IBM Model F AT (PC/AT)

[AKIMbO]

Found this keyboard perusing ebay.  It was listed previously and the reserve was not met.  I believe the bidding only got to around $100ish...I blame the Geekhack outage 

Anyways 4 days left on the auction and no bids as of yet. 

[fohat.digs]

I don't know whether to be happy or sad to know that the going rate for these is a C-note.

I only have one (after buying and selling several (~4) in that range, or higher, about a year ago and losing at least a C-note in the process) which is my "keeper" in deep storage.

These are nice boards, and with an easy mod to get the Enter/\|/Backspace area straightened out, quite useable on modern gear.

[bootstrap]

As AKIMbO said, this is a relisted item. The reserve price was not tested enough for us to find out what it was. Apparently, setting a reserve turned away some potential buyers, judging by recent prices on eBay ($270 for this F AT, and $217.50 for this F AT, both of which had no reserves) and the highest bid for the previous auction was only $62.89.

[486]

As AKIMbO said, this is a relisted item. The reserve price was not tested enough for us to find out what it was. Apparently, setting a reserve turned away some potential buyers, judging by recent prices on eBay ($270 for this F AT, and $217.50 for this F AT, both of which had no reserves) and the highest bid for the previous auction was only $62.89.

Yep. They've gone up ten fold in the past ten years. Imagine what they will be worth in 2020!
I'm lucky just to have one for the price I paid. Now I want another! Hopefully a US one this time.
XT's are generally less because
No Protocol compatiblity with At/PS2/USB without modding.
No Lock LED's
Harder to disassemble, reassemble but no messy deteriorating foam!
Even worse layout than AT.

If you had to choose between an F AT and a M SSK, choose the F AT because M SSK are only expensive because the mouse can be closer to the letter rows on the keyboard.

[AKIMbO]

As AKIMbO said, this is a relisted item. The reserve price was not tested enough for us to find out what it was. Apparently, setting a reserve turned away some potential buyers, judging by recent prices on eBay ($270 for this F AT, and $217.50 for this F AT, both of which had no reserves) and the highest bid for the previous auction was only $62.89.

Yep. They've gone up ten fold in the past ten years. Imagine what they will be worth in 2020!
I'm lucky just to have one for the price I paid. Now I want another! Hopefully a US one this time.
XT's are generally less because
No Protocol compatiblity with At/PS2/USB without modding.
No Lock LED's
Harder to disassemble, reassemble but no messy deteriorating foam!
Even worse layout than AT.

If you had to choose between an F AT and a M SSK, choose the F AT because M SSK are only expensive because the mouse can be closer to the letter rows on the keyboard.

I find the XTs to be a million times easier to breakdown/disassemble than ATs.  The XTs don't use those plastic hook connections on the palm rest area of the keyboard like the ATs do.  I'm still pulling for wcass to figure out the XTs PCB/capacitance so we can enjoy a modern XT layout.

[fohat.digs]

My most feared moment when "preparing" an F AT is taking that damned case apart. Not only is the design stupid and bad, the plastic is quite brittle (at least in the 4-5 I have done).

And over half of the F-122s I have bought have had broken cases somewhere (usually the bottom corners where there is the least material).

These can be bolt-modded (I have only done it on F-122s) to avoid messing with the sliding force-fit, and new foam mats can easily be fabricated with a 5/8" hole punch.

[AKIMbO]

My most feared moment when "preparing" an F AT is taking that damned case apart. Not only is the design stupid and bad, the plastic is quite brittle (at least in the 4-5 I have done).

And over half of the F-122s I have bought have had broken cases somewhere (usually the bottom corners where there is the least material).

These can be bolt-modded (I have only done it on F-122s) to avoid messing with the sliding force-fit, and new foam mats can easily be fabricated with a 5/8" hole punch.

Lol...yes that dreaded creaking noise as you separate the two casings.  *shiver*

[Wildcard]

I tried to ask them (twice) what the reserve is on this. I agree these boards are worth quite a bit, and everyone wants to get top dollar for their stuff but they woudn't even tell me what they were hoping to get. Also, this AT doesn't appear to be in very good shape. Probably going to pass on this one again.

[486]

As AKIMbO said, this is a relisted item. The reserve price was not tested enough for us to find out what it was. Apparently, setting a reserve turned away some potential buyers, judging by recent prices on eBay ($270 for this F AT, and $217.50 for this F AT, both of which had no reserves) and the highest bid for the previous auction was only $62.89.

Yep. They've gone up ten fold in the past ten years. Imagine what they will be worth in 2020!
I'm lucky just to have one for the price I paid. Now I want another! Hopefully a US one this time.
XT's are generally less because
No Protocol compatiblity with At/PS2/USB without modding.
No Lock LED's
Harder to disassemble, reassemble but no messy deteriorating foam!
Even worse layout than AT.

If you had to choose between an F AT and a M SSK, choose the F AT because M SSK are only expensive because the mouse can be closer to the letter rows on the keyboard.

I find the XTs to be a million times easier to breakdown/disassemble than ATs.  The XTs don't use those plastic hook connections on the palm rest area of the keyboard like the ATs do.  I'm still pulling for wcass to figure out the XTs PCB/capacitance so we can enjoy a modern XT layout.

Never owned a F XT so I wouldn't know. I was just assuming this from a keyboard dissassmbly video I saw on youtube.
Missed out last time there was a boxed XT in Aus. Only went for $71 so it's not worth buying on from the US.

[Wildcard]

Not a bad price for a boxed XT.

The XT's I usually pick up are around $30-50. Cheapest was $25, but that was a doner board.

