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Author Topic: Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions  (Read 3316 times)

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Offline Moecat

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 06:43:19 »
Hello everyone, I'm an on and off again lurker whenever I get a funny urge to read about mechanical keyboards (but never actually buy one due to lack of money!). However recently I've come accross one for a fiver, literally sold by one of those places that just want to get rid of old keyboards.

But here's the thing, they suggested a £10 delivery charge for it. For a start is this reasonable? (I know it is compared to ebay anyway) And all in all is £15 a reasonable price to pay for the keyboard?

I'm going to ask for pictures however he described it to me as just being worn, he mentioned it had some stains. I'm not overly worried about this sort of thing, more so about scratches scuffs etc. It would be a nice project to try and restore it.

Now before I came across this I was looking at some moderatly cheap 2nd hand TVS Keyboards for roughly the same price (and a new black one for £35). I'd just like your opinion. As a newbie in this field with a low budget. What do you reccommend I get?

I mean this is a fantastic oppurtunity to try a model m, however if it's not for me is it going to be a £15 mistake?

Also do any companies apart sell buckling spring keycaps?

Cheers!
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fossala

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #1 on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 07:07:24 »
Yes, the go for around 50gbp on ebay.
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Offline Tony

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #2 on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 08:06:45 »
You get what you pay for. The quality must be terrible. Stains, worn keycaps, stinks, you name it.
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Keyboard: Filco MJ1 104 brown, Filco MJ2 87 brown, Compaq MX11800, Noppoo Choc Brown/Blue/Red, IBM Model M 1996, CMStorm Quickfire Rapid Black
Layout: Colemak experience, speed of 67wpm

fossala

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #3 on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 08:19:30 »
Most model M's clean up perfectly. You won't get worn keycaps because they are pbt dye-subs. And any thing sticky/smelly can be cleaned.
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Offline fohat.digs

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #4 on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 08:21:47 »
What you describe sounds like a good fair deal. Nothing to brag about, but perfectly reasonable. I have bought a dozen Ms, mostly on ebay for between $15-$50 shipped, and about 3 at second-hand stores, not working, for about $5 each.

If you think that spending an hour at the workbench and kitchen sink, taking things apart and tidying everything up sounds like "fun" then you should be satisfied with the project and result.

Triple the time and spend more money, and you can do a bolt mod later.

Model Ms are great fun because they disassemble into a bunch of parts and very well built (except for the rivets).

And lastly, you can't know what mechanical keyboards really can be without using buckling springs for a few hours, at least.
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Offline dirge

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #5 on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 08:30:12 »
He's quoting in £, so assuming he's UK based.  Which case for an ISO/UK model M it's a fantastic price.  Not as many this side of the pond and it drives the price up.  Second hand they sell for £50-£90 typically.
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Offline fohat.digs

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #6 on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 09:01:09 »
That price sounds very high. For that amount, you should get a clean one that tested properly.

One of my Ms was a 42H..... (not working, cut cord) from Greenock, so I know that they are moving back and forth across the Atlantic.

International Priority Mail flat rate box is $58, so buying locally is the thing to do, if you can.

I would still say that 15 pounds/euros/etc delivered is a good price, even if it ends up being a parts donor. If you have to replace missing keycaps, it is less desirable, but still OK for a starting point.
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“Citizens United violates the essence of what made America a great country in its political system. Now it’s just an oligarchy, with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or to elect the president.
So now we’ve just seen a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who want and expect and sometimes get favors for themselves after the election’s over.”
- Jimmy Carter 2015

Offline Moecat

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #7 on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 09:24:47 »
Thanks for your input everyone, much appreciated. You've made me less anxious about it.
I'll reveal some more information. I believe it's a Dell Labeled Model M. I couldn't find much other than pictures from googling it. But any of you have any opinions/knowledge or experience with it?
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Offline dirge

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 10:17:00 »
Just make sure it's the IBM shape case, you'll get people on eBay saying "clicky keyboard" to just about anything.
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Offline 1395985

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 14:15:38 »
Quote from: fossala;569714
Yes, the go for around 50gbp on ebay.

