Picking up my first Model M tomorrow - [Updated with pics]

[ThirdLap]

There's a guy about an hour from me selling Model Ms for $20 and I've decided to bite the bullet and buy one.  I had been hoping to score one on the cheap from a local thrift store, but it's gotten to the point where I'm spending more on fuel driving all around than simply spending the $20.

Anyhow, without cracking the sucker open, is there anything I can accomplish from a external visual inspection?   Should I look for any specific part number?  Is it worth picking up more than one if they are in excellent condition?

[hyperlinked]

Sorry... this is a bit off topic but... $20 isn't cheap enough for you?

Treigle had a stash of Model M's going for $45 that are all reportedly in good working condition. I have one of them and it's in perfect working order.

I don't know if he's got any left though.

[ThirdLap]

Sorry... this is a bit off topic but... $20 isn't cheap enough for you?

No, I realize $20 is quite cheap for an M.  I'm just a bit of bargain hunter, and hoped to find one for a dollar or two.  That's a big part of the appeal of vintage keyboards for me - the hunt.

As I understand it, Ms ending in 120 and 131 are constructed of heavier plastic and steel, and thus heavier.  Is it worth seeking one of these out?

And since $20 is considered cheap, should I pick up a few?

[EverythingIBM]

No, I realize $20 is quite cheap for an M.  I'm just a bit of bargain hunter, and hoped to find one for a dollar or two.  That's a big part of the appeal of vintage keyboards for me - the hunt.

As I understand it, Ms ending in 120 and 131 are constructed of heavier plastic and steel, and thus heavier.  Is it worth seeking one of these out?

And since $20 is considered cheap, should I pick up a few?

Yes.

You won't find any for a dollar (even recyclers sell them for at least $10). The only other place you'll find them is if you're lucky to get them from your school for free or at a dump.

[ThirdLap]

You won't find any for a dollar (even recyclers sell them for at least $10).

I don't know, I still have my hopes.  In a couple weeks of searching I found this for seventy cents, ten AT101s for $5, and a few other mechanical keyboards for a buck or two.  There's still a place that has pallets of keyboards I need to check out, but sorting through thousands of old keyboards is fairly exhausting work.

Wondering if I should spend a day picking out every mechanical keyboard out of those pallets.  I imagine I could score  them for free if I agreed to sort the remainder for the owner.

[Mental Hobbit]

Shake it. Rattling parts inside indicate broken rivets. (No rattling doesn't necessarily mean no broken rivets though, they could have just fallen out.) Check for a uniform key feel over the entire board. Use rarely used keys such as print or scroll lock as a reference.
That's what I would do, but the Model M experts here will have more tips.

[Superfluous Parentheses]

This may be obvious, but press a few keys to see that you've got a real buckling spring board. There are a few rubber-dome versions of the Model M around, you know. The difference in sound should be obvious.

[ThirdLap]

This may be obvious, but press a few keys to see that you've got a real buckling spring board. There are a few rubber-dome versions of the Model M around, you know. The difference in sound should be obvious.

This is my worst fear, as the shop is an hour away.  That said, I'm confident they are the right Model Ms, as he describes them as 'clicky'.  I've used a number of rubber-dome Model M lookalikes recently, so I should be able to tell the difference.

[ThirdLap]

Shake it. Rattling parts inside indicate broken rivets. (No rattling doesn't necessarily mean no broken rivets though, they could have just fallen out.) Check for a uniform key feel over the entire board. Use rarely used keys such as print or scroll lock as a reference.

Thanks, good advice.

[ThirdLap]

Well, off to pick up my Model M.  Will post pics later today.

[ThirdLap]

I got 'em!  I picked up two Model Ms (one blue logo, one gray logo) for $40. I have to say, the Model M is one of the few instances where something truly lives up to every bit of its reputation.  

Both check out fine with Aqua's KeyTest, and everything feels remarkably solid and new for a 20-year old piece of equipment.

Here they are after a good cleaning:






And here they are prior to cleaning:







And the labels:






I'm sold, these are amazing keyboards!

[audioave10]

Your frugal search has paid off very well!

[isp]

Good job with the cleaning.  What did you use to clean?

Enjoy them.

[mcdonc]

Looking good!

[microsoft windows]

I don't know, I still have my hopes.  In a couple weeks of searching I found this for seventy cents, ten AT101s for $5, and a few other mechanical keyboards for a buck or two.  There's still a place that has pallets of keyboards I need to check out, but sorting through thousands of old keyboards is fairly exhausting work.

Wondering if I should spend a day picking out every mechanical keyboard out of those pallets.  I imagine I could score  them for free if I agreed to sort the remainder for the owner.

Get that 70 cent keyboard. It's a Northgate Omnikey, which is one of the best clicky keyboards. You could sell it on ebay for $60 and get yourself 3 model M's!

[kriminal]

=O
northgate for 70c nice

[microsoft windows]

You all'll be surprised how easy it is to find deals like. Just got to look in the right place.

I got one of the very first M5-2's for free.

[ThirdLap]

Get that 70 cent keyboard. It's a Northgate Omnikey, which is one of the best clicky keyboards. You could sell it on ebay for $60 and get yourself 3 model M's!

Don't worry, I got it.  The picture is of what it looked like after I spent a couple days restoring it. I have no intention of selling it though.

[ThirdLap]

Good job with the cleaning.  What did you use to clean?

Enjoy them.

You know, the ease with which these Model Ms cleaned up is another reason I like them so much. The Omnikey took hours and hours of hydrogen peroxide and UV exposure to restore (not to mention fixing two broken keycaps and replacing a switch), but with the Ms I only used OxiClean, dish soap, hot water, and a toothbrush.

I disassembled each board and soaked the top frame and the keys in the OxiClean/dish soap/hot water. The bottom frame I spot cleaned because I didn't want to mess up the 'birth certificate' label. After soaking it for twenty minutes or so I used the toothbrush to clean the top and the keys.  Within 90 minutes of getting the boards home I had them cleaned, dried, and reassembled.  Piece of cake.

I'm totally hooked now btw.  I want to go back and buy the rest of this guys supply.

[ThirdLap]

You all'll be surprised how easy it is to find deals like. Just got to look in the right place.

So true.  I've probably visited at least 40 thrift stores in the last month looking for old keyboards, and have gone through literally hundreds of boards during these searches.

Go figure though, my best finds so far have been at a store just a few miles from my house.  For whatever reason they keep getting really old keyboards in, while other stores only seem to get crap boards from the late 90s.

[Phaedrus2129]

There is one thrift store in southern New Orleans, and the only notable keyboards they had last time I looked were a half dozen grimy MS Ergo 4000s.