[Icarium]

Damn, I'd love to have another XT. Maybe it's just worn out but it feels definitely nicer than my AT.

[486]

Damn, I'd love to have another XT. Maybe it's just worn out but it feels definitely nicer than my AT.

Icarium, How many buckling spring keyboards do you have?

[dorkvader]

Not a bad price for a boxed XT.

The XT's I usually pick up are around $30-50. Cheapest was $25, but that was a doner board.

My XT came with box, and was only $30. I threw away the box, though.

Really, I hope Wcass can get the XTant project made, as it will be awesome! I bought my XT only for that reason, though I may end up trying to use it once I can get my phantom/teeny's in.

I'd really like an AT, but given how easy it should be to get a 122 -key F working, I think I'd rather save the money and have that.

[Icarium]

Damn, I'd love to have another XT. Maybe it's just worn out but it feels definitely nicer than my AT.

Icarium, How many buckling spring keyboards do you have?

I have a couple of normal Model Ms, two with 122 key, one SSK and a XT and AT model F.
I would not buy the SSK again. Really not worth the premium price one pays for it.

[Icarium]

Not a bad price for a boxed XT.

The XT's I usually pick up are around $30-50. Cheapest was $25, but that was a doner board.

My XT came with box, and was only $30. I threw away the box, though.

Really, I hope Wcass can get the XTant project made, as it will be awesome! I bought my XT only for that reason, though I may end up trying to use it once I can get my phantom/teeny's in.

I'd really like an AT, but given how easy it should be to get a 122 -key F working, I think I'd rather save the money and have that.

Do you know how hard it is to find a 122 key F and how expensive they are?

[Wildcard]

I bought a 122 key model F for $25. But it's in bad shape and it had the cable cut. I know some others on GH got good quality 122's for under $100.

[dorkvader]

My F-122 was $35. The keycaps were dirty, and one was missing. As far as I can tell, the case isn't cracked, which was pretty impressive considering.

I think I got a good deal, especially once I saw the ID number was under 500.

Ofcourse I'll want to mod it to work with a modern computer. Soarer's adapter will work on it, right?

[Wildcard]

Yeah it should work fine with Soarer's adapter

[fohat.digs]

A Model F 122-key terminal board is the only way to go, if you have the desk space.

You have to take it apart and move barrels and springs around to get a near-ANSI layout, but then it is exquisite.

The Teensy only costs $20-25 and works great.

Are the old wikis back up, by any chance?

[Wildcard]

Are the old wikis back up, by any chance?

I heard that they are up, but working on it still.

In the mean time visit waybackmachine.org for old archived versions of Geekhack.

[486]

Are the old wikis back up, by any chance?

I heard that they are up, but working on it still.

In the mean time visit waybackmachine.org for old archived versions of Geekhack.

I archived a lot of wikis from about 2010 and sent them to mkawa. Hopefully they will be available to all of you soon. Also, i found a Model F 122 for about $30. Add postage which would be about $50 so about $80 total. Is it worth it?

[bootstrap]

I archived a lot of wikis from about 2010 and sent them to mkawa. Hopefully they will be available to all of you soon. Also, i found a Model F 122 for about $30. Add postage which would be about $50 so about $80 total. Is it worth it?

If the keyboard is in good condition, I think $30 is a steal. Knowing how much these beasts weigh, I assume shipping is local or surface mail.

[dorkvader]

Also, i found a Model F 122 for about $30. Add postage which would be about $50 so about $80 total. Is it worth it?

If it's shipping from/to the USA, it should fit, well packed in a large flat-rate box. My F-122 was under $55 shipped (I believe) this way.

[486]

Also, i found a Model F 122 for about $30. Add postage which would be about $50 so about $80 total. Is it worth it?

If it's shipping from/to the USA, it should fit, well packed in a large flat-rate box. My F-122 was under $55 shipped (I believe) this way.

I live in Australia. How much does your F-122 weigh?
And also, I remember that someone was selling black Teensy plastic shells. Do you know who that was?

[dorkvader]

Ah, shipping from US to AUS would be a lot more. (Large flat rate box is $60, so a slightly smaller box would be a little less.) I think it weighs like 8 lbs. I don't remember hearing anything about black teensy shells.

[fohat.digs]

A USPS "large flat rate board game box" is perfect for any keyboard including the F-122 with decent padding. It goes anywhere for $59.

The "flat rate" part is key. A heavy old keyboard, well-packed, will exceed the weight limits for International Air Mail so the flat rate box is the better choice.

Somebody mounted a Teensy in a really nice little box, look about halfway through Soarer's XT/AT/NKRO thread for pictures.

[AKIMbO]

The auction didn't break the reserve price.  What's up with this F AT?  It didn't meet the reserve the first time either.  Was their an artificially inflated price/bubble on the F AT's and it has now popped? 

[False_Dmitry_II]

I don't know about anyone else but I intentionally don't bid on any auctions that use a reserve.

[fohat.digs]

I have bought sold a lot of stuff on ebay, using all their tools.

Reserve is certainly the most ridiculous thing they have.

If you aren't selling for less than $100, why start at $1? Do you enjoy wasting your time, and other people's? And ebay charges you to put a reserve on your item!

Every seller and buyer has his own techniques. I have settled on selling almost exclusively as "Buy-it-Now" starting at the highest price I can dream of getting, and dropping incrementally until I sell. That is usually about 10% per week.

I also prefer to buy as "Buy-it-Now" if at all possible, because I am impatient and don't like to play games. I also like a sure thing.

Otherwise, I always snipe. If I am not in a hurry, I put a "lowball" snipe on every item that meets my needs, and eventually I snag one.