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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Holmes on Wed, 31 July 2019, 14:28:06

Title: Help with IBM M4-1 Keyboard Disassembly
Post by: Holmes on Wed, 31 July 2019, 14:28:06

Hello All:

It's my first post here.  I recently purchased an IBM M4-1 (with the trackpoint) to match my totally silent PS/2E (I put in a CF card as the hard drive).  The keyboard is in generally good condition, and seems to work mostly.

A few deficiencies are:
1) the space bar seems to get a bit stuck on the right side at times
2) the left mouse button requires quite a bit of force to trigger a click

I wanted to disassemble it, and try to fix/service it, but I can't figure out how to!  On the back, there is just one solitary screw in the front/middle, and nothing else I can see.  Unscrewing this screw has no effect, and does not cause anything to come apart or become loose in any way I can see.  I wondered if there was another screw under the labels on the bottom, but didn't want to go digging around.  I searched online in every way I could think of, but to no avail.  I downloaded the manual for the keyboard, but it does not have any info on disassembly in there.

Has anyone done this before?  Can anyone help?

Thanks!

Title: Re: Help with IBM M4-1 Keyboard Disassembly
Post by: Holmes on Sat, 17 August 2019, 13:55:14

So I just wanted to post the resolution to this.

I didn't get any responses, so I guess not many out there have done this!

I poked around on the bottom of the keyboard.  There's just one screw visible on the bottom (in the middle).  I found there are two other screws hidden under the front rubber footpads, and you just need to pry one side of them up to get at them.  With all three screws removed, it's easy for the keyboard section to come out.

Hope this helps someone!