, I will make sure and document the process and add it to the wiki.  ;)

Offline iMav

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Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 24 January 2008, 20:31:13 »
Received the second 84-key spacesaver (from the same Ebay seller) today.  This one is in even BETTER shape.  4 or 5 plastic rivots missing max.  And this one has the black backplate (plastic portion of the backplate).  

Being black, it is probably a better candidate to go for a Das-like vinyl dye paint job...

However, both of these boards are in such great shape and look so good as is, I'm finding it hard to bring myself to actually dye them.  ;)

(pictures to come tomorrow once I have the time)

Offline iMav

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Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 24 January 2008, 21:27:44 »
Ok, I found time to get the second one cleaned and some pictures taken.  ;)

Fresh from the box:


Not even close as dirty as the first one:


Only missing 5 rivots!!


Black backplate.  (nice and clean)


All back together:


Birth certificate:


My three Model M minis:


All three of these are in near identical shape (which is saying something consider the one on the far left is brand new!).  As rare as these keyboards are, I count myself as quite fortunate to have three in such good shape.  :)

Offline Bluemercury

  • Posts: 328
Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 26 January 2008, 11:08:31 »
Quote from: fkeidjn;2552
There has to be a clearer explanation of the pictures, plus bigger pictures.  Anyone find another page like this elsewhere?


No kidding, i tried to talk to the person trough the email but the email account seems down....
Collection:
Das Keyboard II
Model M5-2
Model M5-1(considering selling this one)
Cherry G80-3000LCMPO with black switches
Cherry G80-5000HAMPO (Brown switches)
McAlly96
HHKP2 BNx2

Offline rnak92a

  • Posts: 50
Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« Reply #10 on: Fri, 01 February 2008, 18:49:55 »
Just rec'd a 1987 space saver from clickykeyboards and it's something of a mess.  None of the keys feels like those of a model m:  they stick, don't respond, and are extremely stiff, as though the springs have rusted and refuse to move when a key is depressed.  It's a depressing situation, as I'd love to use a 1987 model m space saver, but alas, it's not meant to be.  I tried using it to write the e-mail to Brandon about the keyboard, and I had to swap it out, mid-stream, for my 1988 1391401, which won't ever fail me--she was just refurbished by Unicomp in late December, and they did a fantastic job.  

This is the fifth space saver I've bought from clickykb and the third I'll have had to return to them--the rejects had the same problem.  The keepers, though, are perfect, and I've mentioned them in another thread on here.  Of note is the fact that Brandon indicated the quality of space savers' keys and mechanisms varies, but as always, he's happy to issue a refund.  I'm going to give the '87 board the weekend to loosen up and type right or back it goes, too.  At that point, I'll just wait for Unicomp's new offering--unless a silver label model m or the M-15 ergonomic shows up on ckb.

Just thought I'd share about the excellent service Brandon Ermita provides.  Yes, he charges more than Joe Sixpack on ebay, but I trust Brandon:  he stands behind what he sells and, by and large, everything's first-rate (I've purchased 10 other keyboards from him and haven't had a single issue.

Cheers,
~rn.

P.S.:  iMav, I don't suppose you're at all interested in selling your Unicomp-made space saver, are you?
My keyboards, numpads, and pointing devices
=====================================
Quote from: Hak Foo
The label says, "World\'s best... guaranteed."

What would happen if I bought one and sent them a nasty letter that read:

"1391401.  I want my money back."
 


Offline iMav

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Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« Reply #11 on: Fri, 01 February 2008, 21:28:31 »
Quote from: rnak92a
Just rec'd a 1987 space saver from clickykeyboards and it's something of a mess.  None of the keys feels like those of a model m:  they stick, don't respond, and are extremely stiff, as though the springs have rusted and refuse to move when a key is depressed.
I'm curious if you've bothered to take it apart and see what the deal might be.  Are a majority of the plastic "rivots" in place?  If you pop the stiff keys off, are the springs in good shape?

