geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: ricercar on Wed, 24 June 2009, 16:16:04

Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: ricercar on Wed, 24 June 2009, 16:16:04
I find myself with keycaps and keys from a recently deceased 1993 IBM M.   If you're missing a keycap or need a blank key, send IM with your postal address. I'm intending to give them away, for free, one at a time. If you need multiples, consider offering me postage or more.

(http://gadzikowski.com/images/nv30/keycaps2.png)

Image is updated as the keys are committed. Red indicates keycaps gone/not available. Also available are blank keys that those keycaps attach to. The PCboard is retained for experimentation.

The keyboard fell on my head from a height, and thus displeased me. Next thing I knew I was picking up parts from all over the room. During my absence, the item suffered linoleum poisoning. The trauma shattered the casing, top and bottom, and the keybase is bent, to be tested for operation after I've regained my good  humor.
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: skriefal on Wed, 24 June 2009, 17:11:33
I'll take the numpad Enter and 0, and possibly another that I'm forgetting at the moment.  These will go to repair a 1991 1391401 with a few missing keycaps.  I'll check after work to verify if there is in fact a third keycap that I could use.
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: ricercar on Wed, 24 June 2009, 18:05:39
Someone wanted 1-piece Type-M keys. I'm too lazy to search.

If you need a 1-piece key that's not red in the image above, IM me. I have a 1-piece board and I'm indifferent about the mix of 1-piece / 2-piece keys on it.
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: wellington1869 on Wed, 24 June 2009, 21:17:29
Quote from: ricercar;99033
Someone wanted 1-piece Type-M keys. I'm too lazy to search.

If you need a 1-piece key that's not red in the image above, IM me. I have a 1-piece board and I'm indifferent about the mix of 1-piece / 2-piece keys on it.


I think that was me... is that 1 piece keys for an M or an M2? I'd be interested if its for an M... I only need the main alphabet cluster keys (dont really need the shift, control, etc or even the numbers). I'd pay you shipping plus give you a "surprise gift". :D
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: watduzhkstand4 on Wed, 24 June 2009, 21:23:53
thanks but i don't need any right now. However, I did just purchase a 1391401. I was wondering if anyone know if the blank keys ordered from unicomp will work on a 1391401. I plan to get a set of blank keys for it =D
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: wellington1869 on Wed, 24 June 2009, 21:29:36
Quote from: watduzhkstand4;99071
thanks but i don't need any right now. However, I did just purchase a 1391401. I was wondering if anyone know if the blank keys ordered from unicomp will work on a 1391401. I plan to get a set of blank keys for it =D


yup, they'll fit perfectly. It'll look great too. :)
I believe a set is $20 plus shipping at unicomp.

did you get the price you wanted on the 1401?
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: watduzhkstand4 on Wed, 24 June 2009, 21:38:08
Quote from: wellington1869;99073
yup, they'll fit perfectly. It'll look great too. :)
I believe a set is $20 plus shipping at unicomp.

did you get the price you wanted on the 1401?

Unfortunately no. *sigh, but it's ok I really like the board to begin with =D I plan to get the ivory/grey colored keys instead of the black ones. Do you know if they have it?
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: wellington1869 on Wed, 24 June 2009, 21:40:59
Quote from: watduzhkstand4;99074
Unfortunately no. *sigh, but it's ok I really like the board to begin with =D I plan to get the ivory/grey colored keys instead of the black ones. Do you know if they have it?


i'm not sure if they have blank ones if you want ivory (like on the traditional customizer 104) or gray ('speckled gray' like on the endurapro). I know they have the black ones in blank. That might be the only ones they have as blanks actually.

Best bet is to call them up on the phone. Last time I emailed jim owen about buying a set of extra keys for the 1401 he said to basically call their sales phone number if I wanted to order a set.  Also, IIRC, they're going to be one-piece I think (if you want the black blanks). I think the whites and grays are two-piece, tho I think diferent people got different results and if you specifically want one piece vs two piece ones you should verify that at the time that you place your order.

do you have a key puller? The wire one from hoolean is best. You may also want a keycap puller if you wind up with two-piece ones.
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: watduzhkstand4 on Wed, 24 June 2009, 21:49:58
Quote from: wellington1869;99075
i'm not sure if they have blank ones if you want ivory (like on the traditional customizer 104) or gray ('speckled gray' like on the endurapro). I know they have the black ones in blank. That might be the only ones they have as blanks actually.

Best bet is to call them up on the phone. Last time I emailed jim owen about buying a set of extra keys for the 1401 he said to basically call their sales phone number if I wanted to order a set.  Also, IIRC, they're going to be one-piece I think (if you want the black blanks). I think the whites and grays are two-piece, tho I think diferent people got different results and if you specifically want one piece vs two piece ones you should verify that at the time that you place your order.

do you have a key puller? The wire one from hoolean is best. You may also want a keycap puller if you wind up with two-piece ones.


