IBM Beamspring rebuild and restoration project

[gameboy3800]

Hello. I'm new here. I've just recently been getting back into collecting vintage computer gear. I figured that i might as well start with the big guns; an old ibm beamspring keyboard of any flavor. what would be the best source of such a relic without completely breaking the bank or somehow put me on a hit list?

[LightningXI]

As unfortunate as it may sound, there's only three ways.

One, you pay up and get one through the known means of purchase. eBay, mechmarket, classifieds, etc...

Two, you find one through an electronics dump, scavenging, hunting, etc. You get very lucky. You restore the keyboard, and you feel accomplished and blessed.

Three, you get hooked up with an absolute unit of a favor. Someone is nice to you and gives you a good deal, an amazing gift, etc. You're just blessed by the keyboard gods.

And to be honest with you, I also wish I could own an old beamspring keyboard. A 3278, for example, would be the most ideal. With solenoid that works, and a custom controller that I can use with my PC. I've always wanted one and will always be hoping for one. But until the day I get lucky like that or I just pay up and break the bank.... It may as well be a pipe dream.

The supply for then isn't ever getting any bigger, and the number of people entering this community is only growing.

Good luck!

[gameboy3800]

As unfortunate as it may sound, there's only three ways.

One, you pay up and get one through the known means of purchase. eBay, mechmarket, classifieds, etc...

Two, you find one through an electronics dump, scavenging, hunting, etc. You get very lucky. You restore the keyboard, and you feel accomplished and blessed.

Three, you get hooked up with an absolute unit of a favor. Someone is nice to you and gives you a good deal, an amazing gift, etc. You're just blessed by the keyboard gods.

And to be honest with you, I also wish I could own an old beamspring keyboard. A 3278, for example, would be the most ideal. With solenoid that works, and a custom controller that I can use with my PC. I've always wanted one and will always be hoping for one. But until the day I get lucky like that or I just pay up and break the bank.... It may as well be a pipe dream.

The supply for then isn't ever getting any bigger, and the number of people entering this community is only growing.

Good luck!

i think i've discovered something amazing... if i can make it happen, i should have multiple beamsprings in due time to let those who really want them can have their chance.

[LightningXI]

i think i've discovered something amazing... if i can make it happen, i should have multiple beamsprings in due time to let those who really want them can have their chance.

Color me interested. I look forward to this development. Best of luck!

[gameboy3800]

my efforts have paid off! i've finally got one!
some switches are dirty and the whole unit in general could use a good scrubbing. any recommendations on which products to clean it out with? also what's the go-to key switch lubricant? i'd love to have the switches glide effortlessly as they would have when they were new!

[LightningXI]

my efforts have paid off! i've finally got one!
some switches are dirty and the whole unit in general could use a good scrubbing. any recommendations on which products to clean it out with? also what's the go-to key switch lubricant? i'd love to have the switches glide effortlessly as they would have when they were new!

Realistically to clean it up, I'd recommend disassembling it entirely. Every switch one by one.

There's a myriad of restoration logs on Geekhack and Deskthority, particularly the latter.

In any case, congrats! Glad that it's paid off! Now to get one myself ...

[_GMK_]

my efforts have paid off! i've finally got one!
some switches are dirty and the whole unit in general could use a good scrubbing. any recommendations on which products to clean it out with? also what's the go-to key switch lubricant? i'd love to have the switches glide effortlessly as they would have when they were new!

I've just bought the same unit as you, each key seems very smooth in my case.

[tron]

I recommend washing the switches and installing new switch plate foam before putting it back in service. If the switches feel scratchy they may have industrial (gritty) dust inside the switch barrels so ultrasonically cleaning the switches will help restore the key feel.

You will need to take everything apart like I did with this 3278. Removing the old foam can be quite messy so make sure to lay down trash bags and wear gloves.

