- 20130714_203510 (1280x960).jpg (397.17 KiB) Viewed 9190 times
IBM SSK club!
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
The TKL's revenge!
It's not the SSK's fault, of course, but the idiotic place we insist on putting numpads:
http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/doe ... t6289.html
The simple way around it is just to mouse with your left hand instead. But not especially FPS friendly while learning a new mouse hand, of course!
It's not the SSK's fault, of course, but the idiotic place we insist on putting numpads:
http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/doe ... t6289.html
The simple way around it is just to mouse with your left hand instead. But not especially FPS friendly while learning a new mouse hand, of course!
- webwit
- Wild Duck
- Location: The Netherlands
- Main keyboard: Model F62
- Favorite switch: IBM beam spring
- DT Pro Member: 0000
- Contact:
Looking good!
I watched the first season of Breaking Bad and really liked it, but gave up in the second because I ended up finding the serial nature insufferable. Hope they managed to end it well.
I watched the first season of Breaking Bad and really liked it, but gave up in the second because I ended up finding the serial nature insufferable. Hope they managed to end it well.
- Halvar
- Location: Baden, DE
- Main keyboard: IBM Model M SSK / Filco MT 2
- Favorite switch: Beam & buckling spring, Monterey, MX Brown
- DT Pro Member: 0051
Thanks to a pointer from Muirium in the "why not us" thread, I was able to get a terminal SSK from a seller on ebay UK. It originally had an RJ45 connector and a fixed cable. I was lucky, the keyboard seems to not have seen a lot of use -- the springs feel great, and there are no broken rivets, bent springs or other problems. Sorry for the somewhat poorly illuminated pics.
I originally planned to use a Soarer converter to connect it to my PC. However, when I took a closer look and opened it I found that the key layout is identical to a PC SSK, and the two membrane cables that connect to the converter look the same and have the same positions as in a normal PC Model M.
Fortunately, I still had this old wreck lying around, with a broken case and missing key caps:
So I worked up the courage to just try and use the controller from the wrecked full size Model M in my "new" SSK. Which also has the advantage of a detachable cable.
And what can I say -- it works like a charm! The matrices seem to be just the same between the Terminal SSK and the classic fullsize PC Model M. All keys and also the membrane contacts that are not used in the ANSI layout work flawlessly.
Since I'm used to the German layout, the next step would be to convert it to ISO. I have shied away from that so far, because I would have to bolt mod the SSK to do that, and given the nice condition of the rivets, I am not really inclined to rip it apart at the moment.
What I did do was exchange the keycaps for ones with German layout. I was lucky to have gotten a German set of IBM caps from matt3o a few months ago, and together with the stems from the wrecked Model M I now, for the time being, have an SSK with a mixed "German ANSI" layout.
I'm using it every day at home at the moment, and I love it. Buckling springs FTW!
I wouldn't have found and got this keyboard without the community. So thanks again to Muirium for tipping me off, to Matteo for the keycaps, and to the admins and club members for bringing us all together here!
Spoiler:
Fortunately, I still had this old wreck lying around, with a broken case and missing key caps:
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
Since I'm used to the German layout, the next step would be to convert it to ISO. I have shied away from that so far, because I would have to bolt mod the SSK to do that, and given the nice condition of the rivets, I am not really inclined to rip it apart at the moment.
What I did do was exchange the keycaps for ones with German layout. I was lucky to have gotten a German set of IBM caps from matt3o a few months ago, and together with the stems from the wrecked Model M I now, for the time being, have an SSK with a mixed "German ANSI" layout.
Spoiler:
I wouldn't have found and got this keyboard without the community. So thanks again to Muirium for tipping me off, to Matteo for the keycaps, and to the admins and club members for bringing us all together here!
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
You're welcome, Halvar. Good to see the controllers and matrices are just as universal as the caps. IBM could be pretty smart sometimes.
The mixed layout you've got now is the best of both worlds: the way the German layout should be, I'd say! Give it a while and see if we can turn you to the dark side! Better keyboards on the ANSI side of the divide.
The mixed layout you've got now is the best of both worlds: the way the German layout should be, I'd say! Give it a while and see if we can turn you to the dark side! Better keyboards on the ANSI side of the divide.
- Game Theory
- Mr. Despair
- Location: Madison WI US
- Main keyboard: Majestouch Convertible 2 or Beam Spring 5251
- Main mouse: Logitech G900
- Favorite switch: MX Blue in terms of MX
- DT Pro Member: 0008
but engraved
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Evil, but not nearly as bad as scrawling on the top.
Just imagine the computer lab where there were 25 or more of these! It would be like visiting Webwit's place.
Just imagine the computer lab where there were 25 or more of these! It would be like visiting Webwit's place.
