IBM Model M2

[y11971alex]

After going to one end of the IBM keyboard family with my 3101, I'm now ready to embark onto the other end: the M2.  Alas, eBay fails to produce one at a reasonable cost.  Anywhere I might have better luck?

I also learned that the M2 (Selectric Touch) was marketed for $177 in 1992.

[mike52787]

After going to one end of the IBM keyboard family with my 3101, I'm now ready to embark onto the other end: the M2.  Alas, eBay fails to produce one at a reasonable cost.  Anywhere I might have better luck?

I also learned that the M2 (Selectric Touch) was marketed for $177 in 1992.

I saw this post just as I was thinking about lisiting my m2 on ebay ) I have a pretty nice m2 that has been recapped, cleaned andhas no broken clips. there is a small crack on the front edge, but isnt very noticable. 60$ shipped. Pm me if you want it.


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[balotz]

After going to one end of the IBM keyboard family with my 3101, I'm now ready to embark onto the other end: the M2.  Alas, eBay fails to produce one at a reasonable cost.  Anywhere I might have better luck?

I also learned that the M2 (Selectric Touch) was marketed for $177 in 1992.

Many (most?) M2s suffer from the dried out capacitor issue. You might be better off buying one which is known to be faulty, for a knockdown price, then replace the capacitors yourself. Even if you find a working one you'll have to do this at some point anyway.

I have three M2s, great keyboard IMO but have had to change the capacitors on all of them! Some people hate on this keyboard but for me it's a buckling spring in a compact, modern looking chassis.

[mike52787]

After going to one end of the IBM keyboard family with my 3101, I'm now ready to embark onto the other end: the M2.  Alas, eBay fails to produce one at a reasonable cost.  Anywhere I might have better luck?

I also learned that the M2 (Selectric Touch) was marketed for $177 in 1992.

Many (most?) M2s suffer from the dried out capacitor issue. You might be better off buying one which is known to be faulty, for a knockdown price, then replace the capacitors yourself. Even if you find a working one you'll have to do this at some point anyway.

I have three M2s, great keyboard IMO but have had to change the capacitors on all of them! Some people hate on this keyboard but for me it's a buckling spring in a compact, modern looking chassis.

I liked my m2, but I replaced it on my desk with a 1390131. no comparison there.


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[fohat.digs]

You might be better off buying one which is known to be faulty, for a knockdown price, then replace the capacitors yourself.
Even if you find a working one you'll have to do this at some point anyway.

I have never tried to crack one open, it seemed tricky and I have just sold them off "as-is" instead. (I usually thoroughly clean anything I sell)

Others here are in the same boat. A quick list of tips and tricks (and especially: "what to avoid") for servicing them would be appreciated.

[mike52787]

You might be better off buying one which is known to be faulty, for a knockdown price, then replace the capacitors yourself.
Even if you find a working one you'll have to do this at some point anyway.

I have never tried to crack one open, it seemed tricky and I have just sold them off "as-is" instead. (I usually thoroughly clean anything I sell)

Others here are in the same boat. I quick list of tips and tricks (and especially: "what to avoid") for servicing them would be appreciated.

Dont. its hell on earth to get it open. it took me about an hour and a half of cursing and anger to open mine. luckily I didnt break any clips when I did. save yourself the sanity.


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[balotz]

You might be better off buying one which is known to be faulty, for a knockdown price, then replace the capacitors yourself.
Even if you find a working one you'll have to do this at some point anyway.

I have never tried to crack one open, it seemed tricky and I have just sold them off "as-is" instead. (I usually thoroughly clean anything I sell)

Others here are in the same boat. A quick list of tips and tricks (and especially: "what to avoid") for servicing them would be appreciated.

Taking it apart is the easy bit - I used these instructions:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Clean-your-vintage-IBM-M2-clicky-keyboard/?ALLSTEPS

Take great care with the stabilised keys as they use rather thin plastic stabilisers.

You can then desolder the defective capacitors (they are difficult to desolder so I instead crushed them with a pliers then gently twisted them off).

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=5065.0

Some people recommend removing the PCB before soldering, but I did it in place. If you remove it, there's a good chance one or more of the plastic clips will snap. These clips press the PCB onto the membrane below and if the connection is even slightly loose, some keys will not register consistently.

Some of the clips were already broken on one of mine, so I used a hot glue gun while pushing the PCB down to glue it back to what was left of each clip. It now works fine.

Putting the board back together is a little tricky. I followed the instructables guide above with two minor differences. When balancing the top half of the keyboard upside down (step 6), I used blu-tack to stick it to a book on each side to prevent it from moving, (which will unseat most of the 101 springs you just carefully placed).

