Another Model F refurbish project diary

[just_add_coffee]

Wow! That's quite a setup! Solder cam 2 in particular looks awesome.

And nice f107! If you need any beautification ideas, let me know.

[__red__]

http://www.boredpanda.com/world-mattest ... rt-semple/

Already on the way...

[just_add_coffee]

http://www.boredpanda.com/world-mattest ... rt-semple/

Already on the way...

Interesting! I'm thinking about getting some also. But can you paint metal (or plastic) with acrylic paint?

[__red__]

Yup.

[__red__]

Unless I decide to implement the RGB lighting.

Do eeeeet!

Actually, not kidding. Maybe we should do a keyboard building google hangout on a weekly basis where those who love the lead, code, and caps just stream while we work..

I'd be up for it! I could adjust my schedule to whatever is most convenient for everyone else.

So what do you have in mind?

... alright - so, going to stab a date/time as 18:00EDT Tuesday Evening.

I'll be trying to get on a google hangout at 3pm EDT ish today too just to make sure all my stuff works (since I'll have multiple cameras and stuff).

Thanks,



Red

[just_add_coffee]

Hook 'em Horns!

[fohat]

Looks like a nice job on those Alt barrels.

[just_add_coffee]

Looks like a nice job on those Alt barrels.

I'm extremely grateful for the tutorials that you've done showing how to do it! It's probably easier than reinstalling the old space bar, you get more buttons, and you can match the space bar to Unicomp Model M keysets. Thank you!

Edit: BTW, that blue that you see is the art foam from Michael's. MUCH easier to work with than the stuff I had gotten from McMaster-Carr! So thank you again!!!

[just_add_coffee]

Finished. Not with the original thread topic, but at least I finished something.

[snoopy]

Finished. Not with the original thread topic, but at least I finished something.

why?

[just_add_coffee]

why?

Why not?

I've gotta look at this thing all day, every day. Why do they all have to be pearl/pebble/sand/khaki/brownish-gray/whatever color that is? Why can't I personalize something with colors that I find visually appealing? Why should customizing and modifying keyboards be exclusively the domain of Cherry MX-compatible boards?

These things are just keyboards. Not the Hope Diamond.

[Ir0n]

why?

Why not?

I've gotta look at this thing all day, every day. Why do they all have to be pearl/pebble/sand/khaki/brownish-gray/whatever color that is? Why can't I personalize something with colors that I find visually appealing? Why should customizing and modifying keyboards be exclusively the domain of Cherry MX-compatible boards?

These things are just keyboards. Not the Hope Diamond.

That's the spirit! Plus all that stuff is reversible so not like it matters.. what's a hobby if you can't have fun with it eh?

Nice work. : )

[ekeppel]

@just_add_coffee: Nice job on that keyboard! Though the color scheme or legends may not be what everyone here would choose, we can all certainly appreciate the effort involved.

What's most important is that *you* like it and enjoy using it.

----

Btw, I forget if I mentioned this in a thread somewhere or just in a PM to you, but I did pick up some of that Harbor Freight shelf liner I had mentioned seeing a while back.

I tried it out on a couple of F122s and found it to work very well. It's very tough stuff, so I would expect it to hold up well, yet it's easy to cut smoothly with a sharp punch. Both keyboards I've used it on so far feel really nice. It's quite cheap and easy to get (providing you have a HF store near you), so I can recommend it to anyone looking for something a little better than the standard art foam that many folks use. The thickness is approximately 1.5mm uncompressed according to my cheapo mechanical calipers.

I have other materials here as well, but I'm planning on using this HF shelf liner on a couple more F122s and some ATs too because I really like how it performs. I think there's enough in each roll to do at least 8 keyboards, or maybe more if you do smaller boards. I believe I can get four F122 foams and four AT foams out of this one roll, and it only cost $6.99, if I remember correctly.

Here is the HF foam in case anyone wants to try it:

HF Foam 2.jpg (323.83 KiB) Viewed 4026 times

HF Foam 1.jpg (273.58 KiB) Viewed 4026 times

...And here are a few keyboards waiting to be cleaned up and refurbished. The two ATs and four F122s in the pile will get foam:

Waiting for Refurbishment.jpg (139.77 KiB) Viewed 4020 times

I have a bit of work ahead of me, but eventually I'll get most of these fixed up and back under folks' fingers.

[just_add_coffee]

@just_add_coffee: Nice job on that keyboard! Though the color scheme or legends may not be what everyone here would choose, we can all certainly appreciate the effort involved.

