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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: CleverName on Thu, 03 September 2020, 07:39:03
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I'm now working at home due to Covid, and each day have several telephone or Video conferences. Co-workers are complaining about the noise my Model M's make. I also have a Model F, but its just as loud, maybe louder. I am not wanting to give up my M's or F's. I've already done the floss and bolt mods.
I was doing some cleanup the other day and noticed both the Model M and F are quieter with the covers removed. Now, these are still not "quiet" boards even with the cover off. But, it does seem like the cover is a bit of an echo chamber or amplifier of the noise.
This has me thinking that removing the guts and creating a type of flying keyboard "case," much like the popular exposed cases for (your favorite) mech switches. This could be similar to the Steampunk designs, but I want to continue to use my keys, and not replace them with the round typewriter keys.
First, has anyone produced a case like this for transferring the guts of a Model M or F into a floating/slab case? A simple design might be a sturdy mount for the board and a plate underneath the keys. I do want it to look nice. I do not have access to CNC or a machine shop, anyone know where I could buy or have something machined/made?
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I took the top case shell off of my F-122 years ago and never put it back. I'm not sure if it is quieter, but it is far more comfortable to use.
I floss-mod all of my Fs, but it doesn't do much on an M. I have padding in the bottom of the case shell and it sits on a rubber mat on the desk.
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at least it has less bass sound to it when open yes but i would expect it will still be picked up by microphones and maybe even more (often laptop mics are more sensible to treble and mid range and bass), as far as i know there was never a project of manufacturing custom M shells, 3D printing may be your friend, or buying one from unicomp and cutting it up. to silence an M or F there is a few known working way though, the IBM way of stuffing the springs with lube, and filling up the space behind the plate with foam to reduce resonance.
and if you are using a model M you are using typewriter keys :) as some of ibm's later typewriter used the same buckling spring on membrane with the same keys.
what i find strange is that most membrane keyboard in the office are louder than my yarn modded M as are hp laptop keyboards those are really loud, maybe the best way is to move your mic away or mod a book or a piece of foam between the keyboard an mic
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As a side note, using a headset with a built in mic virtually eliminates outside noise like a keyboard.
Also, put the keyboard on some sort of padding - a folded up towel/tablecloth, oversized "mousepad", etc.
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Modding your keyboard is fine if that’s what you want, or you might just mute your mic in software so it only turns on when you speak,(or use push-to-talk) and put a padded mat under the kb on your desk. Also, get an external mic that can be closer to you mouth and away from the keyboard. I have an ancient one on a curved shaft that sits on top of my desk leaning towards my face, with my model F kb on a separate sliding tray under the desk. I don’t have a problem with clicking noises getting picked up by the mic (and that is your issue, not the kb per se.) As someone else mentioned, a headset mic would also probable help you. Even a cheap cell phone-type earbud-with mic will do the job.