IBM Model M SSK repair

[chryos1029]

Guys, I just got myself a ssk for around $70
But some keys don't work and some of the spring is rusty as hell 
And when I shake the keyboard, they are some sound in it, probably the rivets have broken down?
Is there anyone that is able to fix it
I live in Malaysia so it is good if the person is in asia...

[Olumin]

If you know what you are doing its a pretty easy fix, since I'm located in Germany I wont be able to fix it for you but you can easily do it yourself. You will of cause need replacement parts, so I would suggest getting a beaten up old model M (that preferably doesn't work any more) for near to noting and using it for spare parts (springs). What you do it opening up the case of you SSK (with a  5.5mm nut driver), remove the key-caps and then removing the remaining rivets on the backside of the steel-plate which are holding it together. After you did this it should come apart (can be a bit fiddly, be patient). You can then separate the layers and replace the springs. After you are finished you line up the layers carefully and then replace the rivets with screws. It helps if you mark the former positions of the rivets with a white marker. Your Model M is then "Bolt modded". Put your case back together, put the key-caps back on, done.

[chryos1029]

If you know what you are doing its a pretty easy fix, since I'm located in Germany I wont be able to fix it for you but you can easily do it yourself. You will of cause need replacement parts, so I would suggest getting a beaten up old model M (that preferably doesn't work any more) for near to noting and using it for spare parts (springs). What you do it opening up the case of you SSK (with a  5.5mm nut driver), remove the key-caps and then removing the remaining rivets on the backside of the steel-plate which are holding it together. After you did this it should come apart (can be a bit fiddly, be patient). You can then separate the layers and replace the springs. After you are finished you line up the layers carefully and then replace the rivets with screws. It helps if you mark the former positions of the rivets with a white marker. Your Model M is then "Bolt modded". Put your case back together, put the key-caps back on, done.

Can I just buy new springs from pckeyboard.com?
they seem to be selling new springs too
But is doing the mod hard?

[fohat.digs]

But is doing the mod hard?

You will need to drill several dozen small holes very accurately. Everything else is trivial.

I have done it 20 times or so using only hand tools with excellent results, but a drill press would make it easier.

[Olumin]

If you know what you are doing its a pretty easy fix, since I'm located in Germany I wont be able to fix it for you but you can easily do it yourself. You will of cause need replacement parts, so I would suggest getting a beaten up old model M (that preferably doesn't work any more) for near to noting and using it for spare parts (springs). What you do it opening up the case of you SSK (with a  5.5mm nut driver), remove the key-caps and then removing the remaining rivets on the backside of the steel-plate which are holding it together. After you did this it should come apart (can be a bit fiddly, be patient). You can then separate the layers and replace the springs. After you are finished you line up the layers carefully and then replace the rivets with screws. It helps if you mark the former positions of the rivets with a white marker. Your Model M is then "Bolt modded". Put your case back together, put the key-caps back on, done.

Can I just buy new springs from pckeyboard.com?
they seem to be selling new springs too
But is doing the mod hard?

I'm not sure if unicomp uses the exact same style switch as the IBM ones do, I have never owned a umicomp. In any case I would go for the original parts, just in case. But there might be someone who has experience with unicomp parts, I'm not the one. The mod is a little fiddly, especially if you are doing it for the first time. The only really "tricky" part is to replace the rivets with screws, anything else cannot really go wrong. Make sure you keep in mind in which order the layers come together in the end, since you will have to put it back together again. There was a Video on YouTube on how to Bolt mod a model M, but it was deleted recently.

I quickly took some photos for you, which show you all the different parts when you take a Model M apart, and also show you how to put it back together, how to mark the positions for the screws and how to line up the parts again, as well the putting the board back together, I hope that gives you a idea. Sorry for the rather crude image quality, I took them quickly.

Warning: many pictures!
1: The parts, or layers:


2: The former position of the rivets and where I marked them with a white marker:


3: A closer look at the markings:


4: lining the layers up again 1:


5: Lining the layers up again 2:


6: A closer look at the layers 1:


7: A closer look 2:


8: Having all lined up 1:


9: Having all lined up 2:


10: putting it back into the case (that one didn't came out well):


11: All put together:

[Olumin]

Like fohat.digs said, you will have to drill several holes with a slightly smaller diameter then the screws, in the positions I marked with the white marker, the positions of the former rivets. After that you begin to screw in the screws, obviously after you put everything back together. After everything is screwed together, you put it back into the case and put your keycaps back on, done.

