Nah, dishwasher soap is basic...Ander wrote: ↑Exactly! It's actually acidic.Sigmoid> Dishwasher machine soap is super agressive. It's designed to get grime off without rubbing...
Model F XT refurbishing
- Khers
- ⧓
- Location: Sweden
- Main keyboard: LZ CLSh
- Main mouse: Logitech MX Ergo
- Favorite switch: Buckling Springs | Topre | Nixdorf Black
- DT Pro Member: 0087
- seebart
- Offtopicthority Instigator
- Location: Germany
- Main keyboard: Rotation
- Main mouse: Steelseries Sensei
- Favorite switch: IBM capacitive buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: 0061
- Contact:
I guess it depends what kind of dishwasher soap you're using. But generally it's pretty harmless stuff.
- Khers
- ⧓
- Location: Sweden
- Main keyboard: LZ CLSh
- Main mouse: Logitech MX Ergo
- Favorite switch: Buckling Springs | Topre | Nixdorf Black
- DT Pro Member: 0087
It depends on the type. Dishwasher soap for machine use is generally pH 12 or above. Dish soap for hand use is about neutral, so rather harmless...
- 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
I like powdered laundry detergent (Charlie's Natural (US) - great on clothes, too) with a little shot of "oxi-" (arrives under various names) but rinse well using a colander or wire basket! And, because, for the laundry, it needs to rinse away quickly.Khers wrote: ↑
Dishwasher soap for machine use is generally pH 12 or above. Dish soap for hand use is about neutral,
Then lay a T-shirt out on the bed and "sling" the water out of each cap before I toss it down. This takes 2-3 minutes and means that it caps are almost dry immediately and there is no opportunity for dried residue anywhere.
- 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
"Preserve" and "salvage" are different.Gatlank wrote: ↑Any advice on how to preserve the identification sticker?
I just got 2 model m with the stickers in bad shape and if possible i would like to salvage them.
I remove stickers with naptha (old-fashioned cigarette lighter fluid) but this might discolor the paper.
When I clean a Model M, I mask the sticker with a plastic shield and masking tape. Properly done, this will endure long enough for me to wash the piece with soap and water. Then I clean the sticker and surround carefully by hand.
A sticker that is peeling up can usually be re-secured using a carefully-cut rectangle of wide tape. It is hard to find tape wider than the label, but you may find it the same width. Ideal would be about 2mm-3mm all around.
-
- Main keyboard: Macbook Pro built-in :P
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit trackball
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: -
On the bright side, this thing will probably last longer than the keyboard itself.
-
- Location: Portugal
- Main keyboard: IBM model M
- Main mouse: Thermaltake Level 10 M
- DT Pro Member: -
Thanks. While i can find information on how to clean covers, keycaps, etc. i have nothing regarding the label on the back.fohat wrote: ↑ "Preserve" and "salvage" are different.
I remove stickers with naptha (old-fashioned cigarette lighter fluid) but this might discolor the paper.
When I clean a Model M, I mask the sticker with a plastic shield and masking tape. Properly done, this will endure long enough for me to wash the piece with soap and water. Then I clean the sticker and surround carefully by hand.
A sticker that is peeling up can usually be re-secured using a carefully-cut rectangle of wide tape. It is hard to find tape wider than the label, but you may find it the same width. Ideal would be about 2mm-3mm all around.
- Redmaus
- Gotta start somewhere
- Location: Near Dallas, Texas
- Main keyboard: Unsaver | 3276 | Kingsaver
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade
- Favorite switch: Capacitative Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Neat what you are doing! I still need an XT...
But in order to clean it all I just clean it under the sink and if you hand wash the keys they will look AMAZING afterward.
But in order to clean it all I just clean it under the sink and if you hand wash the keys they will look AMAZING afterward.
-
- DT Pro Member: -
Don't know if it'll be any use, but there was a useful thread about the foam matting and possible replacements here. I had to replace mine and used some 3mm neoprene, but that was probably too thick and made reassembly, er, fun. I made a printable template for the XT layout that I found useful (it's attached to the foam thread) and punched out the holes with a punch set. Some application of clamps and a hammer did get it back together and it all worked fine, which was a relief.
