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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: ezrahilyer on Fri, 07 November 2014, 19:14:51

Title: Lexmark Model M Rubberdome, It was bound to happen....
Post by: ezrahilyer on Fri, 07 November 2014, 19:14:51
I have been buying and Modding Ms, and sure enough, I got a box of 4 boards in today, and one of them was a dreaded rubber dome model M........
I figured I would come across one sooner or later, but I am surprised how nice it actually feels, it is a lot more solid than I expected, I don't think I would mind typing on this at all. I am half thinking of putting a soarer in it afterall. I won't have to bolt mod it since there aren't any rivets missing at all.

Think I should? I dunno if it would be worth it, I would want to get $50 to $60 for it converted to make it worth my while (and the cost of the soarer and flush mount connector) Seems a waste to just use it for parts, though I could just do that.

Any fans of the lowly rubber-dome model M?
Title: Re: Lexmark Model M Rubberdome, It was bound to happen....
Post by: hwood34 on Fri, 07 November 2014, 19:31:06
I wouldn't go so far as to put work into it, but as far as rubberdomes go, the Model M's are actually not bad
Title: Re: Lexmark Model M Rubberdome, It was bound to happen....
Post by: dorkvader on Fri, 07 November 2014, 20:04:57
ah the dreaded lexmark 71G (and 52G) I have one that was given to me by HaaTa. He has pictures of it on GH from way back. I was going to bolt mod it and give it away in a brilliant stroke of irony but then CPTBadass told me that he got to type on someone else-s bolt modded rubber dome model M at a meetup once. My hopes were crushed.

I think I'm gonna spraypaint a "zombie killer" stencil on it and keep it in the umbrella rack for when undesirables show up.

As to the feel: I agree it's rather nice. One of the better rubber domes out there. I think a great reason for this is the steel mounting plate. All the good feeling RDs I've typed on have a very "solid" construcion (topre, alphameric, lexmark, etc). Since it's bent and not flat the model M domes are extremely rigid, which I do believe is a main factor to the good feel.

That said, I'm totally gonna cannibalize my 122-key M with multi colout dyesubs for parts/case and controller so I can further frankenstein a $19 unicomp 122-key model M into something useful cool or scary.
Title: Re: Lexmark Model M Rubberdome, It was bound to happen....
Post by: Touch_It on Fri, 07 November 2014, 20:50:32
If your interested in parting it out I would probably be interested in the controller assuming it is comparable with my terminal m.
Title: Re: Lexmark Model M Rubberdome, It was bound to happen....
Post by: dorkvader on Fri, 07 November 2014, 21:05:23
If your interested in parting it out I would probably be interested in the controller assuming it is comparable with my terminal m.

it is most likely not.
Terminal M controllers mount to the plate, controllers on "normal" model Ms and RD Ms mount to the case.

Other than that it'll probably work. I think the matrix sheets are the same. even if not you can just swap them. Both are fixed cable IIRC. Might take a bit to route the cable or w/e but who knows?
Title: Re: Lexmark Model M Rubberdome, It was bound to happen....
Post by: Touch_It on Fri, 07 November 2014, 21:10:46
I honestly don't remember as I haven't looked at my board in a long time.  At any rate though I can probably buy a teensy and materials for the same price, just more work.  I like to be lazy when possible. Never seem to have enough time to do anything lately.
Title: Re: Lexmark Model M Rubberdome, It was bound to happen....
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 08 November 2014, 09:00:45
I have been able to sell a couple on ebay at ~$15 + shipping over the years.

If that comes close to covering what you have in it, let it go.

If the case is nice, you might upgrade a standard one with that.
Title: Re: Lexmark Model M Rubberdome, It was bound to happen....
Post by: ezrahilyer on Sat, 08 November 2014, 21:47:53
I have been able to sell a couple on ebay at ~$15 + shipping over the years.

If that comes close to covering what you have in it, let it go.

If the case is nice, you might upgrade a standard one with that.

I ended up just cutting the rivets off, and drilling it, I threw the rubber sheet away, and put hammers in it to get a good plate assembly out of it.
I will use the case for parts ect. It works out after all