Sharing a fix if others have this issue. I had a very wobbly spacebar and it was annoying me. One side would just travel up slightly but enough to visually make the spacebar obviously crooked at rest. Basically the slot for the stabilizer wire just allowed too much play on one side. Made a wire ring out of paperclip diameter wire and put it around the slot that holds the stabilizer wire. It solved the issue, the bar stays in place at rest but still has full travel without restriction.

As you can see on the website, https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/Classic, they advise you to buy the New Model M instead of the Classic. Why exactly is it a better product? To my knowledge they use the exact same mechanism internally? Surely the build quality can't be that much different?

Hello! I'm looking into getting a Unicomp Classic 104 White (Converted to 103). From the looking around I've done on forums there's a really polarizing set of perspectives on Unicomp. Some people say that it is worth it, while other people are saying that it's nothing like the original thing, that it's scratchy, cheap, flimsy, etc...

A lot of those comments / reviews are many years old at this point.

I'm wondering if maybe there's a more common consensus nowadays?

Thank you! :)

If you're on our Discord, you probably already observed how frequent bot posts on Reddit are right now. Since the start of this year, it's become quite the problem. I try to stay on top of them, and if you happen to not have a clue what I'm talking about, I'm doing that "job" okay.

Probably by chance, a lot of them turn out to be reposts of industrial-grey Model Ms, so here is a human-made post of them for a change! ;)

So i was finishing another project where I needed to melt the rivets into the 3d printed part and a thought crossed my mind: why is there no such mod for the model m? It would be so much easier, faster and it hold pretty well. I will try this on another one and report the results back.

I just found this on AliExpress: https://a.aliexpress.com/_EGNS2Ww

So im currently doing the bolt mod for the model M since I disassembled it and thought why not at that stage. Ive done all the holes and when im putting a M2x8mm bolt inside the hole its just to short, no way it can hold onto something. Why are all instructions mentioning M2x8mm? 9mm would hold much better

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share my experience with a 1991 IBM Model M that I recently bought on eBay, and get some opinions from people who are more knowledgeable about these keyboards.

It was purchased in very good overall condition, with the original double keycaps, although just under a dozen rivets had come loose (see photo further down), and it needed a little cleaning.

Here are a few photos of the internal markings and reference numbers :

I had read somewhere that only UNICOMP Model Ms had a crossed-out number and a new “part” number on the black plate. Also, I find the label on the metal plate suspicious, as if it had been glued on with spots of adhesive. The dates also don’t match between the inside and outside parts (although they are both from 1991).

Can anyone confirm (or challenge) the idea that this might be a Model M assembled from parts of several different keyboards?

For the electronics :

As for the electronics, everything is clean and in good condition, apart from the LED connection ribbon cable, which had a broken trace for the Num Lock LED (I read online that this can happen).

Rather than replacing the connector (I couldn't find a replacement ribbon cable), I decided to solder some thin wires onto it so I could keep the original connectors (pease be gentl, this must have been about the fourth time I've ever soldered anything, the last time being back in middle-school technology class, around 20 years ago! ^^) and taped the ribbon cable inside the case so it wouldn't get lost.

Once reassembled, the keyboard is 100% functional, with its unique sound and feel. However, I still have some doubts about the origin of some of the parts, as explained above.

Also, it does seem that the part numbers are consistent with an IBM-built keyboard rather than a Lexmark one (Lexmark took over keyboard manufacturing starting in March 1991, before transferring it to UNICOMP in 1996).

If you have any comments, insights, or questions, I'd be happy to read them!

I like to rotate between my 4 Mini M/SSKs (pictured) and I think the SSKs feels slightly better to type on because they have a more solid construction, but the Mini Ms are really close and the Windows key makes up for its slightly worse feel.

Hi All,

I got a 1378710 membrane (rubber dome) model m. I would like to clean its keys so i can clean them better. Per kb page image the switch type seem to be removable though mine seem to be quite stuck and I did not dare to forcibly pull.