What's most important is that *you* like it and enjoy using it.

True.

The path of the aspiring keyboard artiste is not for the faint of heart.

If I had the money, I'd start a company that would offer Model F capacitive buckling spring keyboard in every conceivable form factor ... 122-key, 104, 80%, 60%, ErgoDox,etc. ..., color, finish, LEDs, Bluetooth, artisan keysets, varying stem lengths to customize key travel, spring weights, and options that I haven't even thought of yet.

I don't know if it would be a profitable company. Certainly not at the beginning and maybe not ever. But it would be a heck of a lot of fun!

[fohat]

It's quite cheap and easy to get (providing you have a HF store near you), so I can recommend it to anyone looking for something a little better than the standard art foam that many folks use.

What would be better about this material?

Art foam at Michael's is made for scrapbooking and is acid-free, and you can do a 122 or 2 XT/ATs out of a $1 sheet.

Personally, I like the firmness and texture of the closed-cell foam, even though IBM used open-cell foam originally. Admittedly, the firm closed-cell foam may marginally dampen the sound, but I think that it also tightens and firms up the feel.

[ekeppel]

What would be better about this material?

Art foam at Michael's is made for scrapbooking and is acid-free, and you can do a 122 or 2 XT/ATs out of a $1 sheet.

Personally, I like the firmness and texture of the closed-cell foam, even though IBM used open-cell foam originally. Admittedly, the firm closed-cell foam may marginally dampen the sound, but I think that it also tightens and firms up the feel.

Perhaps I shouldn't have said 'better than', since foam preferences vary so widely. I know that many have had great success with art foam, so I don't mean to imply that it's bad stuff or anything. I just happen to prefer this material myself.

The HF shelf liner is strong, squishy, and rubbery, which I happen to really like. It springs back slowly when compressed, rather than simply crushing, so I get the impression that it 'hugs' the barrels in similar fashion to IBM's original material.

When I open up a Model F for the first time, I often see the original foam has formed itself around the barrels and almost become one with the board. I like the fit and feel that this foam provides because it is somewhat sticky/grippy much like the IBM original. It's almost memory-foam-like in its qualities. That may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it has been working well for me.

[snoopy]

What would be better about this material?

Art foam at Michael's is made for scrapbooking and is acid-free, and you can do a 122 or 2 XT/ATs out of a $1 sheet.

Personally, I like the firmness and texture of the closed-cell foam, even though IBM used open-cell foam originally. Admittedly, the firm closed-cell foam may marginally dampen the sound, but I think that it also tightens and firms up the feel.

Perhaps I shouldn't have said 'better than', since foam preferences vary so widely. I know that many have had great success with art foam, so I don't mean to imply that it's bad stuff or anything. I just happen to prefer this material myself.

The HF shelf liner is strong, squishy, and rubbery, which I happen to really like. It springs back slowly when compressed, rather than simply crushing, so I get the impression that it 'hugs' the barrels in similar fashion to IBM's original material.

When I open up a Model F for the first time, I often see the original foam has formed itself around the barrels and almost become one with the board. I like the fit and feel that this foam provides because it is somewhat sticky/grippy much like the IBM original. It's almost memory-foam-like in its qualities. That may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it has been working well for me.

that sounds really interesting. I'm currently looking for an alternative for the art foam, cause I'm not 100% happy with it. But I think I won't find this stuff in Germany

[Spaceman1200]

Using that harbor freight foam sounds interesting, I need to get my 4704 107 backup and running, i'm just not sure my unstable hands can handle the punching

[just_add_coffee]

Using that harbor freight foam sounds interesting, I need to get my 4704 107 backup and running, i'm just not sure my unstable hands can handle the punching

Say hello to my l'il friend.

12mm fits the barrels and 2mm fits those notches.

[Spaceman1200]

Using that harbor freight foam sounds interesting, I need to get my 4704 107 backup and running, i'm just not sure my unstable hands can handle the punching

Say hello to my l'il friend.

12mm fits the barrels and 2mm fits those notches.

Thanks, Ordered those, I'll see how well those work very soon, Did you guys just tape your foam to the plate to make your templates?

[just_add_coffee]

Thanks, Ordered those, I'll see how well those work very soon, Did you guys just tape your foam to the plate to make your templates?

I think so. I did. Painters tape worked fine for the art foam, but the tape stuck and tore the stuff that I initially used from McMaster-Carr.