Here's a good restoration thread to use. I don't recommend taking the switches apart as shown in the thread though. You need to brace the top part of the slider so the stress is not placed on the slider legs (most likely to break during a switch tear down). Personally, I use a large slotted dinner spoon to brace the slider and pull the stem out with heavy duty linesman pliers wrapped in duct tape (to prevent denting). The slotted spoon puts all the stress on the top part of the slider which is much thicker and will be able to withstand the force applied without breaking. If you're tearing apart a whole board you can brace the spoon (or whatever brace you come up with) with both feet and pull up on the stem to make the process a lot easier.

https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=19775

[gameboy3800]

https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=19775

thank you for all the info and links. i will certainly look into doing all this when i am able to get an xwhatsit board for it. i think the old foam was already removed before i bought it. but giving it a good scrubbing would certainly help regardless. right now the tilde key has feels scratchy, and the g key binds really easily. the 'o' and ';' key do not make a click but feel smooth. originally the print button didnt click either but pressing it down a few times it seems to have fixed itself. no such luck on the other keys though.

[tron]

https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=19775

thank you for all the info and links. i will certainly look into doing all this when i am able to get an xwhatsit board for it. i think the old foam was already removed before i bought it. but giving it a good scrubbing would certainly help regardless. right now the tilde key has feels scratchy, and the g key binds really easily. the 'o' and ';' key do not make a click but feel smooth. originally the print button didnt click either but pressing it down a few times it seems to have fixed itself. no such luck on the other keys though.

If there is no damage to the caps then you probably just have to re-attach the fly plates.

I would open up the inner assembly and inspect the switches and foam. I would bet the foam is just rotten and compressed to nothing which explains the switches that don't click. Without the foam layer the switch modules have enough play for the beam springs/fly springs to disengage. The foam presses the switches firmly against the switch plate/back plate so it's important to replace it. If you think it feels/sounds good now just wait until you try it with the solenoid on and fully restored   

I wouldn't worry too much about scratchy switches. Don't use any lube, just wash the barrels/sliders. You can always move the modules around if washing doesn't completely bring back the key feel.

[gameboy3800]

https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=19775

thank you for all the info and links. i will certainly look into doing all this when i am able to get an xwhatsit board for it. i think the old foam was already removed before i bought it. but giving it a good scrubbing would certainly help regardless. right now the tilde key has feels scratchy, and the g key binds really easily. the 'o' and ';' key do not make a click but feel smooth. originally the print button didnt click either but pressing it down a few times it seems to have fixed itself. no such luck on the other keys though.

If there is no damage to the caps then you probably just have to re-attach the fly plates.

I would open up the inner assembly and inspect the switches and foam. I would bet the foam is just rotten and compressed to nothing which explains the switches that don't click. Without the foam layer the switch modules have enough play for the beam springs/fly springs to disengage. The foam presses the switches firmly against the switch plate/back plate so it's important to replace it. If you think it feels/sounds good now just wait until you try it with the solenoid on and fully restored   

I wouldn't worry too much about scratchy switches. Don't use any lube, just wash the barrels/sliders. You can always move the modules around if washing doesn't completely bring back the key feel.

Do I just use soap and water for cleaning out the switches or is there a recommended way around cleaning them?

[tron]

https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=19775

thank you for all the info and links. i will certainly look into doing all this when i am able to get an xwhatsit board for it. i think the old foam was already removed before i bought it. but giving it a good scrubbing would certainly help regardless. right now the tilde key has feels scratchy, and the g key binds really easily. the 'o' and ';' key do not make a click but feel smooth. originally the print button didnt click either but pressing it down a few times it seems to have fixed itself. no such luck on the other keys though.

If there is no damage to the caps then you probably just have to re-attach the fly plates.

I would open up the inner assembly and inspect the switches and foam. I would bet the foam is just rotten and compressed to nothing which explains the switches that don't click. Without the foam layer the switch modules have enough play for the beam springs/fly springs to disengage. The foam presses the switches firmly against the switch plate/back plate so it's important to replace it. If you think it feels/sounds good now just wait until you try it with the solenoid on and fully restored   

I wouldn't worry too much about scratchy switches. Don't use any lube, just wash the barrels/sliders. You can always move the modules around if washing doesn't completely bring back the key feel.

Do I just use soap and water for cleaning out the switches or is there a recommended way around cleaning them?

