Author Topic: Lots of IBMs  (Read 2300 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Supovitz

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 5
Lots of IBMs
« on: Fri, 03 December 2010, 17:59:13 »
My school was tossing all of their old keyboards/mouses, a big white heap on the way to the dumpster.. I started picking through it, ignoring those ugly Dell QuietKeys and found myself 5 IBMs. Happiest moment of my life.

Typing on my new IBM AT Keyboard, and in the process of cleaning the other 4 IBM Model Ms.

I'll be selling 4, keeping one for myself. The AT is on eBay right now, I know its sorta high but theres no others of its kind on eBay and it is kinda rare. The F4 and F3 keys are broken, the spring is stretched out, but its easily fixable.

Heres the link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180596032916&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_500wt_1156

I cleaned this one up really nice, I'm a germaphobe if that helps :tongue:

Offline ironman31

  • Posts: 834
Lots of IBMs
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 03 December 2010, 18:01:48 »
Nice find, I need me one of those
Keyboards:
IBM Model M Space Saving Keyboard (Used), HHKB Pro 2 (White, Lettered), Realforce 87U all-45g in White, Filco Majestouch 2 TKL with Cherry MX Browns, Model F PC/ATNoppoo Choc Mini (MX Browns), Model F XT, IBM Model M 1397735 (bought NIB), (2) Siig Minitouch (GHSS) one with XM, one with complicated ALPs (modded),2 Dell AT101W, Cherry G80-11900HRMUS (modded with MX browns)



Pointing Devices:
Logitech G500, Evoluent VerticalMouse 3, Logitech G5, CST 2545W, Microsoft IntelliMouse Trackball, Logitech M570, Logitech MX revolution


Offline Supovitz

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 5
Lots of IBMs
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 03 December 2010, 18:05:20 »
If you wanna bid/buy we can chat about it if you need more info.

I'll post another thread/edit this one about the other ones I'm putting up soon. I want them to be squeaky clean first, its actually fun popping the keys off and cleaning them out.

Offline Pylon

  • Posts: 852
Lots of IBMs
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 03 December 2010, 19:33:52 »
My threw out some Quietkeys and Compaqs today...I didn't take them, only a few mice.

Offline Sam

  • Posts: 189
Lots of IBMs
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 03 December 2010, 19:46:44 »
Actually there was one on eBay that just ended less than 24 hours ago and went unsold for $79.95 and had no broken keys and from a very well-known seller.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290504917365

At the moment prices for AT's are quite low compared to a few months ago.  The last AT that sold on eBay went for $45, which looked to be in good condition with all it's keys.  A couple months ago a working AT with a missing key or two went for under $40.  I may be wrong, but think you'll have a very hard time selling this one for that price.

Offline Supovitz

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 5
Lots of IBMs
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 09 December 2010, 15:53:10 »
6 watchers, 144 views, 0 bids... no problem

Dropped the price to $50.. bid if you would like. Don't really have room for it in my room, and would rather not store it in the garage.

Its in great condition, I cleaned it up nice, and I'm throwing in the Din > PS2 adapter too.

Offline AndrewZorn

  • Posts: 1086
Lots of IBMs
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 09 December 2010, 15:59:31 »
Dropping the starting bid is hardly dropping the price.  No one gets excited about auctions that start over 1 cent.  I know it's dumb.

If it was totally working (F3/F4) I would love to get one of these for this price, though.

Offline Supovitz

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 5
Lots of IBMs
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 09 December 2010, 16:05:55 »
The cost for you to fix it would be well worth the deal. I'm willing to sell this at $50, if nobody bids but you and you score this for $50 and I'd be more than happy.