Also, instead of placing the grey liner on the springs, I kept it on the other part of the keyboard. This is the worst part. Because you're placing the bottom half onto the top half while upside-down, the grey liner (which usually rests loosely on the membranes) will tend to fall out. I used a small piece of tape on each corner to ensure it wouldn't move. If you don't do this, the liner will probably not rest correctly once you've snapped the keyboard back together, and you'll only find out once all the keys are back on. Meaning you'll have to remove all the keys, open, and reseat all the springs again!

[mike52787]

Taking it apart is the easy bit - I used these instructions:

I guess your experience with taking apart the m2 is vastly different than mine.

[need]

Save yourself the pain of a M2 and buy an M, such a vastly superior product.

pretty sure he has a M, considering he has reached the 3101 milestone.

[supamesican]

If you have an m why get an m2? Is there something better about it? Granted m13 seem cooler to me so I may be biased.

[fohat.digs]

If you have an m why get an m2?

A majority of people on keyboard forums are obsessed with size - the smaller the better is the mantra.

[balotz]

If you have an m why get an m2? Is there something better about it? Granted m13 seem cooler to me so I may be biased.

I wouldn't say it's 'better' - I have both and the M is slightly nicer to type on, but I like the smaller footprint of the M2.

There are also no rivets inside to break, the keycaps are all PBT like the M and the case also seems to be made of a material which doesn't yellow.

[chyros]

If you have an m why get an m2? Is there something better about it? Granted m13 seem cooler to me so I may be biased.

I wouldn't say it's 'better' - I have both and the M is slightly nicer to type on, but I like the smaller footprint of the M2.

There are also no rivets inside to break, the keycaps are all PBT like the M and the case also seems to be made of a material which doesn't yellow.

This is true, the M2 has its own merits. More than the typing feel perhaps it's the extreme unreliability of the early-technology surface mount components, and especially the capacitors, that makes the M2 less desirable than the M.

[fohat.digs]

especially the capacitors, that makes the M2 less desirable than the M.

On an aesthetic/philosophical level, I have great admiration for the fact that M/F keys are all the same "profile" and that there is none of that "row 3" nonsense swapping keys and making things work together. Clearly, the M2 was not intended to be "serviceable" like the M, and especially the F.

[E TwentyNine]

On an aesthetic/philosophical level, I have great admiration for the fact that M/F keys are all the same "profile" and that there is none of that "row 3" nonsense swapping keys and making things work together. Clearly, the M2 was not intended to be "serviceable" like the M, and especially the F.

While I agree the F was meant to be serviceable, I don't believe the M was.   It was IBM's version of a cheap disposable piece of hardware and it's built tougher than 99% of the crap out there today.  I find that hilarious.

The M2 carried that flag a bit further.   I don't like the key travel on the M2 as much, and the overall feel either, but it is a very light keyboard that's still bucking spring.  I've been meaning to make it my travel keyboard after a few modifications...

[supamesican]

I just looked up the model m2, its even smaller than unicomp's ultraclassic(although given the problems I hear about with ms2 I may still choose that) I can completely understand why you want it now. If I find myself with a little extra spending cash I may get one.


On the topics of model m(1) being serviceable I would have to argue it is. The spring, flipper, and membrane can all be replaced without too much effort, just not as easy as servicing a model f. They may not have intended it to be AS serviceable as the F but I feel there was some meant.

[y11971alex]

I just looked up the model m2, its even smaller than unicomp's ultraclassic(although given the problems I hear about with ms2 I may still choose that) I can completely understand why you want it now. If I find myself with a little extra spending cash I may get one.


On the topics of model m(1) being serviceable I would have to argue it is. The spring, flipper, and membrane can all be replaced without too much effort, just not as easy as servicing a model f. They may not have intended it to be AS serviceable as the F but I feel there was some meant.

A 1984 IBM employee training film suggests that the monitor, system unit, and keyboard were CRU (customer replaceable).  The keyboard was further divided into the top case, bottom case, plate assembly, and something else as FRU.  This probably means that IBM didn't expect their support personnel to open the plate assembly and deal with the spacebar. Individual beam spring modules were FRU, however.

[fohat.digs]

the plate assembly

Once the shafts/studs ("rivets") were melted down, I feel certain that IBM never intended that assembly to be opened again - ever.

[y11971alex]

the plate assembly

Once the shafts/studs ("rivets") were melted down, I feel certain that IBM never intended that assembly to be opened again - ever.

Sorry, I omitted to mention that this film concerned the PC/AT (5170) and its original keyboard, not the Model M.