Thanks for the heads up with the keypuller, I do have one from elitekeyboards when I bought the WASD keys. I was going to get the hoolean one but it was the same price as the one from elitekeyboards and they include 4 more keys!

As far as I'm concerned with the one piece or two piece deal, I think I'm going to type on my M first before deciding what I should get =)
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: wellington1869 on Wed, 24 June 2009, 22:04:16
Quote from: watduzhkstand4;99076
I think I'm going to type on my M first before deciding what I should get =)


prolly a wise idea ;)
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: watduzhkstand4 on Wed, 24 June 2009, 22:12:30
Quote from: wellington1869;99079
prolly a wise idea ;)


thanks again for the help!
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: wellington1869 on Wed, 24 June 2009, 22:45:15
Quote from: watduzhkstand4;99082
thanks again for the help!


no prob :)
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: ricercar on Thu, 25 June 2009, 14:04:53
Quote from: wellington1869;99070
is that 1 piece keys for an M or an M2? I'd be interested if its for an M


I have all the alphabet keys EXCEPT the letter "E" for an M, in 1-piece keycaps. Please confirm this is what you want me to commit to you by sending me a PM AKA "forum mail" with your shipping address.

First come first served order is determined by forum mail, not by post time on this thread.
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: ricercar on Thu, 25 June 2009, 23:13:25
I'm fine. Thanks for the concern. I skimmed the keys I needed for wifey's Type M from the beginning, ESC, and PG UP.
Title: The winners
Post by: ricercar on Thu, 25 June 2009, 23:55:07
The first place winners are shown here

(http://gadzikowski.com/images/nv30/keycaps_given.png)

All keys are complete, either (a) 2-piece both pieces or (b) 1-piece key. I've given Wellington 1-piece keys, as requested. Others are getting 2-piece keys unless only a 1-piece is available

Posting this so you can correct my potential misunderstandings, folks. Let me know before I ship these Saturday if I've got you wrong. For example
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: ricercar on Fri, 26 June 2009, 00:22:10
I was actually contemplating the creation of an anti-compact keyboard, with the in-between cluster of keys and the numeric keypad, cutting off the alphanumeric. THen I decided my time is better spent looking for work instead of another project to keep me busy until I find my next job.
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: skriefal on Fri, 26 June 2009, 08:47:17
Quote from: ricercar;99302

  • Skriefall - Dark Blue

  • now is the time to clarify if you need only they key cap of a 2-piece key, or
  • if you MUST have 1-piece or 2-piece keys.


For the E, Right-Ctrl, and Right-Arrow, the keycap is all that I need.  For the Numpad-0 and Numpad-Enter, keycap + stem.  Thanks!
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: ricercar on Tue, 30 June 2009, 17:24:11
Posted all but Wellington and ripster. They need super-sized envelopes I don't have yet.
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: wellington1869 on Tue, 30 June 2009, 17:44:07
Quote from: ricercar;100294
Posted all but Wellington and ripster. They need super-sized envelopes I don't have yet.



thanks ricercar. you're a real samaritan. :)
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: nowsharing on Tue, 30 June 2009, 17:56:22
Quote
nowsharing - Yellow

Quote
thanks ricercar. you're a real samaritan. :)
Agreed, he's a true gentleman. Thanks for offering these!
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: skriefal on Fri, 03 July 2009, 11:27:12
The five keys I'd requested arrived in the mail yesterday.  I now have an additional 1391401 from 1990 in the collection.  Thanks ricercar!
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: microsoft windows on Mon, 06 July 2009, 11:28:03
It looks like you colored the Esc key gray again. Has anyone gotten that?
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: ricercar on Wed, 08 July 2009, 13:46:50
Quote from: microsoft windows;101404
It looks like you colored the Esc key gray again. Has anyone gotten that?

Sorry. When I revised the image I left out the wife's taken keys, ESC and PGUP were allocated before the thread started.

Rip and Welly, I'll get yours out Real Soon Now. Your caps slipped my mind but I re-discovered them.
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: wellington1869 on Wed, 08 July 2009, 15:04:03
Quote from: ricercar;101770


Rip and Welly, I'll get yours out Real Soon Now. Your caps slipped my mind but I re-discovered them.


no probs :)
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: Hak Foo on Wed, 08 July 2009, 21:54:07
I eat at my desk at work next to a 1391401.  It is now speckled with Kimchi-flavored instant noodle broth.
Title: IBM Type M 2-piece keycaps for the taking
Post by: wellington1869 on Thu, 09 July 2009, 13:03:11
Quote from: Hak Foo;101833
I eat at my desk at work next to a 1391401.  It is now speckled with Kimchi-flavored instant noodle broth.


that broth gets on everything. somehow i get my glasses speckled with ramen noodle broth whenever i have it.