Do-It-Yourself Steampunk Keyboard 159
An anonymous reader writes "Who said there's no use for your old IBM "M Series" keyboards anymore? This creative fellow shows us step by step how to convert the keyboards of yesteryear into keyboards of an even further distant, fictional time. H. G. Wells would be proud."
Re:the finest... (Score:2, Interesting)
I also have a bunch of IBM model M's. I like them, but they make quite a commotion when you are cranking code, and they are comparitively high effort, almost like playing a piano. I did some tests and found I had better speed and accuracy with the Alps, which requires no deliberate effort and is less fatiguing for long term use. I still keep model M's on my servers both for nostalgia and because they are just fun to use, plus the keyboard change at a server console reminds me to be a bit more deliberate.
I used to keep an old pre-AT IBM keyboard around just to remind me of what a keyboard could be. I think it was an XT model, smaller than the modern 101's but it weighed about 10 pounds and every keyswitch was a beautiful machine. The action was less jarring than any model M, still klicky but oh-so-fine, felt like precise bearings. No way I know to make this work on any modern keyboard controller and the layout isn't what I would prefer in this world, but this is what keyboard would be if people payed hundreds of dollars for them.
Fellow M user - and Cleaning Tip! (Score:3, Interesting)
While bastardising an IBM Model M is almost inexcusable, this steampunk mod is quite nice. I have two model M keyboards that I use regularly.
Agreed. Typing on one (1984) right now, also have an '87 model with its original stuck-on-when-new WordPerfect cheat sheet. My third PC/AT keyboard is a 1983 Compaq Deskpro 286 keyboard; it's two-tone brown and looks utterly ridiculous sitting in front of an LCD monitor and beside an optical mouse. It's just as comfortable as a Model M for just the exact opposite reasons.
BTW, M users - cleaning tip, one keyboard at a time, and don't try this unless you actually OWN your washing machine. Take off all the keycaps, or, better still, all the keys leaving simply the springs in place. Put them into the washing machine along with a dirty sweater or something. Do not use a full load of laundry, a cap will get lost in the bottom of a sock or a pocket or something, and it will take you weeks to find it. Wash as a small load on warm water. Remove all the caps, blot them on a towel, and leave to dry. Carefully shake out the sweater (watching for caps!) and hang it to dry. Vacuum the keyboard, watching to ensure all the springs remain where they belong. Once the caps are all dry, stick 'em back on and enjoy the fact that your M looks brand new again. The article of clothing is essential, as it scrubs them during the washing cycle. Doing this on your own washer is essential, if a key or cap goes missing, you'll want to know it didn't end up in someone else's laundry. I have done this every couple of years on each of my Ms, using an ancient Maytag top-loader, and they always come out perfectly. It beats the hell out of scrubbing each key with a toothbrush.
Anyway, at least this schmuck did something interesting and apparently well-executed, even though he destroyed two antique typewriters and one M to do it.
Suggestions (Score:3, Interesting)
Oh, and... LEDs should be replaced with little light bulbs from torches or, even better, wavelength scale backlight bulbs from antique radios (perhaps bulbs from Christmas tree lights would do fine), in nice little light "towers".
Of course, an old 4-circuit woven fabric tube enclosed telephone cable is in order to connect it to the motherboard. Although PC keyboard connector has 5 pins, one of them is not connected.