Recommendations for bolt modding?

[berserkfan]

I'm interested in bolt modding an old M122. Thanks to one dropped rivet*, some keys have become unreliable forcing its recent retirement.

I am exploring bolt modding options now.

Chiseling out the rivets, I probably can do. I'm quite good at destroying my keyboards through clumsiness or something.

Drilling holes properly, I don't think so.

This brings me to some questions:

1) is it possible to buy barrel/ chimney plates from Unicomp with the holes present? After all new barrel plates should have no rivets, right? If I could get such a plate, I should be able to avoid having to drill 80+ holes, right?

2) what kind of specs do I need for the drill? And what kind of drill? What specs do I need for the drill bit? I do not own anything apart from a standard Bosch masonry drill (ie for normal house repairs and hanging up hooks). So I probably lack the correct tools, but I need to know what are the correct tools to use.

3) does anyone know the specs for the bolts/ screws most suitable for a bolt mod?

*like all vintage keyboards my 122 already had a few rivets lost when I bought it. The main difference is, after some time in my use, it lost one more rivet that was the straw which broke the camel's back. Until I bolt mod this keyboard I will have to either retire it, or forego the use of some keys on the right side.

[CPTBadAss]

These threads might help you:

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54190.0

http://wiki.geekhack.org/index.php?title=Modifications:IBM_Model_M:Nut_and_Bolt_Mod

http://imgur.com/a/QroSL

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=37753.0

[SpAmRaY]

I don't have any experience with it but I found a few threads that might help

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=52651.0

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=56883.0

I'm sure there are more but thats all I could find quickly.

[fohat.digs]

1) is it possible to buy barrel/ chimney plates from Unicomp with the holes present? After all new barrel plates should have no rivets, right? If I could get such a plate, I should be able to avoid having to drill 80+ holes, right?

2) what kind of specs do I need for the drill? And what kind of drill? What specs do I need for the drill bit? I do not own anything apart from a standard Bosch masonry drill (ie for normal house repairs and hanging up hooks). So I probably lack the correct tools, but I need to know what are the correct tools to use.

3) does anyone know the specs for the bolts/ screws most suitable for a bolt mod?

1) no, the "rivets" are posts that get melted down
2) something that you can hold very steady, like a Dremel, and guide accurately. slowest possible speeds
3) I think that I showed an order form later in my F-122 guide

[E TwentyNine]

I'd recommend simply drilling the missing rivets with the board assembled and put bolts in those spots.

On the chance you get debris in the sandwich of barrel plate/membranes/backplate you'd have to do a full bolt mod but you seem to be at that point anyway.

For the slowest speeds a handheld screwdriver is likely slower than any rotary tool.

[bcg]

Don't be scared, just jump right and do the whole bolt mod.  Don't mess around with shortcuts, it doesn't take that much longer to do it the right way.

Do be careful drilling though, the quickest way to get it done is to be careful and get it right the first time.  Don't rush.

Listen to fohat and you'll be fine.

Here's what I use from McMaster Carr, works for me

92005A029   Metric Pan Head Phillips Machine Screw, Zinc-Plated Steel, M2 Size, 8MM Length, .4MM Pitch, Packs of 100 (http://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp?partnum=92005A029)
90592A004   Metric Plain Steel Hex Nut, Class 6, M2 Size, .4 mm Pitch, 4MM W , 1.6MM H, Packs of 100 (http://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp?partnum=90592A004)
93475A196   Metric DIN 125 18-8 Stainless Steel Flat Washer, M2.5 Screw Size, 6MM OD, 0.45MM-0.55MM Thick, Packs of 100 (http://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp?partnum=93475A196)

[Melvang]

And use a drill not a rotary tool such as a dremel.  The dremel will not be able to go slow enough to not melt the plastic, at which point it will create an extra time consuming process.  I tappped the holes before I put the bolts in mine but that I believe is an optional step. 

[berserkfan]

um, lots of people have given excellent suggestions on the bolt and nut and screw sizes.

But nobody has responded adequately to the drill/ dremel thing.

