HALP! Key maps needed for 6 different models of "Model M" Terminal Keyboards

[KandiKat]

Hey all

Partly due to my naivete, and partly because I got bamboozled on eBay, I am in possession of 10 Model M IBM keyboards ranging in birthdates from 1985-1995...Before I found out that all the boards, which had been re-labeled as "1392595" boards, were actually 6 different models, my husband in trying help me get the boards clean popped all 1000+ keys off. They are now all sparkling clean in a soup pot waiting to be put back on the boards themselves. My biggest problem is that some of the keys are "plain" (a number and only a number printed on it) and others are "fancy" LoL (a number on top with a legend on the front, an arrow or little squares, etc), and I haven't the foggiest notion how to figure out which keys go on which models   

If anyone has and is able to post up pix of their boards from this list showing which special legends go where, or point me in the direction to find pix or maps for them, I'd be incredibly appreciative!!!


4204
2595
6056
3705
0520
0123

XOXOXO
 

[fohat.digs]

The numpad numbers without secondary legends are scarce and more desirable for many modders. That does not address your question, but it may be worth remembering.

Also, legends in general have subtle differences.

Some are squeezed all the way into the top corner, and some are moved in a bit. Some are heavier (darker) and some are lighter (thinner).

[snoopy]

even the base color of the keys could be slightly different due to different age or different production runs

[KandiKat]

What would be my best option/s for getting what I spent out of these boards? They're killing me, I swear..
I would like to get 2 modded and I think I worked something out with someone to trade 2 boards for 2 mods +teensies...Leaving me with 6 boards and a variety of misc key caps.
I'm starting to think I'll never get the right keys on the right boards, I'd just like to be rid of the things ...
Now, if it hadn't been for this snafu, I wouldn't have gotten hooked up with this awesome little forum, but as it stands, my hubby is a federal employee, I work in local government, money is tight and nerves are frayed.
WTH do I do now? Any suggestions? 

[fohat.digs]

The letters and numbers, arrow keys, shift, etc, are all straightforward.

Chances are (99%) that your buyers will not be using these as terminals and will replace the oddball keys anyway. Terminals would be worth a lot more if they had proper key sets, so I have a box with lots of "Enrip" and "Dup" keys and am always short of 6-packs.

When I have sorted by legend type, in my mind I call them "dark" "light" and "high" according to how they appear to me. If you can get them into sets that way, it may help. When you have all the "Gs" side-by-side, for example, the type of each will be obvious. Maybe you got lucky and all 6 are the same.

Look at similar terminals on ebay and do the best you can with placing caps. You will post these on ebay yourself with photos (you better!) and buyers will not be able to carp about something that they should have seen for themselves.

[KandiKat]

How much do the correctly colored key stems matter?

Some of these got popped off and into the "key soup" for cleaning initially and I took a board apart last night and popped a set to clean it thoroughly (after I took a pic so I'd know how to return the stems to their proper places), however, there were 3 colors of stems- off-white, more off-white/lt grey and grey...The difference between the off-white and more off-white/lt grey was harder to discern when returning them to their rightful places than I'd anticipated.

If I were to clean and use unusually marked keys for 2 boards for my trade (if it still stands) and the more plain? (would that be best?) keys for 2 boards for myself and had 6 boards left over - What are the chances I could maybe sell the boards (and for abt how much?) -
1) in bulk as-is? (dirty, some popped stems, and popped  keycap soup) or
2) bulk and clean but with stems in randomly and the remaining popped "keycap soup"? Or
3) clean with random stems and remaining, non-original keycaps attached? (I don't think I have enough posts to list them for sale here )

I'm at a loss....Some of them need major cleaning - they appear to have been double stick taped to desks? So it took Goo Gone, gentle fingernail scraping, rough wash cloth rubbing and baby wipe finishing for the case I did last night (though it was arguably the grossest one), and a brush, canned air and baby wipes between the stem holders to clean the key"board" itself.

Any thoughts?
Suggestions?
Please??

Muchos Gracias !!

XoXoXoX!!!

[berserkfan]

Kandikat,

I'm sorry to tell you that 'market prices' for clean model Ms, no matter how much work you put into it, tend to be quite low.

I think people are just irrational.

In any case, as a terminal owner myself, I do have lots of 'weird' keycaps. It's not an issue to a touch typist most of the time. But there are some keys I don't often use (eg printscreen) which would give me a headache if I didn't have something with the right legend on it.

Definitely DO NOT sell them in bulk. The price would be quite poor.

For selling keycaps, go ask Dorkvader and Esoomomena. I think they both collect unusual Model M keycaps.

If you have an older terminal model with those big legs, some modders love them. They might be usable on model F keyboards with a bit of effort. So the casings could sell for parts.

How much do the correctly colored key stems matter?

Some of these got popped off and into the "key soup" for cleaning initially and I took a board apart last night and popped a set to clean it thoroughly (after I took a pic so I'd know how to return the stems to their proper places), however, there were 3 colors of stems- off-white, more off-white/lt grey and grey...The difference between the off-white and more off-white/lt grey was harder to discern when returning them to their rightful places than I'd anticipated.

