IBM 3279 Beam Spring Keyboard Question

[Hypersphere]

Today I received my IBM 3279 beam spring keyboard. I have not yet dismantled it for cleaning and restoration to see how the key switches are mounted, but upon testing the keys, I was somewhat alarmed to find that pressing any key on the main part of the keyboard causes other keys in the main typing area to move. Is this normal for this keyboard? How are the switches mounted? Are they PCB mounted? If plate mounted, is there that much flex in the plate that pressing one key would cause others to move? Thanks for your insights.

[quantalume]

That's probably due to the liquid barrier stiffening over time. Once you remove it, everything should be fine. A little side-to-side slop in beamspring switches is normal.

[Hypersphere]

That's probably due to the liquid barrier stiffening over time. Once you remove it, everything should be fine. A little side-to-side slop in beamspring switches is normal.

Thanks, quantalume. That's a bit of a relief. This particular beam spring is going to be a lot of work. The bottom of the case is quite corroded, but the metal looks thick enough to survive extensive sanding.

[Muirium]

How heavy is it? Seeing as this is one I wanted to buy, myself!

Also: shoot some pictures of everything you do. They make great documentation for putting things back together as well as pictures worth posting here. A good phone camera will suffice, with appropriate light.

[Hypersphere]

Some might think it bizarre, but despite my technocentric nature, with 10 desktop computers and a laptop, countless keyboards, and multiple monitors at my workstations, I do not have a camera, microphone, or cell phone. I do intend to acquire a phone some day for use in emergencies or as an answering machine when traveling, but I would rather communicate via email or in person than by phone.

As for appropriate light, I like to live in the shadows, as if I were in a film noir movie.

Nevertheless, I will see about borrowing a camera and finding enough light to record some shots of keyboards in the process of restoration.

[Muirium]

I loathe phones too. (Being called up on one at awkward times, and being with others getting called at awkward times.) But a camera is an essential tool of life, good man! Get to it.

[Hypersphere]

I tend to neurox things, but I do not have a good way of uploading neuroxed images so that they might be viewed by others. Time to put a pinhole in a potato at the very least.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I loathe phones too. (Being called up on one at awkward times, and being with others getting called at awkward times.) But a camera is an essential tool of life, good man! Get to it.

Even a luddite like me has a digital camera ;-) No mobile phone though.

Photo from a ca. 2005 ultracompact:

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