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Author Topic: IBM Model F AT Modifications  (Read 6063 times)

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Offline SassyFish256

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IBM Model F AT Modifications
« on: Fri, 05 July 2019, 16:57:34 »
I finished modifying my Model F AT today, so I figured I would share some pictures. I started taking pictures a lot later in the process, but I assume most of you reading this all know what a dirty IBM Model F AT looks like, and what it looks like on the inside. I'm just sharing some of the things I did that I haven't seen in other posts.

After cleaning the keyboard and spray painting the barrel plate with black rustoleum, I ordered a pro micro controller off ebay, along with some other miscellaneous things.

I took photos with my phone, they aren't the greatest.

I soldered and shrink wrapped the controller.
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I got and modified a panel mount USB-B to micro USB cable, and got it to fit between the screwholes.
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I was able to make the inside area above the keyboard clean and tight fitting.
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I came up with a cleaner way to stabilize the spacebar.
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I had to trim the spots between the ctrl and alt key locations.
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I decided to use model m keys, because they are easier to change around without disturbing the floss I put into each spring.
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Finished Keyboard
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: IBM Model F AT Modifications
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 05 July 2019, 17:11:07 »
Nice work! I personally wouldn't do the numpad that way, but you did a great job.

I will study that space bar stabilizer before I do my next one.
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"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
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Offline SassyFish256

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Re: IBM Model F AT Modifications
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 05 July 2019, 18:11:47 »
Yeah, I use the numpad and arrow keys a lot, and I wanted the Ins, Del, Home and End cluster to be easily typable.

As for the spacebar, It works great, however I filed down a bit too much so it wobbles a little bit up and down.
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Offline E TwentyNine

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    • Some of My Keyboards
Re: IBM Model F AT Modifications
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 05 July 2019, 18:19:17 »
I get where you're coming from on the nav keys, but I simply removed a bunch of keys, attempting to get as close to an SSK as I could:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=52379

Tried a few variations. 

Interesting spacebar stabilizer trick.
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Daily driver: SSK or Tenkeyless IBM AT
1984 Model M Industrial Prototype ⌨ 1992 Black Oval Industrial SSK ⌨ 1982 5251 Beam Spring ⌨ 89 Key "SSK" ⌨ M13 triplets

Offline LightningXI

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Re: IBM Model F AT Modifications
« Reply #4 on: Sat, 13 July 2019, 06:09:22 »
I need to figure out how to do all this. Which guides did you follow? And where did you source your materials for the most part?
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Offline SassyFish256

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  • Posts: 3
Re: IBM Model F AT Modifications
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 16 July 2019, 17:13:14 »
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