- litster
- Location: Washington State, USA
- Main keyboard: KMAC2, The Cheat
- Favorite switch: Brown, Topre, Red, BS
- DT Pro Member: -
I think this is one of the ones from Bryan_Twizzle on GH maybe 1.5 years ago. He had a bunch for sale from his dad or a relative. I bought a couple of SSKs from him. He even threw in a silver square lab Model M when I bought the second one. They were all dirty but after a clean up they all look like new now.
- Josh
- Location: CHN
- Main keyboard: G81-3077 SAU, G80-1865 wNv, FMJ
- Main mouse: G9x
- Favorite switch: vintage black
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
gorgeous!!!!!DanGWanG wrote:My 87'
-
- Location: Amsterdam
- Main keyboard: variable: beamspring, Northgate, IBM SSK, Topre
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac
- Favorite switch: beamspring, dampened complicated white Alps, Topre
- DT Pro Member: -
recent arrival:
Looking at the other picts in this thread I wonder if there's a difference between those with black logo's and those with blue logo's ?
ciao,
J.
Looking at the other picts in this thread I wonder if there's a difference between those with black logo's and those with blue logo's ?
ciao,
J.
Last edited by nourathar on 09 Nov 2013, 22:44, edited 1 time in total.
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Blue labels are the later Model Ms. Of all sizes. I think grey label was the one before that (where the logo is grey on beige plastic) and silver labels are the oldest of the three (where the logo is on a shiny silver square). Today's SSK (from the same batch as yours) is my first blue label IBM. I've several grey labels now, and one silver label PC/XT Model F.
Don't think there were SSKs back in the silver label days, but this is exactly the place to guess out loud and have someone show a picture as proof of the opposite!
Don't think there were SSKs back in the silver label days, but this is exactly the place to guess out loud and have someone show a picture as proof of the opposite!
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Goddamn industrials! That's the industrial version of a grey label, I think. Needs to be darker to work on the industrial background colour.
- snoopy
- Location: Germany
- Main keyboard: IBM SSK '93
- Main mouse: Anywhere MX
- Favorite switch: BS
- DT Pro Member: 0022
I like the ones with blue label more then the one with the grey/black. don't know why.
But this thread reminds me that I need more blank keycaps from unicomp
and I should convince my gf to use a ssk
But this thread reminds me that I need more blank keycaps from unicomp
and I should convince my gf to use a ssk
-
- Location: Amsterdam
- Main keyboard: variable: beamspring, Northgate, IBM SSK, Topre
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac
- Favorite switch: beamspring, dampened complicated white Alps, Topre
- DT Pro Member: -
aha, but if I look at the clickykeyboards.com ssk pictures-repository it is true that the oldest are greylogo ones, but nevertheless the oldest blue logo is already from 1989, so it seems that for some years they were being produced at the same time ?
and yes, when I saw one of Webwits SSK's with blank caps I realized i needed those too; they look particularly good on SSK's I find..
Only thing I am discovering now is that the 'v' key is less reliable than the other ones: sometimes it triggers twice and sometimes not at all. Does anyone know what might be causing this behavviour ?? (there it went again...) Don't think it did that yesterday, so I havev the feeling I caused it with my opening of the case, pulling of keycaps or floss-modding attempts. Removing the floss did not help..
It seems as if it is actuating also on my release of the key.
J.
and yes, when I saw one of Webwits SSK's with blank caps I realized i needed those too; they look particularly good on SSK's I find..
Only thing I am discovering now is that the 'v' key is less reliable than the other ones: sometimes it triggers twice and sometimes not at all. Does anyone know what might be causing this behavviour ?? (there it went again...) Don't think it did that yesterday, so I havev the feeling I caused it with my opening of the case, pulling of keycaps or floss-modding attempts. Removing the floss did not help..
It seems as if it is actuating also on my release of the key.
J.
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Try reseating the cap by taking it off again and putting it back on. They can be a bit tricky on buckling springs. If you keep getting a lot of repeats (or no shows) then it's bolt modding time. I did that on a huge 122 key terminal Model M recently. Better off avoiding it if possible.
@Halvar & Snoopy: Unicomp never listens to us. We need to pretend we're one of their corporate clients and submit our suggestions in a "req", and maybe attach an unbearable, random buzzworded PowerPoint to catch their attention.
"Our enterprise requires new colours on our keyboards. For standards compliance and best practices."
@Halvar & Snoopy: Unicomp never listens to us. We need to pretend we're one of their corporate clients and submit our suggestions in a "req", and maybe attach an unbearable, random buzzworded PowerPoint to catch their attention.
"Our enterprise requires new colours on our keyboards. For standards compliance and best practices."
-
- Location: Amsterdam
- Main keyboard: variable: beamspring, Northgate, IBM SSK, Topre
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac
- Favorite switch: beamspring, dampened complicated white Alps, Topre
- DT Pro Member: -
Hi Muirium, putting another cap on seems to improve things, so thanks for the hint !
and I'm all for corporate procurement !
and I'm all for corporate procurement !