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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 15:39:25

Title: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 15:39:25
I just finished my IBM Model M project last night. I picked up this guy off the electronic Bay dot com for $25; it arrived in pretty decent condition!
Working in my free time, it took me about 3 weeks, and plenty of frustrations. I didn't have access to power tools, so I was hand tightening screws (the blisters  :( ).

Deep cleaning, Bolt & Nut mod, & Soarer's hex mod w/ remapped media keys.

I also mistakenly had the screws come in from the top. I thought it would look better, with my flat top screws. HUGE MISTAKE!
It turned out perfectly though, with patience. Best & most personal keyboard I own.

here is a full high-res album w/ descriptions: http://imgur.com/a/tu4Me (http://imgur.com/a/tu4Me)
enjoy.

Highlight photos are hidden below!

(http://i.imgur.com/BGEHvm2.jpg)

More
(http://i.imgur.com/8C2f51D.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/Qnu84yI.jpg)
Custom "HELP" legends :D

(http://i.imgur.com/iBglVvD.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/HwyLGoT.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/kC0PFo4.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/fbmh2dj.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/xeBRTT0.jpg)
Oo, shiny.

(http://i.imgur.com/3OSOAp3.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/pMuuSUa.jpg)
In all my research before hand, I'd never come across a steel plate like this.

(http://i.imgur.com/kx4MkqA.jpg)
Silver sharpie works just as well as a paint marker.

(http://i.imgur.com/SqP8WMZ.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/Rcdjcmp.jpg)
Teensy joints

(http://i.imgur.com/Iv2etYZ.jpg)
LAB

(http://i.imgur.com/VAgTQo1.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/L1sUqTD.jpg)
Silver Label  :thumb:

_______
Full High-Res Album (http://imgur.com/a/tu4Me)
thanks for looking :]
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1986 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: Mandolin on Sat, 06 December 2014, 15:43:52
Mandolin crystal on the original PCB.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1986 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 15:49:38
Quote from: Mandolin on Sat, 06 December 2014, 15:43:52
Mandolin crystal on the original PCB.

I am ignorant to this statement.  heh./ what's that.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1986 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: Puddsy on Sat, 06 December 2014, 16:21:06
Quote from: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 15:49:38
Quote from: Mandolin on Sat, 06 December 2014, 15:43:52
Mandolin crystal on the original PCB.

I am ignorant to this statement.  heh./ what's that.

Mandolin sold some old model ms at huge markup because they had "mandolin crystals" which he made up to mark his $50 keyboards to $1000.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1986 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: ComradeSniper on Sat, 06 December 2014, 16:26:01
Very nice photos, and good work with the restoration! That's a great looking board  :)
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1986 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: Mandolin on Sat, 06 December 2014, 16:35:45
Regardless of it's price, cultural and comic value, it's a 4 Mhz square quartz crystal oscillator with transparent casing (uncanned) in the Y1 location on the PCB with 4 pins. It's found on early 1986 and 1985 models.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1986 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 06 December 2014, 16:40:21
Is this a 1390120 with first-generation label?
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1986 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 16:46:36
Quote from: TacticalStache on Sat, 06 December 2014, 16:21:06
Mandolin sold some old model ms at huge markup because they had "mandolin crystals" which he made up to mark his $50 keyboards to $1000.
Quote from: Mandolin on Sat, 06 December 2014, 16:35:45
Regardless of it's price, cultural and comic value, it's a canned quartz crystal oscillator in the Y1 location on the PCB with 4 pins. It's found on early 1986 and 1985 models.

Lol. true or not, at the very least I own & restored a board with a tiny time-specific component? cool enough for me.



Quote from: ComradeSniper on Sat, 06 December 2014, 16:26:01
Very nice photos, and good work with the restoration! That's a great looking board  :)

Thank You; it's my first buckling spring experience.



Quote from: fohat.digs on Sat, 06 December 2014, 16:40:21
Is this a 1390120 with first-generation label?


The part No. on this is 1390766  (non-standard? I could not tag this in the Model M Archive)
It's definitely an OG silver label though.. & apparently... crystals
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 06 December 2014, 17:09:20
Quote from: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 16:46:36

It's definitely an OG silver label though.. & apparently... crystals


The "label" I was referring to is the paper on the back, sometimes called the "birth certificate"

Early Ms have a square metal "badge" on the right side, later models have oval plastic "labels" on the left.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 17:55:05
Quote from: fohat.digs on Sat, 06 December 2014, 17:09:20
The "label" I was referring to is the paper on the back, sometimes called the "birth certificate"

Early Ms have a square metal "badge" on the right side, later models have oval plastic "labels" on the left.

Ah I see.
detail shots of the Outside (http://imgur.com/8C2f51D) label & Inside (http://imgur.com/iwIfH60) label

One thing I did notice before I picked up the board was that it doesn't say "Made In The USA" like I've seen on other Model Ms.
Is that because it's an older model as well?
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1986 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: E TwentyNine on Sat, 06 December 2014, 17:55:46
Quote from: fohat.digs on Sat, 06 December 2014, 16:40:21
Is this a 1390120 with first-generation label?

