IBM Disassembly Help
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- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: IBM SSK
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit
- Favorite switch: Buckling Spring/Thorpe
- DT Pro Member: -
I've tried many things to attempt to get my SSK open including the pen trick. The pen trick _almost_ works, except the hex bolts are screwed down real tight. Are there any other methods available using household objects? I really don't want to have to go out and buy one, as the hardware stores that carry a 5.5mm hex driver are fairly far away (and ebay takes too long, I need instant gratification ). If there's not much I can do, I'll just deal with cleaning it without opening it up.
- webwit
- Wild Duck
- Location: The Netherlands
- Main keyboard: Model F62
- Favorite switch: IBM beam spring
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- Mal-2
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Main keyboard: Cherry G86-61400
- Main mouse: Generic 6-button "gaming mouse"
- Favorite switch: Probably buckling spring, but love them Blues too
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Do you happen to have a triangular file? If so, you could break or grind back the point at the end until its tip fits snugly inside the hex bolts. I have such a triangular file that happened to have broken off at the right size to fit Torx heads of a similar size.Firebolt1914 wrote: ↑I've tried many things to attempt to get my SSK open including the pen trick. The pen trick _almost_ works, except the hex bolts are screwed down real tight. Are there any other methods available using household objects?
Unfortunately, such tool steel is very hard but also very brittle, so even if you succeed, expect the tip to fall apart slowly but surely as you work.
- fohat
- Elder Messenger
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Main keyboard: Model F 122-key terminal
- Main mouse: Microsoft Optical Mouse
- Favorite switch: Model F Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: 0158
Just get the tool.Firebolt1914 wrote: ↑ as the hardware stores that carry a 5.5mm hex driver are fairly far away
and ebay takes too long,
A "long, thin-walled" socket or nut driver 7/32" or 5.5mm.
- seebart
- Offtopicthority Instigator
- Location: Germany
- Main keyboard: Rotation
- Main mouse: Steelseries Sensei
- Favorite switch: IBM capacitive buckling spring
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Yeah I agree with fohat, if the screws are that tight it's not worth experimenting on an ssk.
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- Main keyboard: Macbook Pro built-in :P
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit trackball
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: -
The only tool for unscrewing hex bolts reliably is a hex driver. I've once been able to make do with a lucky choice of a flathead, which fit the bolt snugly, but I wouldn't count on that. Get a set of hex keys, they really are indispensable.
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- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: IBM SSK
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit
- Favorite switch: Buckling Spring/Thorpe
- DT Pro Member: -
How did you use a flathead? Care to elaborate?Sigmoid wrote: ↑The only tool for unscrewing hex bolts reliably is a hex driver. I've once been able to make do with a lucky choice of a flathead, which fit the bolt snugly, but I wouldn't count on that. Get a set of hex keys, they really are indispensable.
Also webwit, was the WD40 a joke, i don't want to do anything stupid
- webwit
- Wild Duck
- Location: The Netherlands
- Main keyboard: Model F62
- Favorite switch: IBM beam spring
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I've never tried it but I doubt the case will melt away.
- seebart
- Offtopicthority Instigator
- Location: Germany
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you can try WD-40, it might loosen the screws. It won`t do anything to your case except add that nice WD-40 smell and a nice lubrication that`s hard to wash off! Turn the keyboard upsidedown and flood the screws with a little WD-40 and wait an hour and try again. It did this on my Micro Switch but that case is metal.Firebolt1914 wrote: ↑Also webwit, was the WD40 a joke, i don't want to do anything stupid
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- Main keyboard: Macbook Pro built-in :P
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit trackball
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
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OMG lol I feel so dumb. Yes I was thinking of Allen bolts... I just assumed that everyone has a set of spanners or an adjustable wrench, so it didn't even occur to me that a regular hex head could cause difficulties...chzel wrote: ↑Firebolt, Mal-2 and Sigmoid gave solutions for Allen bolts. Not the kind you have. That's why it makes no sense.
- Nuum
- Location: Germany
- Main keyboard: KBD8X Mk I (60g Clears), Phantom (Nixdorf Blacks)
- Main mouse: Corsair M65 PRO RGB
- Favorite switch: 60g MX Clears/Brown Alps/Buckling spring
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The difficulty with the hex screws of a Model M is that they are in really deep (~2cm) holes, so you can't simply reach them with a wrench.
- XMIT
- [ XMIT ]
- Location: Austin, TX area
- Main keyboard: XMIT Hall Effect
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac Trackball
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Firebolt1914 I don't know where you're located but I got my 7/32" / 5.5mm driver at an auto parts store. I strongly recommend getting the correct tool for the job even if it involves some lead time.