Just use warm water and a small amount of mild soap like Dr Bronners liquid unscented castile soap. IMO the Dr bronners liquid soap rinses clean and does a great job. If the foam is really rotten you may have to swab it off the tops of the modules with q-tips and iso. It's really nasty stuff and stains everything it touches so just be prepared for a mess.

If you don’t have an ultrasonic cleaner you can soak the module housings/barrels overnight. Give them a gentle stir every so often. Swab the barrels with a Qtip or brush after the soak. Rinse with tap water and do a final flood with distilled water to prevent mineral salts from drying on the parts.
I like to dry each part quickly with a datavac blower but it’s probably overkill.

Do you have any rust? I would follow the rust treatment steps in the guide I posted before washing the sliders and modules.

[gameboy3800]

ive got good news! I have fixed all the keys that didnt click before by simply pressing them very quickly to reset them. They may have been pressed down their entire time being shipped and that caused the springs to fail to reset. As for rust, I dont think i saw any. The little bit or darkness on the top plate could be petrified foam just as well as it could be rust. Should I worry about how I take off the key caps or can i use any normal cherry key cap remover? I dont want to risk chipping one of these beautiful double shots.

[AJM]

Pulling of the caps works quite well with a normal wire puller.
You can safely wiggle back and forth while pulling (but not side to side!).
When the small ones are off, you can take the big ones off by hand - again wiggling back and forth.

[tron]

Yes a Cherry cap puller is fine. Wodan demonstrates the cap removal technique a few minutes into this video. I remove the stabilizer inserts with a non-abrasive nylon spudger tool before taking the spacebar off with both hands.

https://youtu.be/3Rz3ZX2hnEQ?t=195

On a side note it's odd the contamination shield is gone. Did you get this board off Ebay or second hand in the community?

Don't worry if you have a little rust. It's quite easy to deal with using Evaporust and sanding the plate down. You could also take the plate to a local Maaco paint shop and they usually charge reasonable rates for small jobs.

[wafflepc]

You  mentioned multiple beamsprings, will you be selling others? I would be very interested in buying one.

[gameboy3800]

On a side note it's odd the contamination shield is gone. Did you get this board off Ebay or second hand in the community?

Don't worry if you have a little rust. It's quite easy to deal with using Evaporust and sanding the plate down. You could also take the plate to a local Maaco paint shop and they usually charge reasonable rates for small jobs.

i found someone on another site willing to sell. i guess he removed it after seeing its condition.

[gameboy3800]

You  mentioned multiple beamsprings, will you be selling others? I would be very interested in buying one.

i thought i found a sneaky way of looking up old stock by searching the keyboards by their part numbers. evidently i'm far from the firs one to try this, as it turns out all the sites i found that said they had stock were either scams or didnt actually have any at all.

at the moment all i have is my 5251 parts unit that i'm currently rebuilding. i'd love a full size 3278 keyboard with usable palmrest, as the steep angle and abrupt bottom cutoff is not my cup of tea.

[tron]

You  mentioned multiple beamsprings, will you be selling others? I would be very interested in buying one.

i thought i found a sneaky way of looking up old stock by searching the keyboards by their part numbers. evidently i'm far from the firs one to try this, as it turns out all the sites i found that said they had stock were either scams or didnt actually have any at all.

at the moment all i have is my 5251 parts unit that i'm currently rebuilding. i'd love a full size 3278 keyboard with usable palmrest, as the steep angle and abrupt bottom cutoff is not my cup of tea.

Check out these two links-

Low profile 5251 case hack- https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=17339&start=

Alternative shell concept for 5251- https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14292&start=

I recently discussed the alternative 5251 shell with Lot_lizzard and cited the fact there is increasing demand due to the sheer number of 5251 boards coming out of the woodwork. One thing that caught his attention was the beamspring to MX mount recently developed by the community. If we can get enough interest to hit MMQ then he may be willing to put together a modern TKL beamspring kit that utilizes your existing switch modules. This would be along time from now(after his model F tkl) but IMO a TKL beamspring with a modern low(er) profile shell would be really amazing to type on if it ever happens.

