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IBM Model F PC/XT disassembly

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microsoft windows:

--- Quote from: JBert;91770 ---Interesting to finally see one disassembled (and quite courageous of you, seeing how I read other reports in the manner of "don't even think about it").
Is there really no way to take it apart more easily? I was thinking of securing the cap-less spring and rockers with some metal wire so they wouldn't fall out once the plates are separated.


Also, I was wondering: did you find a way to un-stiffen the space bar? I have the habit of pressing the spacebar with the tip of my thumb. When I dusted off the XT and tried to type some stuff with it, it did strike me as annoying. Pretty sad actually, all the other keys seem to work great...
Of course, learning to press it some other way on it is still an option, were it not that habits are hard to change.
--- End quote ---


On a Model F, the stiff space-bar occurrs in most, if not all of them, XT and AT. Many people believe this is because of the space-bar's construction since it is longer than the space-bar on most keyboards today. However, like others have said, taking it apart to clean isn't a good idea as you will have to disassemble the entire assembly to put the space-bar back in.

The best thing to do with the stiff space bar is to just get used to it. Messing around with it is more trouble than it is worth.

JBert:

--- Quote from: microsoft windows;100511 ---On a Model F, the stiff space-bar occurrs in most, if not all of them, XT and AT. Many people believe this is because of the space-bar's construction since it is longer than the space-bar on most keyboards today. However, like others have said, taking it apart to clean isn't a good idea as you will have to disassemble the entire assembly to put the space-bar back in.

The best thing to do with the stiff space bar is to just get used to it. Messing around with it is more trouble than it is worth.
--- End quote ---
I did take it apart in the meantime. As it turns out (and has been said before), the space bar has no regular stabilizer bar. Instead, it has a metal spring bent like a V in both the horizontal and vertical plane to give enough clearance for the buckling spring while at the same time pushing the key-cap back up.

I first set out to look for some other stabilizer but without success. In the end, I carefully bent the spring until it was almost flat when looked at it from the side. I wouldn't really recommend it for everyone, but it seems to have gotten the job done for me.

YMMV, so keep it in its original state if you can live with it.


Also, assembling it is mainly a matter of having the right tools: a set of 4 clamps, some nylon fishing wire, some stuff to keep the board stable if it lies upside down, a piece of wood and a hammer.
It took me 2 hours, but only because I hadn't got all of the above.

ch_123:
What do you need the clamps for?

JBert:

--- Quote from: ch_123;103172 ---What do you need the clamps for?
--- End quote ---
I used them to clamp the backplate on to the front plate so the latches would line up and no key springs can fall out when you hold the whole thing upright.

ch_123:
I did it in a different way. I remove all the keycaps so that the springs would sit properly in the barrels when turned upside down. I then placed the bottom plate over the top one while still holding it upside down, pressed it together with my hands, and then quickly slid it together by pushing on one end while pressing the other into the floor at an angle. Somewhat crude I guess, but saves the need for clamps.

Oh, of course, you do need to leave the space bar on, but if you're careful about what you're doing, it isnt a problem.

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