-
- Main keyboard: Macbook Pro built-in :P
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit trackball
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: -
Hey,
I re-assembled the keyboard. Yea I guess I should have gotten the open cell, softer foam mat, as it was pretty hard to put it together, I had to use 5 small (35lbs) DeWalt clamps, a block of wood and a rubber mallet. Anyway, at least I didn't have to force anything, and the spacebar was a lot easier too than I feared.
I had difficulty re-installing a few keycaps, it would seem that the spring didn't settle in its proper place, and the key didn't click... My bets are on that the flipper was in a "pressed down" state at all times. After a few retries, shaking the keyboard and poking at the spring with a small screwdriver, all the keys are clicking.
So now comes the part of getting Soarer's on a Teensy and installing it inside the case.
I re-assembled the keyboard. Yea I guess I should have gotten the open cell, softer foam mat, as it was pretty hard to put it together, I had to use 5 small (35lbs) DeWalt clamps, a block of wood and a rubber mallet. Anyway, at least I didn't have to force anything, and the spacebar was a lot easier too than I feared.
I had difficulty re-installing a few keycaps, it would seem that the spring didn't settle in its proper place, and the key didn't click... My bets are on that the flipper was in a "pressed down" state at all times. After a few retries, shaking the keyboard and poking at the spring with a small screwdriver, all the keys are clicking.
So now comes the part of getting Soarer's on a Teensy and installing it inside the case.
- Redmaus
- Gotta start somewhere
- Location: Near Dallas, Texas
- Main keyboard: Unsaver | 3276 | Kingsaver
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade
- Favorite switch: Capacitative Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Awesome!!Sigmoid wrote: ↑Getting there...
Looks like you are living the dream buddy! For some reason I want an XT or bigfoot... No desire for an AT though
- Redmaus
- Gotta start somewhere
- Location: Near Dallas, Texas
- Main keyboard: Unsaver | 3276 | Kingsaver
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade
- Favorite switch: Capacitative Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
The reason why I don't want one is because whenever I see that huge enter key it is such a huge turnoff.XMIT wrote: ↑On the contrary: if someone wants to get rid of an AT please send me a PM.
- 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
That's fixable.
I hate to cross link but: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48288.0
See http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/bm-a ... t9488.html.
- Redmaus
- Gotta start somewhere
- Location: Near Dallas, Texas
- Main keyboard: Unsaver | 3276 | Kingsaver
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade
- Favorite switch: Capacitative Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
I know yeah, but I also just don't like the look of the keyboard. I don't why the XT board looks better to me. Weird.XMIT wrote: ↑That's fixable.
I hate to cross link but: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48288.0
See http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/bm-a ... t9488.html.
- GuilleAcoustic
- Location: France
- Main keyboard: IBM Model F XT
- Main mouse: CH Products Trackball Pro
- Favorite switch: capacitive buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: -
Why in the world did I read eRotic ?Sigmoid wrote: ↑Hm... yea, the XT is definitely more exotic.
- Redmaus
- Gotta start somewhere
- Location: Near Dallas, Texas
- Main keyboard: Unsaver | 3276 | Kingsaver
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade
- Favorite switch: Capacitative Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
-
- Main keyboard: Macbook Pro built-in :P
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit trackball
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: -
Things aren't looking very good unfortunately... The keyboard isn't working with Soarer's converter, and it doesn't look very good on a scope... Seems to be acting weird.
It's quite possible that the electronics are fried on the controller board. :/ Are there any resources online for debugging and fixing these things? What about the availability of the chips?
It's quite possible that the electronics are fried on the controller board. :/ Are there any resources online for debugging and fixing these things? What about the availability of the chips?
- Redmaus
- Gotta start somewhere
- Location: Near Dallas, Texas
- Main keyboard: Unsaver | 3276 | Kingsaver
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade
- Favorite switch: Capacitative Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
You have rebooted your computer beforehand right? And there are no other soarer converted keyboards plugged in at the same time?Sigmoid wrote: ↑Things aren't looking very good unfortunately... The keyboard isn't working with Soarer's converter, and it doesn't look very good on a scope... Seems to be acting weird.
It's quite possible that the electronics are fried on the controller board. :/ Are there any resources online for debugging and fixing these things? What about the availability of the chips?
- idollar
- i$
- Location: Germany (Frankfurt area)
- Main keyboard: IBM F or M
- Favorite switch: BS
- DT Pro Member: -
Are you sure that the cabling is correct ?Sigmoid wrote: ↑Things aren't looking very good unfortunately... The keyboard isn't working with Soarer's converter, and it doesn't look very good on a scope... Seems to be acting weird.