I'm making free money, I saved the keyboard from being thrown out, I just really don't want it in my room.. I joined and posted here figuring people would want it

Offline ironman31

  • Posts: 834
Lots of IBMs
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 09 December 2010, 17:10:30 »
Sorry about not responding, I forgot to subscribe to this thread. And do the F3 and F4 keys just not click? Would they just need new hammers and springs?
Keyboards:
IBM Model M Space Saving Keyboard (Used), HHKB Pro 2 (White, Lettered), Realforce 87U all-45g in White, Filco Majestouch 2 TKL with Cherry MX Browns, Model F PC/ATNoppoo Choc Mini (MX Browns), Model F XT, IBM Model M 1397735 (bought NIB), (2) Siig Minitouch (GHSS) one with XM, one with complicated ALPs (modded),2 Dell AT101W, Cherry G80-11900HRMUS (modded with MX browns)



Pointing Devices:
Logitech G500, Evoluent VerticalMouse 3, Logitech G5, CST 2545W, Microsoft IntelliMouse Trackball, Logitech M570, Logitech MX revolution


Offline Supovitz

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 5
Lots of IBMs
« Reply #9 on: Thu, 09 December 2010, 17:28:32 »
They both just need springs to my knowledge

Offline Sam

  • Posts: 189
Lots of IBMs
« Reply #10 on: Fri, 10 December 2010, 01:00:22 »
First of all a belated welcome to GeekHack, and sorry for not mentioning the welcome in my first reply.  I personally especially welcome anyone with an interest in PC AT boards, as that's my favorite board myself.

So I hope my comments are taken correctly.  Especially being you're new here, I don't want to scare you off or to make you think I'm at all picking on you or simply badmouthing your listing.  I would though like to offer my comments to you as constructive criticism, so hopefully in the future you'll be able to get a higher price for your items, etc.

First of all, your picture in your eBay listing is horrible.  You really need to take a group of pictures with a proper digital camera.  Show the full keyboard top and bottom plus closeups.  A closeup of the label on the bottom, a closeup of the problem keys, etc.  You may have cleaned up the keyboard very well and it may be in excellent cosmetic shape other than the keys you described, but nobody will ever know it based on your photo that doesn't tell us anything except that it's an AT board.  If it's truly an excellent or above average board, proper photos will prove this and people can bid accordingly.  Nobody's going to bid extra for a board that you said you cleaned up well but have no real proof of.  AT keyboards look great in my opinion and proper photos of a clean board have a lot of "sex appeal".

An AT board with damaged or missing keys in my opinion will likely not sell for more than $40.  If you took the same keyboard and fixed it, it would sell for a lot more.  I'd guess the price of the same board fixed, compared to broken would be about double.  IMHO, putting something in the listing such as "easily fixed" or "easily replaced" is a huge no-no.  If it was so easy to do, "why didn't the seller do it himself?" is the first thing I think of.  And in the case of an AT board, it might be easy to do for someone who knows keyboards well, and has the spare parts, but for someone who doesn't, it could be quite difficult or impossible.  In the case of broken keys, how would one go about repairing them?  The answer is that you need to have a spare donor board with the parts to swap, and in the case of the springs, Model M springs are different.  Even though it's a very minor part, for most it's not easy to obtain.  That's why AT boards with problems are discounted to 50% or more compared to a board without problems - you need to buy two of them to make one complete board.  That or you live with a less than fully complete and working board.

You only have two positive feedbacks on eBay.  There's obviously nothing you can do about this unless you ask someone else to list the board for you.  But just realize that some people won't bid on it, or won't bid very much simply because you don't have a proven track record.  This especially holds true for any listing where there's anything remotely questionable about it, such as photos that aren't very clear, or comments about it being easy to fix.

As Ripster mentioned, your shipping is too low.  The AT board is heavy and nobody lists them for only $10 shipping.  Bump up the shipping a bit and lower the price by a comparable amount.  That's what all the other sellers do. :)

What I'm trying to say as nicely as possible, without trying to sound like I'm trying to bash your listing is that I doubt even at $50 it will sell.  Based on my experience, $30-$40 would be about right.

I'd recommend that you leave it as it is though and see if it sells.  Sometimes there's people out there that suddenly decide that want something and don't want to wait for the next one to come along, so it might sell.  If not, maybe come back and re-list it with some proper pictures and start out even lower.  Or offer it for sale here on Geekhack.

Good luck to you!  And I hope you're able to get a decent price for it.

Offline ch_123

  • * Exalted Elder
  • Posts: 5860
Lots of IBMs
« Reply #11 on: Fri, 10 December 2010, 03:06:42 »
Quote from: Supovitz;260339
They both just need springs to my knowledge


Have fun finding new Model F springs.

(They're different to the Model M ones)