Reproduction of Clamshel Styrofoam for IBM Model M

[ZX Spectrum]

Well....I haven't realized how difficult it is to safely package IBM Model M, when the original Styrofoam is not available, until I tried to do that when I moved to other country.

simply; almost there  is no way to achieve the same level of protection if you don't have the original clamshell.

so I was thinking why no one have tried to reproduce those clamshell Styrofoam from the 80s era of IBM Model M??

samples are still available. it is not that difficult to, at lease, just create 3D model files of them, make them available online  and then someone would figure out a way to reproduce them.

 so my idea is just to make the 3D CAD files available.

[E TwentyNine]

Wrap it in bubble wrap and put it in a box.  If you're super concerned, double box.

Or get those expanding foam packaging bags and make a mold out of one of those.

They're fairly hard to damage.   I've had them mailed bubble wrapped in a game box multiple times with no issues.

[ZX Spectrum]

thick coating of bubble-wrap in a plastic box is 100% what I did in my recept move.
but I learned quickly that this solution is far from safe as the keyboard (inside the box) might be laying on its face and thus pressing against the keys and as you might know buckling spring keys must never be constantly depressed otherwise the actual springs will lose tension and get damaged.

by they way you said something about expanding foam. I am not familiar with this thing. could you elaborate more

thanks

[E TwentyNine]

These things.

https://www.amazon.com/Foam-Packaging-Bags-Temperature-Expanding/dp/B0894QXNGZ

You activate it, put your item "into" it, and it molds around it.

I wouldn't worry too much about compressed keys during shipping.

[mrvco]

Pelican Case w/ Pick N Pluck foam 

[micmil]

thick coating of bubble-wrap in a plastic box is 100% what I did in my recept move.
but I learned quickly that this solution is far from safe as the keyboard (inside the box) might be laying on its face and thus pressing against the keys and as you might know buckling spring keys must never be constantly depressed otherwise the actual springs will lose tension and get damaged.

by they way you said something about expanding foam. I am not familiar with this thing. could you elaborate more

thanks

Unless you're moving from Earth to Jupiter your springs will not be compressed long enough to matter. There's a reason these keyboards last forever. The parts are larger and more resilient than most designs.

More to the point it's a $0.20 part from Unicomp that's basically a yoink and poke replacement. Don't fear the reaper.

[funkmon]

Unicomp ships these in special boxes with some extra padding that IMO is more than adequate. I mean, I get your point. I've gotten NIB Models M before and new Unicomps. They're fine. You could probably buy these boxes from Unicomp btw.





I'd argue Unicomp's got more sensible packaging than Lexmark, which had a one piece styrofoam. I don't have any pictures of my NIB IBM model that had the clamshell and I can't be bothered to dig it out of the closet.

[tp4tissue]

They also make this expanding foam spray can. It takes the shape once dry.

[E TwentyNine]

Unicomp ships these in special boxes with some extra padding that IMO is more than adequate.

I completely forgot about Unicomp's boxes and their cardboard end pieces.   It's a brutally simple and effective (and eco-friendly) design.   You could make those quite simply yourself.