I think you mean £65-75.

This is a steal. Why is the OP even asking questions? :-/
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Offline koralatov

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 15:44:49 »
Quote from: 1395985;570002
This is a steal. Why is the OP even asking questions? :-/
To make us miserable and jealous of his good luck?
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Offline 1395985

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 07 April 2012, 16:28:55 »
Quote from: koralatov;570051
To make us miserable and jealous of his good luck?

Jealousy is for fools. It's such a pointless emotion.
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Offline Moecat

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #12 on: Thu, 12 April 2012, 13:49:54 »
A little update, the seller has shown me some pictures. I just want to run it by you guys before I commit:









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fossala

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #13 on: Thu, 12 April 2012, 13:50:55 »
Are you going to post the pics?
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Offline hoggy

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #14 on: Thu, 12 April 2012, 14:06:05 »
Can't see the pics.  If there's one with a keycap removed then look for a spring sticking out of a barrel - looks a bit like a jack in the box - that's the model m and it's totally worth it.  If it looks like a dell 102w (google...) then don't bother - these aren't as nice, and don't carry their age quite as well.
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GH Ergonomic Guide (in progress)
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54680.0

Offline hoggy

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #15 on: Thu, 12 April 2012, 14:11:44 »
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GH Ergonomic Guide (in progress)
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54680.0

Offline Moecat

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #16 on: Thu, 12 April 2012, 14:15:42 »
What post in particular am I supposed to be looking at?

Quote from: hoggy;573939
Can't see the pics.

Eh? I can see them...I'll reupload them somewhere else.
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Offline Moecat

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #17 on: Thu, 12 April 2012, 14:21:16 »
And here they are:







On closer inspection it doesn't look like any Dell Labeled IBM Model M I've ever seen...I'm treading carefully here.

EDIT: Just read your link Hoggy, thanks so much for the warning! This deal is getting worse all the time!

Well I've made my mind up...£15 for a grubby old coffee/tea/pubic hair/deadskin ridden keyboard with black alps in is not worth the money or effort. Time to start dribbling at keyboards I can't afford again!

I do have a few in mind though, so I'll make a new thread soon about it!
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fossala

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #18 on: Thu, 12 April 2012, 14:29:54 »
It is a dell at102. Don't buy especialy in that condition.
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Offline hoggy

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #19 on: Thu, 12 April 2012, 14:31:48 »
It's the post with the two photos from cb_123.  I got your links to work by deleting the %20 near the end.  The seller has a Dell AT102W.  £15 delivered is a fair price for one of those - but a model M would be good deal better.

If you want to start collecting, then buy it.  If you think that getting the right keyboard the first time will stop you following this road all the way, then I'd recommend skipping this one.
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GH Ergonomic Guide (in progress)
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Offline hoggy

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #20 on: Thu, 12 April 2012, 14:34:47 »
Quote from: Moecat;573954
...for a grubby old coffee/tea/pubic hair/deadskin ridden keyboard with black alps in is not worth the money or effort. Time to start dribbling at keyboards I can't afford again!

That's probably the best description of my hobby I've read in a long time!

Wait until you see leaves and staples...  Someone here has had nails (the metal kind)...
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GH Ergonomic Guide (in progress)
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Offline mich

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Found a IBM Model M for £15 - A few questions
« Reply #21 on: Thu, 12 April 2012, 18:07:26 »
Quote from: hoggy;573962
That's probably the best description of my hobby I've read in a long time!

Wait until you see leaves and staples...  Someone here has had nails (the metal kind)...

Wow, I thought that my M stuffed with office clips and staples was weird. It's a miracle that it didn't kill somebody's mobo. Or maybe it did and that's why it was cheap :)
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