Not a barcode label.  Pic is in his images.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 06 December 2014, 18:50:21
Quote from: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 17:55:05

it doesn't say "Made In The USA" like I've seen on other Model Ms.


There was a big plant in Mexico. I would have expected that many of the South American units were made there. Usually it would have "Hecho en Mexico" or something to that effect, I thought that goods were always supposed to be marked for origin.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: 0100010 on Sat, 06 December 2014, 19:02:04
Nice job.  I like the dual legend function keys.  It is also interesting that the left bracket key has a 'not' symbol instead it being located on shift 6.  This one has a cent symbol for shift 6 like a wheelwriter.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 19:15:10
Quote from: 0100010 on Sat, 06 December 2014, 19:02:04
It is also interesting that the left bracket key has a 'not' symbol instead it being located on shift 6.  This one has a cent symbol for shift 6 like a wheelwriter.

the cent symbol on 6 is probably my favorite key on this board. subtle.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 19:15:17
Quote from: 0100010 on Sat, 06 December 2014, 19:02:04
It is also interesting that the left bracket key has a 'not' symbol instead it being located on shift 6.  This one has a cent symbol for shift 6 like a wheelwriter.

the cent symbol on 6 is probably my favorite key on this board. subtle.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: E TwentyNine on Sat, 06 December 2014, 19:21:49
Quote from: fohat.digs on Sat, 06 December 2014, 18:50:21
Quote from: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 17:55:05

it doesn't say "Made In The USA" like I've seen on other Model Ms.


There was a big plant in Mexico. I would have expected that many of the South American units were made there. Usually it would have "Hecho en Mexico" or something to that effect, I thought that goods were always supposed to be marked for origin.

It was pretty common for the earlier IBM keyboards manufactured in Mexico to not have any "Made in Mexico" marking on it except for the box.   

Example: http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/9231/subcatid/0/id/143644

The later ones did get such labels: http://www.clickeykeyboards.com/model-m-gallery/the-1391401-made-in-mexico-1994/

Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 22:01:12
Quote from: E TwentyNine on Sat, 06 December 2014, 19:21:49
It was pretty common for the earlier IBM keyboards manufactured in Mexico to not have any "Made in Mexico" marking on it except for the box.   

Example: http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/9231/subcatid/0/id/143644

The later ones did get such labels: http://www.clickeykeyboards.com/model-m-gallery/the-1391401-made-in-mexico-1994/

That first one looks to have the same thermal steel plate, & it's the same year, so I think you're probably spot on there.

ps. thanks again for the help with my Soarer's issue this morning!
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: E TwentyNine on Sat, 06 December 2014, 22:23:02
Does your enter key on the numpad have a stabilizer wire?

(and you're welcome on the soarer thing)
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 22:35:12
Quote from: E TwentyNine on Sat, 06 December 2014, 22:23:02
Does your enter key on the numpad have a stabilizer wire?


It does. Though, I accidently drilled a hole through one of the plastic clips.
Or, it might be the nut/bolt that's right there, but it's the only key that is very sticky (still works).

[attach=1]
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: 0100010 on Sat, 06 December 2014, 22:38:11
Get an offset barrel insert and lose the stab wire.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 06 December 2014, 22:42:33
Quote from: 0100010 on Sat, 06 December 2014, 22:38:11
Get an offset barrel insert and lose the stab wire.

Or take out the bolt and clean up the wound. Wcass showed how to make a washer work on those wires, too.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: 0100010 on Sat, 06 December 2014, 22:45:20
Yeah - just took another look at that enter key - it is the old style where a barrel insert wouldn't work anyway.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: arakula on Sun, 07 December 2014, 01:12:24
To cure the "sticky Plus and Enter" problem, I filed the screw heads down to the minimum after having completed the bolt mod on 2 or 3 of my old Model Ms.

Some 10 minues of work, but the wire stabilizers worked nicely afterwards.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: six_chains on Sun, 07 December 2014, 02:43:40
Quote from: arakula on Sun, 07 December 2014, 01:12:24
To cure the "sticky Plus and Enter" problem, I filed the screw heads down to the minimum after having completed the bolt mod on 2 or 3 of my old Model Ms.

Some 10 minues of work, but the wire stabilizers worked nicely afterwards.

cool. thanks for the tip. I'll look into trying this.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 07 December 2014, 03:44:42
Very nicely done :)

I like the preservation of old classics like this.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: hwood34 on Sun, 07 December 2014, 12:02:29
This is really cool :thumb: that plate really is something else
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: fohat.digs on Sun, 07 December 2014, 12:48:19
Quote from: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 15:39:25
the electronic Bay dot com

I am pretty sure that the "e" in ebay stands for "East" bay.

And those early edition plates, I always called them "yellow/gold" none of mine ever had greenishness to them.
Title: Re: My 3 Week 1987 IBM Silver Label Terminal Model M Project
Post by: six_chains on Sun, 07 December 2014, 12:53:03
Quote from: fohat.digs on Sun, 07 December 2014, 12:48:19
Quote from: six_chains on Sat, 06 December 2014, 15:39:25
the electronic Bay dot com

I am pretty sure that the "e" in ebay stands for "East" bay.

parks & rec (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4frDdDyyJsQ) joke lol.