Quote from: rnak92a
P.S.:  iMav, I don't suppose you're at all interested in selling your Unicomp-made space saver, are you?
I really can't see parting with it.  It's my most treasured keyboard.  :)

BTW, I'd love to see some pics of your 'boards.  (unless, of course, you've already posted them somewhere here)...Which reminds me, I suppose we should have a sticky keyboard picture thread, eh?

Offline rnak92a

  • Posts: 50
Model M 84-key spacesaver from Ebay
« Reply #12 on: Fri, 01 February 2008, 21:46:38 »
Quote from: iMav;2712
I'm curious if you've bothered to take it apart and see what the deal might be.  Are a majority of the plastic "rivots" in place?  If you pop the stiff keys off, are the springs in good shape?

I haven't taken it apart yet, and I'm not sure I'm going to bother much with it.  I'm not particularly interested in refurbishing it to make it usable--that's something that should have been done before it was sent to me.  I'd feel differently if the keyboard sustained shipping damage, but everything arrived in pristine condition.  If I've time this weekend, I may open it to take a look around, but after removing and re-seating a few keys, thinking they'd been jostled in shipping, to no effect, I just lost motivation and interest.  I e-mailed Brandon about the 'board, figured I'd be returning it, and have since put the 'board back in the plastic wrap within which Brandon placed it before bubble wrapping and shipping it.  

Of the two other space savers I've returned to him, they, too, looked pristine but also suffered the same stick/stiff feeling.  The first was an 1989 white label, the second a 1992 blue label.  This one, as I mentioned, is a 1987 white label.  I've two other early 90s blue labels and they work perfectly.  Who knows what's going on with the space savers--however, I'm inclined to believe Brandon when he says the quality and feel of springs within space savers varies--sometimes drastically.


Quote from: iMav;2712
BTW, I'd love to see some pics of your 'boards.  (unless, of course, you've already posted them somewhere here)...Which reminds me, I suppose we should have a sticky keyboard picture thread, eh?

At the moment, the bulk of my model M collection is in bubble wrap and sealed boxes.  I'm preparing to move in the next couple of months, and as things get sorted, packed, discarded and the like in preparation, I didn't want anything to happen to my keyboards.  I've the 1988 1391401, which is my daily keyboard, and a 1989 1391401 wrapped in bubble wrap, sitting in a remote corner of the room, with a black 2007 Unicomp space saver in front of it.

As of tonight, here's what I have (all from clickykeyboards and Unicomp, direct):

the two blue label model m space savers
the two 1391401 model m 'boards
an m 5-1 with the trackball on the plinth near the directional arrows
a black and an industrial gray M-13 (the latter is made by Unicomp;  the former by Maxi Switch).
three blue label model m keyboards--two with attached cables, one without
A 2001 rubber dome space saver II--black with red trackpoint; available at clickykeyboards: http://tinyurl.com/2oeqva
a Unicomp Linux keyboard--layout 1--and a Unicomp black space saver

Sooner or later, I'm happy to pull them all out and take detailed photos.  A collection photo thread is an excellent idea.  My 1988 1391401, for example, was refurbished by Unicomp--the backspace key wouldn't function.  When I received it back from Unicomp, there was a small sticker adhered to my keyboard's birth certificate:  repaired by Unicomp, December 29, 2007.  :lol:  So now, the bottom shows the keyboard's birthdate and the date and company who resuscitated it.  I'll get a picture of it and post it soon.


Quote from: iMav;2712
I really can't see parting with it.  It's my most treasured keyboard.  :)

I respect your decision to keep the Unicomp-made space saver.  If I had it, I wouldn't want to part with it either.  There's no harm in asking.

I'll just hang around for the revision of the Mighty Mouse that Unicomp's supposed to make available this summer.

Cheers,
~rn.
My keyboards, numpads, and pointing devices
=====================================
Quote from: Hak Foo
The label says, "World\'s best... guaranteed."

What would happen if I bought one and sent them a nasty letter that read:

"1391401.  I want my money back."