Author Topic: Quick IBM Model F vs. M Question  (Read 2495 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Computer-Lab in Basement

  • The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
  • * Elevated Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 3026
  • Location: NCC-1701, USS Enterprise
  • Live long and prosper
Quick IBM Model F vs. M Question
« on: Fri, 03 July 2020, 06:20:19 »
So I have an IBM Model F 122, which I currently do not have keycaps for. I also have an M 122, which does have all the keys.

Question: are the keycaps from the Model M fully identical and/or usable on the Model F? Based on a quick look, it seems the layouts are identical, yet they seem to use different stabilizers.

Any help/answers would be greatly appreciated.  :D
tp thread is tp thread
Sometimes it's like he accidentally makes a thread instead of a google search.

IBM Model M SSK | IBM Model F XT | IBM Model F 122 | IBM Model M 122 | Ducky YOTD 2012 w/ blue switches | Poker II w/ Blue switches | Royal Kludge RK61 w/ Blue switches

Offline E TwentyNine

  • Posts: 884
    • Some of My Keyboards
Re: Quick IBM Model F vs. M Question
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 03 July 2020, 08:03:40 »
Yes.  You'll have to transfer the stabilizer barrel inserts to the board that was using the wiring stabilizers, but it should all fit.
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 fohat.digs

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 6533
  • Location: 35°55'N, 83°53'W
  • weird funny old guy
Re: Quick IBM Model F vs. M Question
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 03 July 2020, 10:15:18 »
If you are not taking the M apart to push out the barrel stabilizers from behind, you need to be careful not to scratch the insides of the tubes.

The best thing that I have found is to straighten out a paper clip and bend a *tiny* "J" on the end so that you can just catch the bottom edge of the barrel insert and start pulling it out without damaging the interior walls.
From the US Constitution, Article 1, Section 8 :

The   Congress   shall have Power
To declare War,  grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To provide for calling forth the Militia  to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

Offline yui

  • Posts: 1082
  • Location: 127.0.0.1 (in azerty)
Re: Quick IBM Model F vs. M Question
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 06 July 2020, 02:05:29 »
i think older M used the wire stabilizers like the F but then IBM switched to barrel stabilizers, other than that i think they are identical and should work, you could check with the stabilized keys 1st as everything else should work just fine, and if you do not want to bother with removing the tubes from the M unicomp sells them for pretty cheap i think.
vi vi vi - the roman number of the beast (Plan9 fortune)

Offline fohat.digs

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 6533
  • Location: 35°55'N, 83°53'W
  • weird funny old guy
Re: Quick IBM Model F vs. M Question
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 06 July 2020, 07:47:25 »
Wire stabilizers are not compatible. Model M wires are both thicker in diameter and longer.
From the US Constitution, Article 1, Section 8 :

The   Congress   shall have Power
To declare War,  grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To provide for calling forth the Militia  to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

Offline ddrfraser1

  • Posts: 515
  • Location: Smashville
  • RIP Neil
Re: Quick IBM Model F vs. M Question
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 06 July 2020, 09:35:49 »
do this

list=LLNNAD_1r38KCmL_muhYVpYw&index=91&t=4s

Offline Computer-Lab in Basement

  • The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
  • * Elevated Elder
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 3026
  • Location: NCC-1701, USS Enterprise
  • Live long and prosper
Re: Quick IBM Model F vs. M Question
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 13 July 2020, 03:25:07 »
I was able to successfully transplant the M caps onto the F board, however I have not yet gotten the M metal stabilizers yet. Despite that the spacebar and return key are useable, but I will still definitely want to get the metal stabs cuz they're a little unstable.
tp thread is tp thread
Sometimes it's like he accidentally makes a thread instead of a google search.

IBM Model M SSK | IBM Model F XT | IBM Model F 122 | IBM Model M 122 | Ducky YOTD 2012 w/ blue switches | Poker II w/ Blue switches | Royal Kludge RK61 w/ Blue switches

Offline fohat.digs

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 6533
  • Location: 35°55'N, 83°53'W
  • weird funny old guy
Re: Quick IBM Model F vs. M Question
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 13 July 2020, 08:33:55 »
Besides the fact that Model M wires are much larger in diameter, if you look closely at the picture in the preceding post, you see that the M wire also extends 2mm-3mm farther out from the bottom of the space bar, meaning that the stabilizer tabs are also in a different position as well.
 
From the US Constitution, Article 1, Section 8 :

The   Congress   shall have Power
To declare War,  grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To provide for calling forth the Militia  to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;