If I were to clean and use unusually marked keys for 2 boards for my trade (if it still stands) and the more plain? (would that be best?) keys for 2 boards for myself and had 6 boards left over - What are the chances I could maybe sell the boards (and for abt how much?) -
1) in bulk as-is? (dirty, some popped stems, and popped  keycap soup) or
2) bulk and clean but with stems in randomly and the remaining popped "keycap soup"? Or
3) clean with random stems and remaining, non-original keycaps attached? (I don't think I have enough posts to list them for sale here )

I'm at a loss....Some of them need major cleaning - they appear to have been double stick taped to desks? So it took Goo Gone, gentle fingernail scraping, rough wash cloth rubbing and baby wipe finishing for the case I did last night (though it was arguably the grossest one), and a brush, canned air and baby wipes between the stem holders to clean the key"board" itself.

Any thoughts?
Suggestions?
Please??

Muchos Gracias !!

XoXoXoX!!!

[fohat.digs]

Some of these got popped off and into the "key soup" for cleaning initially and I took a board apart last night and popped a set to clean it thoroughly (after I took a pic so I'd know how to return the stems to their proper places), however, there were 3 colors of stems- off-white, more off-white/lt grey and grey.

If I were to clean and use unusually marked keys for 2 boards for my trade (if it still stands) and the more plain? (would that be best?) keys for 2 boards for myself and had 6 boards left over - What are the chances I could maybe sell the boards (and for abt how much?) -
1) in bulk as-is? (dirty, some popped stems, and popped  keycap soup) or
2) bulk and clean but with stems in randomly and the remaining popped "keycap soup"? Or
3) clean with random stems and remaining, non-original keycaps attached? (I don't think I have enough posts to list them for sale here )

I'm at a loss....Some of them need major cleaning - they appear to have been double stick taped to desks?

If you have the right mix of stems (you won't - there will be too many dark and not enough light) you can make the installed stems look like the ANSI set with light for letters and numbers and dark for modifiers. A lot of work for nothing unless you enjoy it, or plan to use the boards without caps. 80%-90% of your keycaps will be right, anyway, so it it just around the edges where the weirdness creeps in.

Naptha (old-fashioned cigarette light fluid in the yellow and blue plastic bottle) is the best for removing adhesive residue, but it can damage some plastics. Test first, my experience that M plastic will stand up to it, briefly, at least. Apply, wait a few seconds, wipe with paper towel, repeat. Save the fingernail for the worst parts.

The only time I have bought M terminal boards was when they were very cheap and I wanted to harvest parts. They work perfectly well (except no LEDs) since I have an outboard Teensy I can just plug in.

Somebody recently posted a $5 breakout board that appeared to do what a Teensy does at $15 less. If you installed those, you could probably sell fully working USB Model Ms and get $25-35 + shipping, even missing some keycaps.

As-is, you would be lucky to get over $15-20. Just my opinion.

[Melvang]

Some of these got popped off and into the "key soup" for cleaning initially and I took a board apart last night and popped a set to clean it thoroughly (after I took a pic so I'd know how to return the stems to their proper places), however, there were 3 colors of stems- off-white, more off-white/lt grey and grey.

If I were to clean and use unusually marked keys for 2 boards for my trade (if it still stands) and the more plain? (would that be best?) keys for 2 boards for myself and had 6 boards left over - What are the chances I could maybe sell the boards (and for abt how much?) -
1) in bulk as-is? (dirty, some popped stems, and popped  keycap soup) or
2) bulk and clean but with stems in randomly and the remaining popped "keycap soup"? Or
3) clean with random stems and remaining, non-original keycaps attached? (I don't think I have enough posts to list them for sale here )

I'm at a loss....Some of them need major cleaning - they appear to have been double stick taped to desks?

If you have the right mix of stems (you won't - there will be too many dark and not enough light) you can make the installed stems look like the ANSI set with light for letters and numbers and dark for modifiers. A lot of work for nothing unless you enjoy it, or plan to use the boards without caps. 80%-90% of your keycaps will be right, anyway, so it it just around the edges where the weirdness creeps in.

Naptha (old-fashioned cigarette light fluid in the yellow and blue plastic bottle) is the best for removing adhesive residue, but it can damage some plastics. Test first, my experience that M plastic will stand up to it, briefly, at least. Apply, wait a few seconds, wipe with paper towel, repeat. Save the fingernail for the worst parts.

The only time I have bought M terminal boards was when they were very cheap and I wanted to harvest parts. They work perfectly well (except no LEDs) since I have an outboard Teensy I can just plug in.

Somebody recently posted a $5 breakout board that appeared to do what a Teensy does at $15 less. If you installed those, you could probably sell fully working USB Model Ms and get $25-35 + shipping, even missing some keycaps.

As-is, you would be lucky to get over $15-20. Just my opinion.

If I am assuming the correct breakout board that you are refering to, it is just a small PCB to give a method to mount the teensy with screws.  It is just solder pads with short traces.