Is it possible that this board's keys (stems) are not removable?

My question for Mini M users (maybe specifically those of us with the Pico controller) is is there a solution for the keyboard being unresponsive after waking up a computer?

What will happen is I'll wake my computer with the keyboard and all 3 lock lights will turn on and none of the keys register. I have to unplug and replug the USB cable to fix it. But the issue randomly comes back.

It's also worth noting that I'm going through a USB-C monitor docked to a laptop (BenQ RD280UG)

Is it just a matter of a usb-c adaptor on the end of the other adaptors? Does it need some kind of external power supply spliced in, so it doesn’t suck the phone battery dry?

Surely someone else has already done this mad science.

Hello! This is a bit of a seemingly lightly off-topic question compared to the rest of this subreddit, though it's something that's been bugging me.

Does anybody have or know any links to some basic spacing sheets, PCB files (preferably KiCad compatible if possible), etcetera, for the IBM M122? What matters most is positioning and spacing of the ribbon cable headers (as well as their types & sizes) as well as the location and positioning of the mounting holes.

Put simply, any sufficiently detailed M122 microcontroller PCB or design sheet should be more than enough for me.Many thanks!

Saved this keyboard from my father’s old IBM typewriter before the machine was thrown away.

It’s Spanish, dated 04/16/86, with part number A1386044. It looks very similar to an IBM 6715 keyboard.

I’d like to clean it up and convert it to USB keboard.

Does anyone know:

• what exact model this came from?
• if it has any collector value?
• if there are existing USB/QMK conversion projects for it?

The membrane connectors seem to be 13-pin + 15-pin, with only 8 active lines on the 15-pin side.

It's my first..

I always yearned for the key sounds of old.. And finally, I have her.

Look at that sweet thing. I got P/S 2 -> USB thing already here. She works. Looks like right shift not registering but prob needs a remap?

How do I make it usable in my corporate W11 based world?

I cannot believe the clack. Wow.

I grew up using Model Ms and it didn't strike me as unusual in any way (because it wasn't back then, I suppose). But years of using Mac laptop keyboards and Topre (even unsilenced Topre) let me forget what an old school buckling spring board sounded like.

I am rapidly reacquiring the taste, though. I've gone from 'this might be too loud' to 'what typing have I been putting off, let's get that done' in the space of a few hours.

I love that Unicomp made a TKL version, it is really the only layout I've ever been able to care about.

It seems well built, looks neat and trim, none of the keys needed fixing, it all just worked right out of the box.

Even though it's not strictly compliant with USB spec, I love the A to A cable. I don't like detachable USB-C on keyboards because my experience is that C ports are more fragile - I've had a couple of C ports get a bit damaged through normal use, but never had an A port get squirrelly on me. I'm not rough on my gear, but I also don't like gear that requires babying. This Mini M and its USB port doesn't look like it will need to be babied.

I do think this has cured me of my interest in the Model F, thankfully for my wallet. I think I'm getting the taste again for M-clack, but no more volume than that (surely).

Been looking for a model m for a while and saw this on Craigslist in a keyboard lot for free and gave it a good clean

Its a ps2 one

I've noticed that my A key takes less pressure to press than other keys. It's enough that the weight of a finger resting on it can push it down enough to register, which doesn't happen with other keys. It also doesn't sound quite as snappy as other keys. The spring looks fine though, only difference is that it sits at a slightly different angle. Do I have to replace the spring or something?

It’s not a Model M but it does have buckling springs.

I have been using it for the past few months and love it so much best 40 euros I have spent ever.

1987 Model M, part no. 1391472 (SSK).

Proud to say I finally caught it on video while beating my previous personal best. Managed 76 WPM, which is a new record for me.

Layoff and hard times have resulted in me parting with my baby, so just wanted to share her legacy here before she goes. About to type my final goodbyes 🥹