//gainsborough's IBM collection
Posted: 21 Mar 2018, 00:34
//GAINSBOROUGH'S IBM COLLECTION
Inspired by many of the fantastic collection albums on DT, I decided to do my own - kinda. This iteration of my collection will feature the IBM keyboards that I have!
Most of you probably know me best by my love for alps keyboards, which are definitely my favorite vintage boards, but I also really love the build quality and keyfeel that IBM buckling springs bring to the table as well! Since this collection is substantially smaller than my alps collection, I thought it would be a great place to start!
Enjoy!
THE CLASSICS----------------------
First I'll talk about what I call "the classic" IBM keyboards. The main 3 model Fs and the classic model M.
IBM Model F XT----------------------
This board was the first of my capacitive buckling springs boards. My wife bought it for me off eBay for my birthday a few years ago - as such, I'll never get rid of it.
The barrel plate is painted red, which is why I used the red DT logo and red escape keys!
IBM Model F122----------------------
This board was restored and modified by wingpad! I helped him out a bit before I was interested in the board by going to a local sandblasting place and getting two F122 plates sandblasted for him. In a neat turn of events I ended up buying one of those f122s - he painted the barrel plate blue for me - hence the blue DT logo and escape keys!
IBM Model F AT (NIB)----------------------
This board I've never opened up, so I can't say what it's like to use it - but it's one of my most coveted in this classic collection! I picked it up for $150 off of eBay =P
IBM Model M (1986)----------------------
This is the only model M I kept after buying a bunch of them when I first got into the hobby. It's in fantastic shape, and is the best model M I've ever typed on.
THE ALPS BOARDS
These next three boards are the corss between IBM and Alps Electric - my two favorite vintage brands! Because of that, they are pretty special to me.
IBM Pingmaster
Purchased from Mike52787 and converted by macboarder - this board features SKCC switches that are super smooth! I love typing on this thing, so thanks, dudes, for making this board part of my useable collection.
IBM CHINESE MULTISTATION----------------------
I thought it would be fitting the end the post on my two favorite boards from the collection - the first being this chinese multistation board. I bought it from a user named terrycherry here on DT. This board is practically NOS, but it's packaging was pretty destroyed. Still though, the SKCL green alps feel ooustanding, and the spherical doubleshot caps with blue lettering is pretty much unrivaled by any other alps caps I've seen. They are simply stunning.
I can't use it, unfortunately, so I'm really hoping a greater mind comes up with a way to convert this thing (lookin' at you, orihalcon =P)
IBM JX
It's hard to pick a favorite between the multistation and this JX - but I think right now I would have to pick the JX - maybe because I'm super happy that I got it! I bought this board a little under the radar from webwit's Wild Duck Exotics Boutique (TM) and just picked it up this morning. This board was on my wishlist, and to be honest, I never thought I'd have one - it's kind of surreal for me still. I absolutely love everything about this board. The feel of new skcl greens, the typing sound, the quirky layout, the japanese doubleshot caps, the fact that it's IBM - everything. Getting this board inspired me to post my most recent [WTB] post for the Panasonic Business Partner, which is another board on my wishlist and another board I figured I'd never get - but after getting this one - I figured the post is worth a shot! Anyway, here are the pics and typing vid!
Thanks for reading! Sorry if the post takes a while to load since there are so many pictures >_< It took most of the day, but I had fun writing this post! I actually had to rewrite the second half twice since my power went out and I hadn't saved the draft in Microsoft word recently enough...
I do want to post the rest of my collection at some point... maybe a project for the summer.
またね。
//gains.
Inspired by many of the fantastic collection albums on DT, I decided to do my own - kinda. This iteration of my collection will feature the IBM keyboards that I have!
Most of you probably know me best by my love for alps keyboards, which are definitely my favorite vintage boards, but I also really love the build quality and keyfeel that IBM buckling springs bring to the table as well! Since this collection is substantially smaller than my alps collection, I thought it would be a great place to start!
Enjoy!
THE CLASSICS----------------------
First I'll talk about what I call "the classic" IBM keyboards. The main 3 model Fs and the classic model M.
IBM Model F XT----------------------
This board was the first of my capacitive buckling springs boards. My wife bought it for me off eBay for my birthday a few years ago - as such, I'll never get rid of it.
The barrel plate is painted red, which is why I used the red DT logo and red escape keys!
IBM Model F122----------------------
This board was restored and modified by wingpad! I helped him out a bit before I was interested in the board by going to a local sandblasting place and getting two F122 plates sandblasted for him. In a neat turn of events I ended up buying one of those f122s - he painted the barrel plate blue for me - hence the blue DT logo and escape keys!
IBM Model F AT (NIB)----------------------
This board I've never opened up, so I can't say what it's like to use it - but it's one of my most coveted in this classic collection! I picked it up for $150 off of eBay =P
IBM Model M (1986)----------------------
This is the only model M I kept after buying a bunch of them when I first got into the hobby. It's in fantastic shape, and is the best model M I've ever typed on.
THE ALPS BOARDS
These next three boards are the corss between IBM and Alps Electric - my two favorite vintage brands! Because of that, they are pretty special to me.
IBM Pingmaster
Purchased from Mike52787 and converted by macboarder - this board features SKCC switches that are super smooth! I love typing on this thing, so thanks, dudes, for making this board part of my useable collection.
IBM CHINESE MULTISTATION----------------------
I thought it would be fitting the end the post on my two favorite boards from the collection - the first being this chinese multistation board. I bought it from a user named terrycherry here on DT. This board is practically NOS, but it's packaging was pretty destroyed. Still though, the SKCL green alps feel ooustanding, and the spherical doubleshot caps with blue lettering is pretty much unrivaled by any other alps caps I've seen. They are simply stunning.
I can't use it, unfortunately, so I'm really hoping a greater mind comes up with a way to convert this thing (lookin' at you, orihalcon =P)
IBM JX
It's hard to pick a favorite between the multistation and this JX - but I think right now I would have to pick the JX - maybe because I'm super happy that I got it! I bought this board a little under the radar from webwit's Wild Duck Exotics Boutique (TM) and just picked it up this morning. This board was on my wishlist, and to be honest, I never thought I'd have one - it's kind of surreal for me still. I absolutely love everything about this board. The feel of new skcl greens, the typing sound, the quirky layout, the japanese doubleshot caps, the fact that it's IBM - everything. Getting this board inspired me to post my most recent [WTB] post for the Panasonic Business Partner, which is another board on my wishlist and another board I figured I'd never get - but after getting this one - I figured the post is worth a shot! Anyway, here are the pics and typing vid!
Thanks for reading! Sorry if the post takes a while to load since there are so many pictures >_< It took most of the day, but I had fun writing this post! I actually had to rewrite the second half twice since my power went out and I hadn't saved the draft in Microsoft word recently enough...
I do want to post the rest of my collection at some point... maybe a project for the summer.
またね。
//gains.
) you surely came across cheap beamers didn't you ? and for the F107, do you just feel like they're not worth it or have you had one but didn't like it ? 
) more people to share the love for such a brand !!
