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Author Topic: Ye olde Model M  (Read 3236 times)

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Offline QuincyJones

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Ye olde Model M
« on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:18:23 »
So, it's come and it's a 1986-1988 apparently. Nice and... "creamy". I'm pretty sure I can get some fingerprints off this thing! Maybe from the printers floor or mechanics shop.
« Last Edit: Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:20:37 by QuincyJones »
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Offline emdude

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:24:04 »
Looks unusually yellow for a Model M, wonder why that is.
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Offline QuincyJones

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:35:50 »
Quote from: emdude on Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:24:04
Looks unusually yellow for a Model M, wonder why that is.

Yeah, the base is mostly beige, there's a gradient yellowing-to-beige around the back though.
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Offline y11971alex

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:41:43 »
Cigar smoke :D
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Offline E TwentyNine

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:47:31 »
Quote from: emdude on Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:24:04
Looks unusually yellow for a Model M, wonder why that is.

Bet it's a Greenock board.  They had some different materials sometimes for the spacebar, maybe they had some variation on the case material as well.
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Offline QuincyJones

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:49:01 »
Quote from: E TwentyNine on Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:47:31
Quote from: emdude on Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:24:04
Looks unusually yellow for a Model M, wonder why that is.

Bet it's a Greenock board.  They had some different materials sometimes for the spacebar, maybe they had some variation on the case material as well.

Yep - it is! They also made the worst labels with the shortest lifespan by the looks.

Incidentally, judging by the amount of dirt that's on the keys, you can see that the original owner didn't like using commas nor semi-colons and also that Dvorak was right! Look at all those unused keys on the home row!
« Last Edit: Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:51:53 by QuincyJones »
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:58:10 »
Dirt-wise I would call that about average for a salvaged Model M. Should clean up nicely with soap and water and maybe some aggressive scrubbing in places.

I hate it when those legends get shifted so far to the left.
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That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
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Offline QuincyJones

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 17:03:32 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:58:10
Dirt-wise I would call that about average for a salvaged Model M. Should clean up nicely with soap and water and maybe some aggressive scrubbing in places.

I hate it when those legends get shifted so far to the left.

Yeah, I'm tempted to clean the caps now, but don't want to put them back on a dirty keyboard to only have to pull them off again, so am forcing myself to wait until I can get something to open it with! Went around 4 DIY stores today to not find a single driver suitable!
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 17:13:31 »
Quote from: QuincyJones on Wed, 13 July 2016, 17:03:32
Went around 4 DIY stores today to not find a single driver suitable!

Try an auto store. The socket needs to be "long" and "thin-walled" that is, intended to snake down into narrow spaces as are often found around engines.
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"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline QuincyJones

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 17:27:31 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Wed, 13 July 2016, 17:13:31
Quote from: QuincyJones on Wed, 13 July 2016, 17:03:32
Went around 4 DIY stores today to not find a single driver suitable!

Try an auto store. The socket needs to be "long" and "thin-walled" that is, intended to snake down into narrow spaces as are often found around engines.

Heh, I did! The assistant was like "what's a nut driver?" They had a set of about 8 drivers, but not 5.5mm / 7/32's
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 17:54:57 »
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"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline QuincyJones

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:20:31 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Wed, 13 July 2016, 17:54:57
Quote from: QuincyJones on Wed, 13 July 2016, 17:27:31

The assistant was like "what's a nut driver?"

You might find a socket much easier than a nut driver.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/XCELITE-7-32-Hollow-Shaft-HS7-Nut-Driver-Free-Shipping-/291808572296?hash=item43f1257388:g:RxgAAOSwMHdXS54g

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Craftsman-9-32-1-4-7-32-3-16-1-6mm-6-Point-Deep-Laser-Etch-Socket-1-4-Drive-/361635448002?hash=item54332704c2:g:fE4AAOSwvg9Xe1b7&item=361635448002&vxp=mtr

You know, I did actually look in the car shop, but they only had locked-away sets. But yeah, just checked on ebay, and trying to find something with the clearance will be tough, but it's a great lead - thanks.

btw - what is the distance from case hole to screw? 1/2"?
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Offline klennkellon

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:26:19 »
Quote from: y11971alex on Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:41:43
Cigar smoke :D
That's what I'm thinking, but then wouldn't the keycaps be yellowed too?

Model M's case isn't PBT as far as I know though, so maybe cigar smoke yellows it anyway.

I know the Greenock made ones had ABS spacebars with that weird grounding thing but I don't think they did it with the whole board.
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:27:24 »
Quote from: QuincyJones on Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:20:31
what is the distance from case hole to screw? 1/2"?

Easily. 2 full cm
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"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline emdude

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:32:19 »
Quote from: klennkellon on Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:26:19
Quote from: y11971alex on Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:41:43
Cigar smoke :D
That's what I'm thinking, but then wouldn't the keycaps be yellowed too?

Model M's case isn't PBT as far as I know though, so maybe cigar smoke yellows it anyway.

I know the Greenock made ones had ABS spacebars with that weird grounding thing but I don't think they did it with the whole board.

PBT as far as I know were only used in key caps due to their brittleness.  I believe Model M cases use some PVC mix.
« Last Edit: Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:34:49 by emdude »
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Offline y11971alex

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #15 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:33:39 »
Quote from: klennkellon on Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:26:19
Quote from: y11971alex on Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:41:43
Cigar smoke :D
That's what I'm thinking, but then wouldn't the keycaps be yellowed too?

Model M's case isn't PBT as far as I know though, so maybe cigar smoke yellows it anyway.

I know the Greenock made ones had ABS spacebars with that weird grounding thing but I don't think they did it with the whole board.
I am inclined to think that the Model F seems to yellow more easily than the Model M, and this could be due to the painted surface. 
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Offline QuincyJones

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #16 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:34:57 »
Quote from: klennkellon on Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:26:19
Quote from: y11971alex on Wed, 13 July 2016, 16:41:43
Cigar smoke :D
That's what I'm thinking, but then wouldn't the keycaps be yellowed too?

Model M's case isn't PBT as far as I know though, so maybe cigar smoke yellows it anyway.

I know the Greenock made ones had ABS spacebars with that weird grounding thing but I don't think they did it with the whole board.

You know, if it was smoke, wouldn't it be uneven? And surely there'd be a HELL of a lot of smoke to yellow the top evenly and fade away - was it inside a 3ft cube room? Also, the parts not typically exposed to sunlight - the bottom and the rear lower-half of the bottom case is beige with a strage gradient on the back.

I'd expect to see burn marks on it too - I did pick up a keyboard from a smoker once and there were remnants of ash marks and browny/orange lines from where they'd placed the cigarette on it. Cleans up fairly nicely though.

Also 2.3KG heavy - is that typical?
« Last Edit: Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:41:59 by QuincyJones »
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #17 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:50:51 »
Quote from: QuincyJones on Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:34:57

Also 2.3KG heavy - is that typical?

Yes, and the old ones were half a kg more than that.
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"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline y11971alex

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #18 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 21:31:41 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:50:51
Quote from: QuincyJones on Wed, 13 July 2016, 20:34:57

Also 2.3KG heavy - is that typical?

Yes, and the old ones were half a kg more than that.
That would make it 2.8 kg, which is 200g more than a Model F XT. 
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Offline ThoughtArtist

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Re: Ye olde Model M
« Reply #19 on: Wed, 13 July 2016, 22:52:14 »
Thank the lord that plastic mixture didn't make it out of that one factory!
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