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Author Topic: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom  (Read 3765 times)

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Offline kansas city shuffle

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1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 02:19:07 »
Anyone that has a Model M (1391401) from '93 experience a gap on the front bottom portion of the 2 halves? I have a '90 IBM Model M 1391401 that doesn't have this noticeable imperfection.

If so, were you able to clamp the 2 halves shut?

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Offline tp4tissue

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 02:40:31 »
Not the Gap'.... nooooooooooh....!! 

Do you know if it's caused by warped plastic over time.. or perhaps the plastic nubs the screws go into are too tall..
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Offline kansas city shuffle

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 02:48:49 »
No idea, it's like the bottom clips on the right side won't hold down properly. I can press down on the right side and it stays down for a bit but will eventually pop back up.

The left side is nice and snug. When I originally received this from clickykeyboards it was tightly sealed then I opened it up for an inspection and closed it up and noticed the gap. Merely aesthetic but its gets annoying if you're one of those OCD types. :)

Would like to hear from someone that has experienced this and if they were successful in sealing it properly.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 04:03:48 »
Mine has that gap all the way across (at least this one does, the other one is over there somewhere).

I hadn't noticed before, but it does not seem to affect the typing feel at all.  That I am aware of.
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Offline terran5992

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 04:17:58 »
Ummm use super glue?
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Offline rowdy

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 04:31:32 »
Quote from: terran5992 on Wed, 30 October 2013, 04:17:58
Ummm use super glue?

Then you wouldn't be able to open it again to clean it.
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

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Offline kansas city shuffle

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 04:32:57 »
Quote from: rowdy on Wed, 30 October 2013, 04:03:48
Mine has that gap all the way across (at least this one does, the other one is over there somewhere).

I hadn't noticed before, but it does not seem to affect the typing feel at all.  That I am aware of.

Right, definitely has no impact on typing or anything functional, purely aesthetic.
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Offline kansas city shuffle

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 04:34:09 »
Quote from: rowdy on Wed, 30 October 2013, 04:31:32
Quote from: terran5992 on Wed, 30 October 2013, 04:17:58
Ummm use super glue?

Then you wouldn't be able to open it again to clean it.

My thoughts exactly, dunno why anyone would want to super glue their kb shut...? lol amusing :)
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Offline Hellmark

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 07:43:37 »
I had something like that on my 1390131 when I had it apart one time. I took it back apart, made sure everything was seated properly, and popped it back together, no problem.
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Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 07:46:58 »
I had to retighten the bolts on my SSK in order to get the case to fit properly and have no gap. You might be able to try the same thing.
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Offline 1391406

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 08:10:29 »
As others have suggested, disassemble and reassemble the case, ensuring that the top and bottom halves are sandwiched together properly. Gaps can occur if someone took it apart and didn't seat it properly when they screwed it back together.
« Last Edit: Wed, 30 October 2013, 16:40:32 by 1391406 »
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Offline kansas city shuffle

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 16:53:27 »
Thanks for the suggestions tried everything mentioned above. The 4 plastic clips on the right side apparently do not stay clicked in.

Apparently, I was informed that over the design lifespan of the model M keyboard, the manufacturing tolerances did change.  The earliest model M keyboards (1985-1992) tend to have very close tolerances. While the later model M keyboards had many cost-saving materials and design changes.

Sticking with my 1990 IBM Model M.
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Offline Hellmark

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 17:24:25 »
KC, that is because the later model M's weren't made by IBM themselves. Originally IBM made all of them, but then they started having Lexmark make them in 1991 (IBM continued making in their Scotland plant for a few years after they shut down their US plants though). The cost cutting measures kicked in with Lexmark. If you have a board made by IBM themselves, then you should be good.

I've had a few of the Lexmark boards, and they're not bad. I mean, I do notice a difference on my silver label compared to the Lexmarks, but it isn't a huge difference. Side by side, the average person wouldn't be able to tell them apart, and it is really only the hardcore that can tell.

When I've taken M's apart before, I did have one that didn't click in properly, but I was able to press hard to get them to pop back in (make sure you do it all the way across), or adjust by taking apart again. Check the clips, see if any are broken or bent. That may be the issue.
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Offline dorkvader

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 18:14:35 »
My 1992 M had the same issue, two of the clips did not close on the right side. I can't get rid of the gap entirely.

It's a lexmark as well, and I attributed it to me reassembling it imperfectly.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 30 October 2013, 23:38:33 »
Both of mine are Lexmark btw fwiw.
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

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Offline kansas city shuffle

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #15 on: Thu, 31 October 2013, 15:44:46 »
Quote from: Hellmark on Wed, 30 October 2013, 17:24:25
KC, that is because the later model M's weren't made by IBM themselves. Originally IBM made all of them, but then they started having Lexmark make them in 1991 (IBM continued making in their Scotland plant for a few years after they shut down their US plants though). The cost cutting measures kicked in with Lexmark. If you have a board made by IBM themselves, then you should be good.

I've had a few of the Lexmark boards, and they're not bad. I mean, I do notice a difference on my silver label compared to the Lexmarks, but it isn't a huge difference. Side by side, the average person wouldn't be able to tell them apart, and it is really only the hardcore that can tell.

When I've taken M's apart before, I did have one that didn't click in properly, but I was able to press hard to get them to pop back in (make sure you do it all the way across), or adjust by taking apart again. Check the clips, see if any are broken or bent. That may be the issue.

It is what it is, it was an IBM board. The clips weren't broken and if it was bent I was not about to start messing with bending 20 yr old plastic, sent it back and all is well.
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Offline Hellmark

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #16 on: Thu, 31 October 2013, 19:15:33 »
One thing to keep in mind for the future, is that Unicomp does repair of Model M's.
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Offline laffindude

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #17 on: Fri, 01 November 2013, 00:13:30 »
If you think Lexmark is bad, Unicomp........
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Offline kansas city shuffle

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #18 on: Fri, 01 November 2013, 01:58:31 »
Quote from: Hellmark on Thu, 31 October 2013, 19:15:33
One thing to keep in mind for the future, is that Unicomp does repair of Model M's.

Will keep that in mind if the repair price is right, if not will just get another board...but this '90 IBM Model M is a beast and definitely a better heavier build than the '93 I had.
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Offline Hellmark

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #19 on: Fri, 01 November 2013, 07:09:06 »
If you do ever need their services, you can talk with them, and they'll give you a quote.
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Offline kansas city shuffle

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #20 on: Fri, 01 November 2013, 16:55:42 »
Quote from: Hellmark on Fri, 01 November 2013, 07:09:06
If you do ever need their services, you can talk with them, and they'll give you a quote.

Cool, thanks for the heads up.
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #21 on: Fri, 01 November 2013, 17:13:25 »
Quote from: Hellmark on Fri, 01 November 2013, 07:09:06
If you do ever need their services, you can talk with them, and they'll give you a quote.

Perhaps not all newbies know this, and correct me if I am wrong because I have never done it, but Unicomp has a $30 "rehab" service where you send in any Model M and they return it working properly.

The "catch" is that they put new in internals so that, for example, your old heavy plate gets replaced with a new lighter plate, but it is an amazing offer and wonderful customer service nonetheless.

Anybody who has done it, chime in.

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Offline Hellmark

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Re: 1993 IBM Model M - Gap between the 2 halves on the bottom
« Reply #22 on: Fri, 01 November 2013, 17:18:29 »
If you have a Lexmark one though, totally worth it, because your internals really remain about the same. Only time I wouldn't recommend it is if you do have an older one.
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