In the mean time you could just put bumpons on the inner assembly and use it without the case. It won't have the vintage aesthetic or booming sound from the solenoid but it will feel much more comfortable to type on. My personal idea for a modern 5251 case is basically just a wood frame surrounding the inner assembly. It would be too thick if it was mounted in anything so the inner assembly would have to be the actual bottom part of the case design.

[gameboy3800]

just finished the teardown! overall its not in bad shape. just tons of completely rotted foam. got everything in their own boxes for individual cleaning. can i use soap and water on the switches as well as the keycaps? or is there a different way about tackling the switches? also is the pcb safe to use the same treatment on?

[gameboy3800]

(thread name changed due to the current status of the conversation)

[_GMK_]

You  mentioned multiple beamsprings, will you be selling others? I would be very interested in buying one.

i thought i found a sneaky way of looking up old stock by searching the keyboards by their part numbers. evidently i'm far from the firs one to try this, as it turns out all the sites i found that said they had stock were either scams or didnt actually have any at all.

at the moment all i have is my 5251 parts unit that i'm currently rebuilding. i'd love a full size 3278 keyboard with usable palmrest, as the steep angle and abrupt bottom cutoff is not my cup of tea.

Check out these two links-

Low profile 5251 case hack- https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=17339&start=

Alternative shell concept for 5251- https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14292&start=

I recently discussed the alternative 5251 shell with Lot_lizzard and cited the fact there is increasing demand due to the sheer number of 5251 boards coming out of the woodwork. One thing that caught his attention was the beamspring to MX mount recently developed by the community. If we can get enough interest to hit MMQ then he may be willing to put together a modern TKL beamspring kit that utilizes your existing switch modules. This would be along time from now(after his model F tkl) but IMO a TKL beamspring with a modern low(er) profile shell would be really amazing to type on if it ever happens.

In the mean time you could just put bumpons on the inner assembly and use it without the case. It won't have the vintage aesthetic or booming sound from the solenoid but it will feel much more comfortable to type on. My personal idea for a modern 5251 case is basically just a wood frame surrounding the inner assembly. It would be too thick if it was mounted in anything so the inner assembly would have to be the actual bottom part of the case design.

What a wonderful thread, full of exiting images.
I wonder if a beamspring can be made quieter. Yeah, I know, heresy.

[gameboy3800]

beamsprings without the solenoid are already pretty quiet when compared to other ibms.

[tron]

Doesn't look too bad at all. I would double check each cap for front printing and separate them if you find any. Clean any caps you find with front printing by hand without submerging the entire cap in water/soap(don't clean the front printing). My 5251 doesn't have any front printed caps but you never know with these old boards. Just use mild soap and warm water for the regular double shot caps. You can use an old toothbrush to clean bits of contamination shield and foam from the cap mounts.

Regarding the pcb. I use old cotton towels and 91-99 percent isopropyl alcohol. You can gently lift the pcb off the insulation layer and clean the backside and insulation while you have the board apart.

[gameboy3800]

just got my evapo-rust and other supplies from the auto store. later on this week i'll put each plate in a pan to soak. says to keep it in the evapo-rust for 1 - 12hrs depending on rust age. considering this piece is from 1982, i'm thinking i should leave it for the full 12 hrs.

[gameboy3800]

i've just taken the baseplate out of the evaporust and it did a great job! a quick scrubbing later and it was looking almost brand new! just one corner of it got hit pretty hard and is in for a second dosing. bottom plate is also getting the same treatment for the spot where the controller board sits was getting very dirty. i will post the result pictures after they've both been completely de-rusted.

[gameboy3800]

Just disassembled all the switches; ready for cleaning! Is there any components that cant be put under hot water or am I good to soak everything?

I still need to use some more steel wool on the base plates but that's almost done.

[tron]

Just disassembled all the switches; ready for cleaning! Is there any components that cant be put under hot water or am I good to soak everything?

I still need to use some more steel wool on the base plates but that's almost done.