It's quite possible that the electronics are fried on the controller board. :/ Are there any resources online for debugging and fixing these things? What about the availability of the chips?
My XT works like a dream
-
- Main keyboard: Macbook Pro built-in :P
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit trackball
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: -
Yep, I triple checked it...
It seems like it's not registering keypresses - it's the capacitive sensing part that is off. After reading up on the XT protocol I connected it up to the scope again, and I can see pretty proper XT protocol messages, the data line is the data line, the clock like is the clock line, only it doesn't correspond to activity on the keyboard AT ALL, but seems to change based on whim and where my hands are.
(XT protocol: http://kbdbabel.sourceforge.net/doc/kbd ... s2_adb.pdf)
Sometime it stops, sometime it starts, sometimes when I press a key the data line changes state, but more often it doesn't... Similarly, on the computer the best I got out of it was s flurry of random characters upon touching the ground plane, which sometime lasted long, sometimes not...
(Thinking about it, I may have been had. It was listed on eBay by someone who claimed to have started cleaning and restoring it, but then "realized he didn't have the tools to test it"... Well either that, or he realized it was borked. :/ F* me.)
It seems like it's not registering keypresses - it's the capacitive sensing part that is off. After reading up on the XT protocol I connected it up to the scope again, and I can see pretty proper XT protocol messages, the data line is the data line, the clock like is the clock line, only it doesn't correspond to activity on the keyboard AT ALL, but seems to change based on whim and where my hands are.
(XT protocol: http://kbdbabel.sourceforge.net/doc/kbd ... s2_adb.pdf)
Sometime it stops, sometime it starts, sometimes when I press a key the data line changes state, but more often it doesn't... Similarly, on the computer the best I got out of it was s flurry of random characters upon touching the ground plane, which sometime lasted long, sometimes not...
(Thinking about it, I may have been had. It was listed on eBay by someone who claimed to have started cleaning and restoring it, but then "realized he didn't have the tools to test it"... Well either that, or he realized it was borked. :/ F* me.)
- Redmaus
- Gotta start somewhere
- Location: Near Dallas, Texas
- Main keyboard: Unsaver | 3276 | Kingsaver
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade
- Favorite switch: Capacitative Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
You didn't let the wires touch on the soldering right?
-
- Main keyboard: Macbook Pro built-in :P
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit trackball
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: -
The Teensy is soldered correctly.. and I snooped the keyboard without the Teensy on the scope, feeding it from my lab supply, and it def didn't look any good in itself either.Redmaus wrote: ↑You didn't let the wires touch on the soldering right?
...anyway, I remember seeing some topic somewhere about designing a new capacitive board based on the XT. Could someone point me to it? There might be people who actually understand how this thing works and how to debug it.
- chzel
- Location: Athens, Greece
- Main keyboard: Phantom
- Main mouse: Mionix Avior 7000
- Favorite switch: Beamspring, BS, Vintage Blacks.
- DT Pro Member: 0086
Doing things depending on hand position sounds like faulty grounding.
If you open the keyboard again, I think you can test the PCB bare before closing it back up.
If you open the keyboard again, I think you can test the PCB bare before closing it back up.
-
- Main keyboard: Macbook Pro built-in :P
- Main mouse: Kensington Orbit trackball
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: -
Yep, thanks for that tip, I was saving that for the last as putting it together was a pain... Anyway, the bare board works a treat, which makes me super happy as I don't need to worry about debugging an old logic board with unobtainium chips on it... but now the question is, what did I mess up in assembling it?chzel wrote: ↑Doing things depending on hand position sounds like faulty grounding.
If you open the keyboard again, I think you can test the PCB bare before closing it back up.
-
- Location: Belgium, land of Liberty Wafles and Freedom Fries
- Main keyboard: G80-3K with Clears
- Favorite switch: Capacitative BS
- DT Pro Member: 0049
Is the keyboard in the case when it's acting up? Are you sure there is no debris or anything out of the ordinary touching the PCB? Is your foam mat really safe for capacitative use?
I've read a post once about someone testing the keyboard on his lap (without the case), contact with his legs was enough to freak out the original controller.
I've read a post once about someone testing the keyboard on his lap (without the case), contact with his legs was enough to freak out the original controller.