Model M/F Partnumbers

[Firebolt1914]

Is there a guide or list to them somewhere, or do people end up memorizing/getting used to them? I can't seem to understand at all, and they may be useful, as this recycler I contacted has several NIB IBM keyboards that I may distribute on DT.

[Muirium]

Where are you?

[Firebolt1914]

Connecticut, USA, rather not list the name of the recycler.

Worst case scenario is that this is one of the recyclers that elecplus works with

[Muirium]

Ah, just checking if you were on this side of the Atlantic! Ah well.

To answer your question: some people may have a lot of them memorised. I sure don't: only the magic 4704. For everything else, there's search. Which got me to this one of Cindy's many spreadsheets for instance:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... li=1#gid=0

Best of luck with the hunt. The simplest rule of thumb is the heavier the better. The more metal in the case the better too. Things like "clicky" and looking for springs under the caps are where we start to make things complicated for people who've no idea why we want this stuff.

[Firebolt1914]

They've identified what I want I think. I've asked for part numbers and pictures so I'll post those soon.

[elecplus]

Good find!

All IBM PN are 7 alphanumeric digits long. The earliest part numbers were all digits (100A536 was the exception, because it was for special use); when these got used up, they switched to alpha-numeric. Higher PN do not necessarily mean newer products though.

On many items you will see a PN and a FRU, or Field Replaceable Unit. If you are talking to dealers, they usually go by the FRU. PN and FRU are often within a few digits of each other, but not always. And there seems to be little rhyme or reason for the part numbers that are assigned.

If you look at a Bill of Materials for an IBM product, the individual parts are all 7 characters long. But they don't seem to follow a pattern. Keyboards don't start with a particular sequence, and neither does anything else, such as screens or memory or motherboards.

One thing to note is that there can be several PN for each FRU. For instance, on motherboards, a new PN is assigned for each revision, but the FRU may stay the same (or then again, it might change). You might even see things like a Hayes external modem with an IBM FRU on the tag on the bottom!

[Firebolt1914]

Thanks for this info, I hope there's something cool.

[ramnes]

Kishy kishy kishy kishy kishy!

[fohat]

F-122s are generally 6110xxx with the last digits 344, 345,347, and 688 being the most common.

[Touch_It]

I need a f122 in my life

[andrewjoy]

i need a second 122 F, one for modding one for standard