- vivalarevolución
- formerly prdlm2009
- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: IBM Beam spring
- Main mouse: Kangaroo
- Favorite switch: beam spring
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Seconded. Use the correct tool for the job. It makes life easier and is worth it for the future SSKs you will buy.
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- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: IBM SSK
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit
- Favorite switch: Buckling Spring/Thorpe
- DT Pro Member: -
Yeah I just ordered the tool. Probably the better choice.
- eldorange
- Location: Philippines
- Main keyboard: IBM Model M, IBM M4-1
- Main mouse: A4Tech w/double click
- Favorite switch: swithces I can afford
- DT Pro Member: -
I would lend mine if not for the distance...My brother has 2 more sets available...
5.5 mm or even 6 mm for opening the cover
4mm (for bolt mod - for the nut (I guess?)
5.5 mm or even 6 mm for opening the cover
4mm (for bolt mod - for the nut (I guess?)
- Attachments
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- nut driver sizes
- 2.jpg (38.92 KiB) Viewed 3726 times
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- nut driver
- 1.jpg (30.93 KiB) Viewed 3726 times
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- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: IBM SSK
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit
- Favorite switch: Buckling Spring/Thorpe
- DT Pro Member: -
I found a tool at the local hardware store. A few rivets are broken and the play has a bit of corrosion. Otherwise, I'm fairly satisfied considering the price.
- XMIT
- [ XMIT ]
- Location: Austin, TX area
- Main keyboard: XMIT Hall Effect
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac Trackball
- Favorite switch: XMIT 60g Tactile Hall Effect
- DT Pro Member: 0093
In response to the WD-40 comments above: Model M keyboard cases are made of ABS plastic. If you want to check for yourself swab some pure acetone in a hidden location and you will see deterioration. WD-40 is entirely safe on ABS as it is a very thin oil. I don't see why you would need to use an anti-seize compound as the Model M's threads are also ABS plastic.
For a metal keyboard (like an F107) WD-40 is a good first step to try. I don't know if those cases are aluminum or steel but both are prone to corrosion and seizing.
For a metal keyboard (like an F107) WD-40 is a good first step to try. I don't know if those cases are aluminum or steel but both are prone to corrosion and seizing.
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
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ABS Model M cases? How come they seem so impervious to yellowing?
I asked around about this a while ago, and I think Hypersphere got an answer from Unicomp that they use some other plastic for their cases; and if I'm remembering right at all Clicky Keyboards (likely the best specialist on Model Ms anywhere) agreed the IBM originals weren't ABS either.
The only yellowing I've seen on a Model M is the space bar. And only on some European models, made in Greenock. Word is that Scottish made Model Ms sometimes had ABS spacebars, but nothing else; while American ones are ABS free in the caps and case.
I asked around about this a while ago, and I think Hypersphere got an answer from Unicomp that they use some other plastic for their cases; and if I'm remembering right at all Clicky Keyboards (likely the best specialist on Model Ms anywhere) agreed the IBM originals weren't ABS either.
The only yellowing I've seen on a Model M is the space bar. And only on some European models, made in Greenock. Word is that Scottish made Model Ms sometimes had ABS spacebars, but nothing else; while American ones are ABS free in the caps and case.
- XMIT
- [ XMIT ]
- Location: Austin, TX area
- Main keyboard: XMIT Hall Effect
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac Trackball
- Favorite switch: XMIT 60g Tactile Hall Effect
- DT Pro Member: 0093
I'll answer a nearly equivalent question which is "Why are some ABS plastics prone to yellowing?". The answer is brominated flame retardants. See http://web.archive.org/web/201207260420 ... Retardants .
The culprit is tetrabromobisphenol-A. That is a version of bisphenol-A (BPA) with four bromines attached to it. The same BPA that is no good in water and baby bottles. The bromines dissociate as free radicals and create brown compounds. At least that's my understanding.
The culprit is tetrabromobisphenol-A. That is a version of bisphenol-A (BPA) with four bromines attached to it. The same BPA that is no good in water and baby bottles. The bromines dissociate as free radicals and create brown compounds. At least that's my understanding.
- seebart
- Offtopicthority Instigator
- Location: Germany
- Main keyboard: Rotation
- Main mouse: Steelseries Sensei
- Favorite switch: IBM capacitive buckling spring
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I've never seen a yellowed Model M case either. Or any IBM keyboard for that matter!Another point for IBM.