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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Hakhu on Mon, 28 September 2009, 08:25:32

Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: Hakhu on Mon, 28 September 2009, 08:25:32
Hi,

today I got my first Model M (for 1 €) off a guy, who didn't know what he was selling.
So I've been testing a bit and it really types great.
But after listening for a while I noticed that I hear the spring as it expands when I release the key. It's like a high pitched "ding" sound.
Is that normal? I don't hear each key as much as some others. Some seem to be almost silent (on release ... of course they click on the down-stroke). Is there any way to avoid/reverse/fix that?

Thanks,

Hakhu
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: timw4mail on Mon, 28 September 2009, 09:11:12
It's perfectly normal, and there's not that much you can really do about it without really taking the keyboard apart.
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: Hakhu on Mon, 28 September 2009, 09:26:01
And what if I wanted to take the keyboard apart?

What can I do about it then?
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 28 September 2009, 09:37:16
Take a look at ripster's rivet replacement mod in the Mods section if it really bothers you.  Apparently, some of the noise is created by plate resonance.
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: Hakhu on Mon, 28 September 2009, 10:02:48
Yay! Thanks. That was just the ray of sunshine (read 'hope') that I was looking for.
I'm sitting at the office atm, but I'll have a read through tonight (no speakers at work - for the samples).
So far my colleagues have not complained. ;-)
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: rdjack21 on Mon, 28 September 2009, 11:40:23
I see you have the Model M space saver as your avatar. Please don't tell me you got a Space saver for 1 euro. If you did you really made a fantastic buy on that one.
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: msiegel on Mon, 28 September 2009, 11:51:21
w... one euro? :'-O
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: rdjack21 on Mon, 28 September 2009, 11:55:07
I thought the € was the Euro symbol or is that the pound either way still a good deal but if it was a Space saver it was a steal.
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 28 September 2009, 11:58:32
You're right, that's the Euro symbol.  That's a crazy deal, if that's the case.
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: ch_123 on Mon, 28 September 2009, 12:26:10
I was  going to say that there were no German IBM spacesavers, then I looked at his avatar...

If it is in fact a German-layout Spacesaver, what is the part number and date on the back? I've only ever heard of French, Spanish and hacked-together UK layout spacesavers in addition to the US ones.
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: Hakhu on Mon, 28 September 2009, 14:30:39
The image I've got in my avatar is a UK layout, not a German one. Sadly it's not mine and it really would be a steal for 1€.

This (http://www.dansdata.com/images/clicky2/spacesaver1280.jpg) is a larger picture. Just so you can take a better look.

This (http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/9242/subcatid/0/id/183757) is some more information to the specific model.

The one I got for one Euro is a German layout standard size Model M with a model number of 1391403.
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: microsoft windows on Tue, 29 September 2009, 17:13:03
That's not a bad deal. I got a model M with a trackball out of the computer trash for free once. All it cost me was $5 for an adapter to use the mouse in my serial port.
Title: Model M - spring sound
Post by: ch_123 on Tue, 29 September 2009, 17:18:07
Quote from: Hakhu;121217
The image I've got in my avatar is a UK layout, not a German one. Sadly it's not mine and it really would be a steal for 1€.

This (http://www.dansdata.com/images/clicky2/spacesaver1280.jpg) is a larger picture. Just so you can take a better look.

This (http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/9242/subcatid/0/id/183757) is some more information to the specific model.

The one I got for one Euro is a German layout standard size Model M with a model number of 1391403.

Yeah, I'm familiar with the UNI04C6. Just misread your post and thought that you may have found a German Space Saver.

The UNI04C6 is probably better described as a "US ISO" layout keyboard, as it basically has the layout that you'd get from running a US layout on an ISO keyboard. Although the |\ really should be <>