Looks like you’re making good progress. Make sure to clean the switch plate before painting with something like this- https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/rust-oleum-wax-tar-remover-clear-quart-251475/11887085-p?c3ch=PLA&c3nid=11887085-P&adtype=pla_with_promotion&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI36rIz_zr4QIVlbXACh17jQCqEAQYBCABEgJAHfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

You can soak the switch housings in soapy hot water (not boiling hot) and clean them out with a small soft brush (see picture below).

I like to ultrasonically clean the sliders (with fly plates still attached) I put the sliders (with fly plates still attached) in a large zip lock freezer bag filled with warm water and mild soap(make sure the bag is inflated with some air). I fill the ultrasonic cleaner with enough water so that it hits the max fill line when the bag is in it. Depending on the level of dirt I typically run the ultrasonic cleaner for about 10-15 minutes, gently shaking the bag every couple minutes. The ultrasonic waves will pass into the ziplock bag and the bag will allow you to easily redistribute the sliders during the cleaning process (this will allow even cleaning and eliminate dead zones in the bath). It takes about three batches to do a whole board with a 3L ultrasonic cleaner. I use this one- https://www.ebay.com/p/3l-Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Stainless-Steel-Industry-Heated-Heater-W-timer/6019848669?iid=113694408370&chn=ps

Alternatively you could just wash the sliders with an old toothbrush using soap and water (rinse with distilled water). If you have small bits of foam all over the fly plates and in the housings I highly suggest the ultrasonic cleaning method. It would be hard to get off even with a toothbrush.

[BlindAssassin111]

Looking good, Happy to see that the board is coming along nicely.

[LightningXI]

Just disassembled all the switches; ready for cleaning! Is there any components that cant be put under hot water or am I good to soak everything?

I still need to use some more steel wool on the base plates but that's almost done.

Coming along really well.

I really would like to do a restoration like this some day.

[gameboy3800]

I just bought those suggested tools and items. i will let everyone know how using them goes for me once they come in.

[networkdrift]

Wow, such a cool project. I'm signing up for notifications on this. Always wanted a beamspring but never had the funds. Living vicariously.

[gameboy3800]

update: i've been working on getting all the small pieces cleaned up whenever i have time. the evaporust and ultrasonic cleaner have been absolute godsends, and now nearly all rust and stains on the springs and stocks have been stripped down to bare metal. i must say i really like the look of the bare metal! i'm going to polish everything and clear coat them with some corrosion resistant paint once everythings cleaned to my liking. this has been one of my most involved restorations so far. for anyone on the edge bout restoring one of these, let me say that i think it's absolutely worth it and is a ton of fun.

[gameboy3800]

where can i get a new shockmount to put below the board? old one isnt in the best of shape anymore

[tron]

where can i get a new shockmount to put below the board? old one isnt in the best of shape anymore

You mean the rubber feet? Just type "square rubber bumpons" in Google or Amazon and find a matching size. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Adhesive-Bumper-Square-Bumpers/dp/B01M8I6YLH/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=square%2Brubber%2Bbumpons&qid=1557370409&s=hi&sr=1-10&th=1

[gameboy3800]

no i mean the piece of silicone/rubber that goes between the bottom of the pcb and the bottom metal baseplate.

[tron]

no i mean the piece of silicone/rubber that goes between the bottom of the pcb and the bottom metal baseplate.

I just washed mine and it was fine. If you want to replace the insulation you could try something like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicone-Rubber-Sheet-Plate-Mat-High-Temp-Commercial-Grade-500X500MM-20-X20-/192236341584?redirect=mobile

The  size should be 1mm. It may be possible to find a cheaper alternative with a bit of research.

[gameboy3800]

does anyone know if the pcb listed in this post requires any soldering or extra parts?
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=58138.0

[tron]

does anyone know if the pcb listed in this post requires any soldering or extra parts?
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=58138.0

No soldering. The Xwhatsit controller slides on the IBM PCB and you ground the wire to the back plate. It's super easy to set up, check out Woodan's video: https://youtu.be/3Rz3ZX2hnEQ?t=2030

[gameboy3800]

awesome. so it comes with everything pre-attached and ready to go?

