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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: barb on Sun, 17 May 2009, 10:59:29

Title: Finally got my Model M!
Post by: barb on Sun, 17 May 2009, 10:59:29

After waiting some time (the guy I ordered them from was pretty slow), my new keyboards arrived!
I got three with part number 1391411, one built in 1990 and the other 1992. The third was built in 1996, and does not have a detachable cord. Very strange! Or maybe not.

I really like these keyboards! They both sound and feel great. :)
Took a while to get used to, but I feel like my typing speed and accuracy has increased a bit. A quick test showed 84 wpm, a slight improvement over previous results.

I tried painting one of them black, with pretty good results. I used vinyl paint, and hopefully it won't peel off or anything. Time will tell.

Some pictures:

This is the label of the one I painted. I managed to peel it off and reattach it after painting!
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=2462&stc=1&d=1242575529)

Action shot!
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=2463&stc=1&d=1242575529)

Title: Finally got my Model M!
Post by: barb on Sun, 17 May 2009, 11:49:45

Thanks! I am very happy with the result. There are some tiny white spots that I will probably correct later. I was a bit too eager to assemble it and accidentally nicked it a little.

I used something called vinyl paint, apparently used for painting imitation leather and things made of vinyl etc. It supposedly "sinks into" the plastic, I guess just like rit dye. I heard it works great on plastic too so I tried this. :)

And yeah I got them really cheap! One of them is missing four keycaps though, which is not that nice. The seller promised he would look for replacements in his giant pile of old computer stuff. I hope he finds them!

Edit: Oh, and as you can see I painted over the part with the LEDs. Half way through I noticed I had forgotten to tape over the logo and the LED part. Too bad, but it still looks pretty cool. :)

Title: Finally got my Model M!
Post by: watduzhkstand4 on Sun, 17 May 2009, 12:07:56

nice pick up and clean paint job!

Title: Finally got my Model M!
Post by: o2dazone on Sun, 17 May 2009, 12:57:29

I've used vinyl paint on the interiors of cars (ABS plastic). Holds up amazingly well, but then again, I'm not putting my fingers on it like I am a keyboard. Holds up to 130f heat though lol - keep us posted if it flakes or fades

Title: Finally got my Model M!
Post by: wellington1869 on Sun, 17 May 2009, 16:16:34

nice paint job
back when we were talking about dyeing the keyboards (in that dye thread) I think someone mentioned that vinyl paint eventually peels. I guess here's another experiment. keep us posted on that!

Title: Finally got my Model M!
Post by: ch_123 on Sun, 17 May 2009, 17:09:36

Which country were the 1391411s made for?

Title: Finally got my Model M!
Post by: skriefal on Sun, 17 May 2009, 17:24:11

Look at the photo of the rear label, above... :smile:

(Oops... I thought you asked what country they were made in...)

Title: Finally got my Model M!
Post by: xyzzy on Sun, 17 May 2009, 17:52:39

Quote from: ch_123;91375

Which country were the 1391411s made for?

According to Wikipedia, 1391411 is Swedish layout (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Model_M_keyboard)

Title: Finally got my Model M!
Post by: barb on Mon, 18 May 2009, 02:28:48

Yes they are Swedish.

I've noticed the right shift key gets stuck sometimes. I hope its just temporary because of the paint.

Title: Finally got my Model M!
Post by: keyb_gr on Mon, 18 May 2009, 08:00:55

Quote from: barb;91409

I've noticed the right shift key gets stuck sometimes. I hope its just temporary because of the paint.

The one on my main 1391403 also likes to do that (or at least can't be moved easily) if you engage it at the very right corner. If it doesn't want to move up again, however, then something must be sticky. In that case I'd pop off the key and remove any paint on the mechanically relevant parts.