Author Topic: Is the IBM Model M indestructible? (Read 3809 times)

Cherry1990 · « **on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 17:56:06 »

Unfortunately not my keyboard... One key was not correctly working, to fix it I opened the keyboard and discovered that the black plastic plate where the keys are inserted (the one fixed to metal plate) was broken into three pieces.
I think that this keyboard has been really tortured by a bunch of gorillas... I am not the original owner, obviously!

Do you know if it is possible to repair this plastic board? With which glue? An epoxy one? Or is better to put everything into the trash bin?

Thank you!

esoomenona · « **Reply #1 on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 18:04:32 »

fohat.digs · « **Reply #2 on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 18:08:00 »

After taking at least a couple of dozen Model Ms apart, I have had only 1 lightly cracked barrel plate. I don't know what is happening to the specimens you guys are buying!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y9uo3oFPe4

E TwentyNine · « **Reply #3 on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 18:08:24 »

Being in Italy will significantly increase what it costs to get that part from Unicomp.

What key is broken? Do you have pictures?

esoomenona · « **Reply #4 on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 18:13:26 »

Cherry1990 · « **Reply #5 on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 18:35:32 »

Some years ago was easy and not too expensive to buy items from US but from a while shipment costs have become too expensive and customs are an armed robbery. In Italy I always paid almost 55% of taxes, also over shipment costs.
I think the price of the spare part may be almost the same of a new keyboard...

The "*" and "-" keys on keypad do not working correctly. They had not contact with the switch. The reason was that the plastic plate was detached due to the fact that it was broken between space bar and shift keys and between the backspace key and the tab key.

This keyboard has been a gift from a colleague, 15 years ago. Never used until now.

fohat.digs · « **Reply #6 on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 18:47:41 »

Still worth something.

Just a set of keycaps from Unicomp or clickykeyboards.com is $30 + shipping, more international.

Fix it yourself or forward it to another European who wants it.

E TwentyNine · « **Reply #7 on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 18:49:31 »

If the rest of the keyboard is working I'd live with it. I doubt it's going to expand further.

Really depends on the damage if you could somehow patch it up with a few bolts without dismantling the entire assembly, if there's any epoxying needing to be done, and how susceptible the plastic might be to cracking while working with it.

I'd leave it.

Cherry1990 · « **Reply #8 on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 18:58:56 »

I already fully disassembled the keyboard... To remove the plastic board from the metal plate you need to broke the melted points... I will try with some (probably a lot) of Z-Poxy... If I will fail... I don't want to think that...
I will post some photos...
Thank you.

Touch_It · « **Reply #9 on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 20:01:23 »

Quote from: E TwentyNine on Wed, 08 October 2014, 18:08:24

Being in Italy will significantly increase what it costs to get that part from Unicomp.

What key is broken? Do you have pictures?

Sigh, that video makes me sad. Perfectly good keyboard tortured for views :/.

dorkvader · « **Reply #10 on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 20:01:55 »

Quote from: Cherry1990 on Wed, 08 October 2014, 18:58:56

I already fully disassembled the keyboard... To remove the plastic board from the metal plate you need to broke the melted points... I will try with some (probably a lot) of Z-Poxy... If I will fail... I don't want to think that...
I will post some photos...
Thank you.

yeah you can nut and bolt mod it like my guide below:
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62226.0

or you can fix it with glue. The good news is that if you try to fix it with glue and it fails, you can nut and bolt mod it later if it doesn't work.

I have at least two model Ms that had cracked barrel plates (chimneys as unicomp calls them) one needed a replacement the other was fine.

fohat.digs · « **Reply #11 on:** Wed, 08 October 2014, 20:17:41 »

Quote from: Touch_It on Wed, 08 October 2014, 20:01:23

Sigh, that video makes me sad.

aka: Retards with Matches

Oobly · « **Reply #12 on:** Thu, 09 October 2014, 00:43:47 »

The_Ed fixed his broken barrel plate with plastic support pieces and glue: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=44875.msg948234#msg948234

I reckon it's probably best to shave off the studs, take it apart, glue the pieces together with supports like The_Ed did and bolt mod it back together. You don't want to get glue on the tilting "hammer" plates.