[AJM]

Yes, just make sure to line up the contacts between the controller and the pcb.
There are few millimeters play to the right and left.
When I attached it the first time I didn't pay attention and was shorting out contacts, which had the result, that the calibrating of the controller didn't work properly.

[gameboy3800]

update: just polished the base plates and put a clearcoat of corrosion resistant spraypaint on them and the springs; just working on key stems and awaiting the arrivial of my xwhatsit board

[gameboy3800]

So my USB board came in and it looks like this...

[gameboy3800]

great news! i was able to get a different kind of usb adapter by someone on ebay by the name of steven_lvv. way pricier than any xwhatsit board i've seen and it's got still expensive shipping from hong kong. but the price of finally having this project completed and having myself a working beamspring after so long will be worth it.

[tron]

great news! i was able to get a different kind of usb adapter by someone on ebay by the name of steven_lvv. way pricier than any xwhatsit board i've seen and it's got still expensive shipping from hong kong. but the price of finally having this project completed and having myself a working beamspring after so long will be worth it.

Did you go with the converter that plugs into the stock cable/controller? Did you confirm the converter allows you to reprogram the layout? Those converters look kinda neat actually I always wanted to know what a Display Writer sounds like with the beeper on.

[gameboy3800]

here's a look at the ebay listing for you to have a look for yourself.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/163734842014

[gameboy3800]

so it turns out, i could obtain multiple beamsprings after all . it just took forever.
this second unit at the very least needs a repaint and removal of ancient foam. but all the keys feel good. i've already got a converter box by steven on the way, soon i'll be able to determine its working condition.

[tron]

so it turns out, i could obtain multiple beamsprings after all . it just took forever.
this second unit at the very least needs a repaint and removal of ancient foam. but all the keys feel good. i've already got a converter box by steven on the way, soon i'll be able to determine its working condition.

Oh wow, so you're the one who bought it     I would have sold you one of mine for a bit less but I have to admit that numb pad looks really cool. If you're trying to match the original powder coat color, check out this thread on DT: https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=21162

Prismatic's "internal white river" was the closest modern equivalent to the original powder I could find, however, it has a slightly higher gloss rating, more uniform texture and a bit less warm compared to the original finish. I think it would come out great but a custom powder mix is probably needed to give it the vintage character it deserves. If I decide to have Prismatic mix a custom batch for me, I'll share the chemistry reference data with the community.

A word of caution when choosing an off color. IMO it will most certainly decrease the resale value/demand for most collectors. 

[gameboy3800]

so it turns out, i could obtain multiple beamsprings after all . it just took forever.
this second unit at the very least needs a repaint and removal of ancient foam. but all the keys feel good. i've already got a converter box by steven on the way, soon i'll be able to determine its working condition.

Oh wow, so you're the one who bought it     I would have sold you one of mine for a bit less but I have to admit that numb pad looks really cool. If you're trying to match the original powder coat color, check out this thread on DT: https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=21162

Prismatic's "internal white river" was the closest modern equivalent to the original powder I could find, however, it has a slightly higher gloss rating, more uniform texture and a bit less warm compared to the original finish. I think it would come out great but a custom powder mix is probably needed to give it the vintage character it deserves. If I decide to have Prismatic mix a custom batch for me, I'll share the chemistry reference data with the community.

A word of caution when choosing an off color. IMO it will most certainly decrease the resale value/demand for most collectors.

lol dont worry, i didnt pay 3 grand for this like the listing suggests. i was able to snatch it up for about half that by showing a 3278 that had recently sold and was in way better condition and was able to more or less price match it.

i have yet to take it apart as i would like to see if it works in its original state. the spacebar is difficult to press and the L key is at a weird angle but still presses fine.

personally i think this layout is better than the 5251's; arrow keys are in a sensible place and the numpad is properly spaced. that and the huge palmrest should make typing easier than the 5251.

[gameboy3800]

so i just got my adapter for my 8775 unit by steven and its working great! i need to get used to the layout but other than that it seems to be functioning exactly as it should!