I barely even know what a drill is. I mean, I don't think a 3kg Bosch masonry drill is gonna work. But I have no idea what kinds and types and brands and specs of drills and drill bits to look out for. I'm imagining there are small drills that are easily manueverable for precision work on a keyboard?

In Singapore there isn't much of a DIY culture so it's very hard. All DIY shops sell stuff only for home fixes - big heavy stuff. I already have enough difficulty finding small or precision screws. And on top of that, the folks in DIY and hardware shops are certified idiots who couldn't find low end jobs in their home countries. You have Filipinos who tell me they don't sell candles when I ask for solder wick, and you have Chinese who tell me if I want nuts I need to buy them over at place x between the salad shop and the cookie shop.

[Melvang]

This is the drill that I used when I did mine.  If I was to do another one I would use a friends shop with his floor mounted drill press so the bit doesn't wander off where it should be.  Granted I have experience drilling aluminum rivets where the surface isn't flat (button head solid rivets on aircraft) so getting the drill back where it is supposed to be wasn't to difficult.  If you are not confident using something of this size I would go with something like this.  The reason is because since you have to turn it with your fingers there is a lot less chance of drilling where you aren't supposed to be.  Granted it will take much longer but a lot less chance of errors.  I already checked the size of the drill bit that is needed.  It will fit in this particular model of hand drill.

[berserkfan]

This is the drill that I used when I did mine.  If I was to do another one I would use a friends shop with his floor mounted drill press so the bit doesn't wander off where it should be.  Granted I have experience drilling aluminum rivets where the surface isn't flat (button head solid rivets on aircraft) so getting the drill back where it is supposed to be wasn't to difficult.  If you are not confident using something of this size I would go with something like this.  The reason is because since you have to turn it with your fingers there is a lot less chance of drilling where you aren't supposed to be.  Granted it will take much longer but a lot less chance of errors.  I already checked the size of the drill bit that is needed.  It will fit in this particular model of hand drill.

Ah, I think the commando hand drill is much more to my liking. Less intimidating. What's the bit size needed to match the bolts/ screws recommended for bolt modding? That thing only says sizes #52-#74.

BTW any suggestions on what else I can do with this drill? Since I have no reason to buy other than to do bolt modding, I'm wondering what else this drill can be used for. Because it's a hand drill, am I right to say it's not usable on metal, and therefore can't be used to drill holes in plates?

[vivalarevolución]

I used a basic drill used for all sorts of basic home repairs.  The one linked by Melvang will be sufficient.  Make sure you cut off those rivets to make a nice, flat surface to increase the accuracy of your drilling.  While some may shy away from using a standard hand drill for this mod, I find that I have the patience and steadiness to do the job with screwing up.

Also, a 1/16 of an inch drill bit is the size that I used.  Anything bigger will create holes that are too large for that barrel frame.

[Melvang]

I used a 1.6mm bit for mine.  But I ran a tap down each hole before running the M2 bolts through the holes.  Though iirc the step with the tap is optional.  1.6mm drill bit is the correct size for tapping M2 threads.  It will be towards the very upper end of the hand drill that I linked but will fit. 

I have used my hand drill to make new holes in the PCB when I rotated a switch in the PCB for my third gen Das keyboard.  I would think using this in aluminum would be possible but not anything harder.

[0100010]

1/2" hammer drill is too much, and a tiny hand drill is not enough.  Something like a 3/8" variable speed chuckless corded drill would be fine - the key being the variable speed.

[fohat.digs]

- the key being the variable speed.

I wish my Dremel had at least one more setting lower than "Low"

[dorkvader]

I used my makita cordless drill that I modified to run form a benchtop powersupply I have. I used a 1/16 bit, I believe.

Interestingly enough, even if the hole isn't perfectly straight, it will still usually work. I had a few that weren't perfect, but the entire mod works fine.

If you get a plate from unicomp (chimnetys they call it) they send it to you with the rivets unmelted. they are just a bunch of sticks that pop out the back of the plate.

it occurs to me that if GH had a lasercutter, we could make new plates with holes for bolts really quickly. same for model F mats.