In effect it's almost a restoration, but the end product is worth it. A fully functional model M is a good tool that will last several decades before needing any work again.

Cherry1990 · « **Reply #13 on:** Thu, 09 October 2014, 14:55:56 »

@dorkvader: Thank you for the suggestion and tutorial!!!
Now I have another nightmare: find the M2x8 screw and bolt... Hard to find, here, obviously... Minimum quantity and shipment costs are high as usual...

@Oobly: Thank you very much for the suggestion about The_Ed tutorial: it is exactly my problem!!! My chimneys are broken in three pieces: I already taken a dead mouse (IBM/Lenovo of course!) as ABS/plastic donor...

paicrai · « **Reply #14 on:** Thu, 09 October 2014, 15:09:57 »

for some reason i read "is the ibm model masturbate"

fohat.digs · « **Reply #15 on:** Thu, 09 October 2014, 15:13:24 »

I think that this is what you need.

The bottom row is the self-tapping screws.

I have never had much luck with the acetone/ABS slurry business, the acetone flashes off too fast.

Good real old-fashioned model cement works great on these plastics.

dorkvader · « **Reply #16 on:** Thu, 09 October 2014, 16:21:13 »

Quote from: Cherry1990 on Thu, 09 October 2014, 14:55:56

@dorkvader: Thank you for the suggestion and tutorial!!!
Now I have another nightmare: find the M2x8 screw and bolt... Hard to find, here, obviously... Minimum quantity and shipment costs are high as usual...

@Oobly: Thank you very much for the suggestion about The_Ed tutorial: it is exactly my problem!!! My chimneys are broken in three pieces: I already taken a dead mouse (IBM/Lenovo of course!) as ABS/plastic donor...

M2 (metric) should be a lot easier to find in Italy than american stuff. I guess you can buy form china at worst. A quick search returned the following:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/F05080-100pcs-lot-M2-Screw-Nut-Hex-nuts-For-Coupler-Motor-Mount-Servo-Bracket-Robot-Car/903175840.html (nut)
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/M2-8-M2-Screws-M2-Screw-nut-Round-head-screws-DIY-model-accessories/1264318394.html (hex)
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-ISO7380-M2-8-M2x8-Stainless-Steel-Hex-Hexagon-Socket-Button-Head-Pan-Head-Screw/1849330664.html (Phillips)

Cherry1990 · « **Reply #17 on:** Fri, 10 October 2014, 14:04:40 »

Thank you! I found the M2x8 screws in Spain. They are Made in Spain than China (lot better!!!) and three times less expensive than in Italy. I will make the order soon but, before, I want to check my chimneys when they will come out from dishwasher...

Cherry1990 · « **Reply #18 on:** Sun, 12 October 2014, 09:01:11 »

I have "space problems"... I upgraded your useful tutorial: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62226.0 with my request.
I think that is the correct place.

Findecanor · « **Reply #19 on:** Sun, 12 October 2014, 15:09:37 »

My first Model M was old and had a broken barrel plate. I bought another newer Model M that I got cheap because keys were missing. Then I reused the pristine key switch assembly from the newer keyboard inside the old keyboard.

fohat.digs · « **Reply #20 on:** Sun, 12 October 2014, 18:57:18 »

Are we talking about an M or an M2?

Entirely different universes.

ander · « **Reply #21 on:** Fri, 13 February 2015, 16:59:52 »

They must be. Years ago, when I was on safari in Kenya, my Model M was eaten by an elephant that mistook it for a large tea biscuit. I was quite fond of the keyboard, so I tracked the beast for days till the keyboard finally came out of her other end—intact!

