deskthority

More photos at https://plus.google.com/photos/10439222 ... 3471603489.

Well, I've had a busy month but my collection is nearing completion. A couple of weeks ago I started Googling for every beam spring part number I could find (updating Cindy's spreadsheet in the process). For some I would find some random reseller or warehouse that claimed to have one in stock. I was often disappointed. Some would even claim to have one in stock, then be unable to find it and eventually issue me a refund. Lame.

So, understand that when I found an IBM 2683239, and saw that it was and stock and ready to order, I was skeptical. I continued to be skeptical as my card was charged, as the package took several days to even ship out, and as the package stayed stuck in a warehouse for an entire weekend. (UPS said: "We have not yet unloaded the package from the trailer. / Your delivery has been rescheduled for the next business day." On a Friday at 1:46PM. Super lame.)

But, sure enough, a fourteen pound (6 kg?) box was at my door this afternoon.


...and, sure enough...


The box was barely big enough for the giant keyboard.


Out of the box.


Back side:



Cable:


Finally unpacked:






Some keys, like the 1, are bent either rotationally or side to side. The B, N and Spacebar do not click or actuate correctly. I may steal some switches from the upper right side of the keyboard to fix them.

The keys are, of course, amazing. Light and clicky. They really are so much like the Selectric II.

Dimensions: 21"/53.5cm wide, 8.5"/21.5cm deep, 4"/10cm tall.




The keyboard definitely needs a bath and much love but it will fly again! I will need to build the xwhatsit Beam Spring board unless one of the converters will work with this.

Now off to find some Hall Effect switches...

Nice find man, mine had one bent key as well , i fixed it by squeezing it very slowly with a set of pliers. DO NOT TRY TO BEND IT BACK ! lucky for me i had a little bit of the metal switch still straight , so a bit of a squeeze did the trick.

If it has any side legends be mindfull cleaning it.

I did the usual sock in dishwasher powder like i have done 100 times before and lost some of my legends

It still has the bezel card too! Never felt a beam spring before, I don't really want to have one but it would be nice to know how the switches feel. And jeez, that thing is huge I couldn't imagine using it on my small desk.

They are outstanding, the are more magical than you can think possible. Mine has the instruction manual and a booklet with the full MAPS ( Maintenance Analysis Procedures ) for the whole terminal! When i can find a scanner that can take such small pages i am going to put it on bitsavers.

Beautiful! In its original box too.. I don't think I've ever seen a beamspring box before.

photekq wrote: ↑Beautiful! In its original box too.. I don't think I've ever seen a beamspring box before.

I don't think that is the original box... Look at the key layout on the box and look the displaywriter layout.

another great addition to your babies...congrats...

noticed too...the box has a different keyboard layout...as seen in the first picture...

Oh, yep. And you can clearly see a WANG logo too. Silly me.

Awesome! Too bad it's not the real box.

Yeah, the real box would make it an NIB beam spring! Did they even have boxes? I have never seen one.

always impressive the great white. Made in Canada noless. Conrgats. First time I've seen one with the information card in place.

my collection is nearing completion.

Mine is not and I'm not counting on it either.

What I meant is I am about done acquiring new keyboards for the moment. I will start to focus on cleaning and refurbishing the ones I have. The end goal is to get them all looking and feeling as new as possible, with NKRO support over USB. Each keyboard I have is at least a weekend of work, some more!