[chryos1029]

Like fohat.digs said, you will have to drill several holes with a slightly smaller diameter then the screws, in the positions I marked with the white marker, the positions of the former rivets. After that you begin to screw in the screws, obviously after you put everything back together. After everything is screwed together, you put it back into the case and put your keycaps back on, done.

So I need to drill a small hole and then only the screws?
But if i did it wrong will it be a huge problem?
Like the keyboard isn't usable at all

g2136889#msg2136889 date=1460553015]
If you know what you are doing its a pretty easy fix, since I'm located in Germany I wont be able to fix it for you but you can easily do it yourself. You will of cause need replacement parts, so I would suggest getting a beaten up old model M (that preferably doesn't work any more) for near to noting and using it for spare parts (springs). What you do it opening up the case of you SSK (with a  5.5mm nut driver), remove the key-caps and then removing the remaining rivets on the backside of the steel-plate which are holding it together. After you did this it should come apart (can be a bit fiddly, be patient). You can then separate the layers and replace the springs. After you are finished you line up the layers carefully and then replace the rivets with screws. It helps if you mark the former positions of the rivets with a white marker. Your Model M is then "Bolt modded". Put your case back together, put the key-caps back on, done.

Can I just buy new springs from pckeyboard.com?
they seem to be selling new springs too
But is doing the mod hard?

I'm not sure if unicomp uses the exact same style switch as the IBM ones do, I have never owned a umicomp. In any case I would go for the original parts, just in case. But there might be someone who has experience with unicomp parts, I'm not the one. The mod is a little fiddly, especially if you are doing it for the first time. The only really "tricky" part is to replace the rivets with screws, anything else cannot really go wrong. Make sure you keep in mind in which order the layers come together in the end, since you will have to put it back together again. There was a Video on YouTube on how to Bolt mod a model M, but it was deleted recently.

I quickly took some photos for you, which show you all the different parts when you take a Model M apart, and also show you how to put it back together, how to mark the positions for the screws and how to line up the parts again, as well the putting the board back together, I hope that gives you a idea. Sorry for the rather crude image quality, I took them quickly.

Warning: many pictures!
1: The parts, or layers:


2: The former position of the rivets and where I marked them with a white marker:


3: A closer look at the markings:


4: lining the layers up again 1:


5: Lining the layers up again 2:


6: A closer look at the layers 1:


7: A closer look 2:


8: Having all lined up 1:


9: Having all lined up 2:


10: putting it back into the case (that one didn't came out well):


11: All put together:

[/quote]

Woah, really thank you for all of the picture
How much screw in needed approximately?
and what size of screw?

[Olumin]

You need about 60 screws for a standard Model M, but since your's a SSK, you will need considerably less, don't exactly know how many, I would just go for 50, that way a will have a few spare ones. Since I live in Germany, the screws might not be called the same where you are located, but these work well, that's 2,2 mm X 6,5 mm.:


It will need to be a flat-head screw, to flushly fit onto the plate. 

[fohat.digs]

Woah, really thank you for all of the picture
How much screw in needed approximately?
and what size of screw?

There are a number of guides for Model M bolt-modding. Always check the "awesome resources" thread at the top of the "making stuff together" section.

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

I prefer using a "chisel tip" on an Xacto knife for removing the rivet heads, and using the smallest spherical burr on the Dremel to start my holes, but that is up to you.

50 screws should be enough, I think that the SSK has 49 rivets.

[E TwentyNine]

I'm not sure if unicomp uses the exact same style switch as the IBM ones do...

It's literally the same manufacturing equipment as IBM used, if not slightly the worse for wear.

Nice writeup.

[chryos1029]

Woah, really thank you for all of the picture
How much screw in needed approximately?
and what size of screw?

There are a number of guides for Model M bolt-modding. Always check the "awesome resources" thread at the top of the "making stuff together" section.

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

I prefer using a "chisel tip" on an Xacto knife for removing the rivet heads, and using the smallest spherical burr on the Dremel to start my holes, but that is up to you.

50 screws should be enough, I think that the SSK has 49 rivets.

Is there any chances that the SDL port has problem so that the keys cant be registered?
When I'm typing , the key does register but seems to be lagging, what's the problem?

[fohat.digs]

It is always best to thoroughly clean everything and verify that all connections are secure before moving on to the destructive stuff.

[chryos1029]

It is always best to thoroughly clean everything and verify that all connections are secure before moving on to the destructive stuff.

Any recommended method to test it?

[rowdy]

It is always best to thoroughly clean everything and verify that all connections are secure before moving on to the destructive stuff.

Any recommended method to test it?

https://elitekeyboards.com/switchhitter.php