I cleaned it as best I could (the keyboard, that is, not the elephant's end), and to my amazement, it still worked perfectly. In fact, I'm typing on it now. It exudes just the faintest aroma to remind me of my African adventure. My friends also theorize that the keyboard's unusual digestive trek has influenced the veracity of my writing.

wyatt8740 · « **Reply #22 on:** Sun, 15 February 2015, 15:07:19 »

Quote from: fohat.digs on Wed, 08 October 2014, 18:08:00

After taking at least a couple of dozen Model Ms apart, I have had only 1 lightly cracked barrel plate. I don't know what is happening to the specimens you guys are buying!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y9uo3oFPe4

Those are the lowest, worst kind of people. They deserve to be euthanized for their crimes against Keyboardity.

Quote from: ander on Fri, 13 February 2015, 16:59:52

They must be. Years ago, when I was on safari in Kenya, my Model M was eaten by an elephant that mistook it for a large tea biscuit. I was quite fond of the keyboard, so I tracked the beast for days till the keyboard finally came out of her other end—intact!

I cleaned it as best I could (the keyboard, that is, not the elephant's end), and to my amazement, it still worked perfectly. In fact, I'm typing on it now. It exudes just the faintest aroma to remind me of my African adventure. My friends also theorize that the keyboard's unusual digestive trek has influenced the veracity of my writing.

How'd you clean the blood from the elephant's backside off your board?

Anyway, Model M's are like Gremlins. Both are from the 80's and neither should get near water. Wish I could get mine to duplicate like a Gremlin, though...

Ludovician · « **Reply #23 on:** Sun, 15 February 2015, 20:59:23 »

Have you tried spilling crumbs on it after midnight?

It may not multiply but it might become more fearsome and tactile.

Melvang · « **Reply #24 on:** Sun, 15 February 2015, 21:40:48 »

Quote from: Ludovician on Sun, 15 February 2015, 20:59:23

Have you tried spilling crumbs on it after midnight?

It may not multiply but it might become more fearsome and tactile.

Is this the source of 4704 77 keys?

Chromako · « **Reply #25 on:** Sun, 15 February 2015, 22:59:02 »

Quote from: Melvang on Sun, 15 February 2015, 21:40:48

Quote from: Ludovician on Sun, 15 February 2015, 20:59:23
Have you tried spilling crumbs on it after midnight?

It may not multiply but it might become more fearsome and tactile.

Is this the source of 4704 77 keys?

Yup! But you have to do it on a Thursday night that is also the first full moon of the month, with clear skies.

And the crumbs must have only been touched by virgins. Otherwise it backfires and turns into a Lexmark 71G4644 rubberdome.

ander · « **Reply #26 on:** Mon, 16 February 2015, 04:27:58 »

Quote from: wyatt8740 on Sun, 15 February 2015, 15:07:19

How'd you clean the blood from the elephant's backside off your board? :D

There was no blood—it just popped right out. Fortunately it was one with a detachable cable, which I'd removed to lash a wildebeest to my fender. This quite annoyed the wildebeest, but what was it going to do? We're talking an AT cable here.

wyatt8740 · « **Reply #27 on:** Mon, 16 February 2015, 11:50:07 »

Quote from: Ludovician on Sun, 15 February 2015, 20:59:23

Have you tried spilling crumbs on it after midnight?

It may not multiply but it might become more fearsome and tactile.

Ah, not tried that yet... Might do it this time.
But technically, any time of day besides midnight is after midnight, either today's midnight or yesterday's midnight, depending on how you see things.

Quote from: Chromako on Sun, 15 February 2015, 22:59:02

Yup! But you have to do it on a Thursday night that is also the first full moon of the month, with clear skies.

And the crumbs must have only been touched by virgins. Otherwise it backfires and turns into a Lexmark 71G4644 rubberdome.

Thanks; I'll remember that.

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Author Topic: Is the IBM Model M indestructible? (Read 3809 times)