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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: berserkfan on Tue, 03 December 2013, 09:23:26

Title: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: berserkfan on Tue, 03 December 2013, 09:23:26
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vintage-IBM-Personal-Computer-keyboard-Clicky-made-of-metal-heavy-/271338089905?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item3f2d02adb1

Shipping from Quebec. $29.90, pulled from working environment.

There was a Canadian guy talking about wanting a Model F at a moderate price a while ago, but I can't remember his nick and can't even remember the name of the thread he'd posted in. So I am posting this here, and maybe some other geekhackers will remember him and let him know!

Title: Re: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: anotherbaal on Tue, 03 December 2013, 20:58:53
Nice fine. Anybody bidding on this?
Title: Re: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: berserkfan on Wed, 04 December 2013, 06:30:12
Hey, where is that Canadian guy who was looking for a Model F and got advised by Prmld to look for them in auto shops and sneak a touch? At least get him to buy this. Wouldn't like him to get whacked on the head with a spanner for messing with somebody's Model F.
Title: Re: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: JPG on Wed, 04 December 2013, 06:37:19
It's me, was not posting here because I didn't want many people to see it and start a bidding war with me  :p


Someone nicely sent me a pm about it. Thx to you too for posting this!  :thumb:



But I am ready for a biddig war  8)


You have been warned!


[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: fohat.digs on Wed, 04 December 2013, 06:45:51
Don't overspend.

$30 + $20 shipping is just about right these days in the US. The last 2 I sold brought around $35 and I considered myself lucky to get it. Remember that you will have to spend $25 for a Teensy and a mini-USB cable.

That puts you almost up to the low end of what F ATs are selling for (in recent months that has been crazy numbers like $50-$200) and the AT is a vastly more desirable board. Also much easier to re-sell if you don't want to keep it.
Title: Re: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: JPG on Wed, 04 December 2013, 07:00:07
Don't overspend.

$30 + $20 shipping is just about right these days in the US. The last 2 I sold brought around $35 and I considered myself lucky to get it. Remember that you will have to spend $25 for a Teensy and a mini-USB cable.

That puts you almost up to the low end of what F ATs are selling for (in recent months that has been crazy numbers like $50-$200) and the AT is a vastly more desirable board. Also much easier to re-sell if you don't want to keep it.


Yea, I don't want to pay too much, but prices are sometimes crazy recently, so it's harder for my limited patience. By the way, would you recommend making an external converter or internal one with usb cable going out directly?
Title: Re: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: terran5992 on Wed, 04 December 2013, 07:49:30
Let the bidding wars begin
Title: Re: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: mr_a500 on Wed, 04 December 2013, 08:01:46
Don't overspend.

$30 + $20 shipping is just about right these days in the US. The last 2 I sold brought around $35 and I considered myself lucky to get it. Remember that you will have to spend $25 for a Teensy and a mini-USB cable.

Yes, but it's rare to see a Model F in Canada, with reasonable shipping. Most keyboards are in the US with $40-$60 shipping to Canada. Then you have to worry about possible Customs charges. The last keyboard I bought in the US cost me $60 shipping and $52 Customs. So yes, it's better to overspend in Canada. ;)

I won't be bidding on this one though. I've seen the Terminator and have been warned, :D
Title: Re: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: fohat.digs on Wed, 04 December 2013, 09:10:06
so it's harder for my limited patience.

By the way, would you recommend making an external converter or internal one with usb cable going out directly?

Limited patience is a bad thing. You are not likely to use an F XT as a daily driver, so quell your curiosity.

Although I have installed internal Teensies in a couple of my favorite personal F-122s, and will put one in my F AT when I eventually do the full mod on it, an external box is far more useful. The XT has the same plug as an AT, even though it is not electrically compatible, and you can use adapters to get to it for other plugs, such as PS/2.

PS - this is heavy enough to warrant a flat rate box, which is $54 to Canada.
Title: Re: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: berserkfan on Wed, 04 December 2013, 11:20:19
JPG, dont' worry about using the F XT as a daily driver. I got used to it. You can, since with a teensy you can reprogram everything to satisfy your needs. In fact I gain satisfaction from typing on this antique. (Yes, typed on this antique.) The only problem I have, which you must be aware of and which applies to F XT and F AT, is the stiff space bar. It's worse on the F AT though. The problem is these keyboards were designed to be pressed by both thumbs, much like the typewriter spacebars in the past.

As for teensy, whether you make one or not depends on your soldering skills. Fohat has a great example of a teensy with pins and breadboard. Alternatively, you could just get the following:

1) Dupont conector. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Sell-10PCS-10-root-Dupont-wire-20cm-cable-Line-color-1p-1p-pin-connector-/190923337454?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c73eaeeee
Kindly note that some listings feature male and some female. This link is to a connector with both female ends, which will connect to a teensy with pins on one end and to the output pins on the other end.

2) teensy with pins, $19. Try asking around geekhack, because some people should have spare teensies that they no longer use and want to sell.

3) mini usb cable, as fohat said. You should have it in any case!

4) Multimeter

With this setup, setting up your F XT should be a cinch. Try experimenting with different layouts until you find one that is comfortable!



Don't overspend.

$30 + $20 shipping is just about right these days in the US. The last 2 I sold brought around $35 and I considered myself lucky to get it. Remember that you will have to spend $25 for a Teensy and a mini-USB cable.

That puts you almost up to the low end of what F ATs are selling for (in recent months that has been crazy numbers like $50-$200) and the AT is a vastly more desirable board. Also much easier to re-sell if you don't want to keep it.


Yea, I don't want to pay too much, but prices are sometimes crazy recently, so it's harder for my limited patience. By the way, would you recommend making an external converter or internal one with usb cable going out directly?
Title: Re: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: bcg on Thu, 05 December 2013, 05:09:22

As for teensy, whether you make one or not depends on your soldering skills. Fohat has a great example of a teensy with pins and breadboard. Alternatively, you could just get the following:

1) Dupont conector. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Sell-10PCS-10-root-Dupont-wire-20cm-cable-Line-color-1p-1p-pin-connector-/190923337454?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c73eaeeee
Kindly note that some listings feature male and some female. This link is to a connector with both female ends, which will connect to a teensy with pins on one end and to the output pins on the other end.

2) teensy with pins, $19. Try asking around geekhack, because some people should have spare teensies that they no longer use and want to sell.

3) mini usb cable, as fohat said. You should have it in any case!


Arduino pro micro is only $5 shipped from hong kong to US
Couple bucks for a 6ft micro USB cable
Few pennies for the connectors you linked to

All in all you can make an internal converter pretty cheap - http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49638.msg1075028#msg1075028

I have most of this stuff on hand and can solder on the pins if anyone needs one made
Title: Re: Model F at a reasonable price for Canadians
Post by: JPG on Tue, 10 December 2013, 08:06:58
Woot, I won it!


Thx for posting this  :thumb: