Page 1 of 1

IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 11 Feb 2019, 14:54
by darkcruix
I would love to understand how many IBM Beam Spring keyboards are still in use (at least for those who also are part of this forum). I wonder, if there are other people out there who would be interested.

Mine is a 3278 full size with the following code:
1645101
EC317626A
192078
IMG_8002.jpg
IMG_8002.jpg (123.01 KiB) Viewed 5410 times

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 11 Feb 2019, 15:11
by Muirium
I’ve gotten hands on and personal with three beamsprings.

One of them belongs to me. I have a 3276 thanks to Cindy with Xwhatsit controller and solenoid, here in Scotland. Can’t seem to find any pictures of it on DT however (going to file a bug!)

I also had a German layout 3276, which I sold to Seebart a few years ago. There’s some pics on DT of it as well, if I can find them.

Here’s another local one:

Image

That great white Displaywriter is in Scotland, too. Belongs to a museum, who had no idea what it was.

I can open mine up and get you label details if you like. Don’t think it was particularly expressive in there. I don’t know its birthdate or even year, for instance. Maybe as old as me, but maybe not.

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 11 Feb 2019, 15:18
by andrewjoy
I would guess that number on the right is the date ? But that does not make sense for US dates , in the rest of the world where normal people live i would think that was 19th Feb 1978?

I have made a google doc and added this one , will do mine when i get home

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

EDIT
Please keep the data source field consistent. Makes managing data much simple.

DT Post
GH Post
REDDIT
Other

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 11 Feb 2019, 21:58
by AJM
The numbers on my 5251 look very different:
(I took the stickers off, before cleaning everything. Then forgot to put them back on. :D )
5251-1.jpg
5251-1.jpg (308.79 KiB) Viewed 5329 times
But there's a clear date on the case:
5251-2.jpg
5251-2.jpg (263.41 KiB) Viewed 5329 times

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 11 Feb 2019, 22:00
by Muirium
Ooh, lucky you!

What’s your recipe for clean sticker removal? I’m atrocious at peeling.


@Andy: Can we keep Google out of this? How about posting the info in this thread, which can then all end up in the wiki where it belongs?

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 11 Feb 2019, 22:16
by pansku
I can't recall if there are any more markings on my 5251 but here's a picture of the original controller from my archives:
IBM 5251 original controller
IBM 5251 original controller
IMG_20171213_180255.jpg (1.53 MiB) Viewed 5311 times

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 12 Feb 2019, 03:22
by JP!
Beamspring part number, license, registration, and proof of insurance should be required :)

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 12 Feb 2019, 10:51
by AJM
Muirium wrote:
11 Feb 2019, 22:00
Ooh, lucky you!
What’s your recipe for clean sticker removal? I’m atrocious at peeling.
Oh, they nearly fell off by themselves, after being threatened by a hint of moisture.
(And it was a wise decision by them. Because they wouldn't have looked good after I was finished with cleaning off the old foam from that part, which turned into the most annoying and disgusting cleaning job, I've ever done. :shock: )

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 13 Feb 2019, 05:34
by Wingklip
I've got one, though I do not really have the numbers on hand today lol

Beamspring 5251 Bigfoot variant

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 13 Feb 2019, 05:52
by SilenceGoo
Wingklip wrote:
13 Feb 2019, 05:34
I've got one, though I do not really have the numbers on hand today lol

Beamspring 5251 Bigfoot variant
5251 Bigfoot should be more rare.

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 13 Feb 2019, 07:14
by darkcruix
Can you post pictures of the 5251 Bigfoot? I am really interested in all the variants (and how many are still in use).

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 13 Feb 2019, 14:38
by JP!
This is probably a good thread to help you in your quest.
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=8788&hilit=post+your+beamspring

Also here is a crappy photo of mine.
Spoiler:
IBM DisplayWriter keyboard, 3277 terminal keyboard (66 key), IBM 4978 terminal keyboard (Series/1), IBM 3741 Data Station + bonus 3279 that is apart for restoration.
1.jpg
1.jpg (145.28 KiB) Viewed 5065 times

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 13 Feb 2019, 15:12
by darkcruix
JP! wrote:
13 Feb 2019, 14:38
This is probably a good thread to help you in your quest.
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=8788&hilit=post+your+beamspring

Also here is a crappy photo of mine.
Spoiler:
IBM DisplayWriter keyboard, 3277 terminal keyboard (66 key), IBM 4978 terminal keyboard (Series/1), IBM 3741 Data Station + bonus 3279 that is apart for restoration.

1.jpg
Thanks a mil for sharing - no idea, why I haven't seen the thread before!

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 13 Feb 2019, 15:23
by Muirium
That’s forums. Content is fundamentally time sorted, so sleepy threads go into permanent hibernation. There’s very few truly evergreen ones, and I mean the kind of evergreen that is regular new posts and routine visibility as a result. Great Finds and the Alps photos thread come to mind, and that one about how everyone’s wrong at music!

As much as I personally prefer the forum thread format, this kind of thing is where wikis shine. Indexed content, for reference and long term addition. Just not conversation and personality, which keeps my visits few and brief.

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 20 Feb 2019, 05:47
by Wingklip
You can buy a house with those four in two years

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 20 Feb 2019, 20:50
by Bass
JP! wrote:
13 Feb 2019, 14:38
This is probably a good thread to help you in your quest.
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=8788&hilit=post+your+beamspring

Also here is a crappy photo of mine.
Spoiler:
IBM DisplayWriter keyboard, 3277 terminal keyboard (66 key), IBM 4978 terminal keyboard (Series/1), IBM 3741 Data Station + bonus 3279 that is apart for restoration.

1.jpg
I see you are now the third person on here who has managed to find a 4978, nice work! You wouldn't happen to be willing to trade it for anything I might still have in my own collection would you? :)
Wingklip wrote:
20 Feb 2019, 05:47
You can buy a house with those four in two years
Hah! As a matter of fact I have recently sold off most of the beamers I have been hoarding over this past year for this very purpose. But sadly as high as beamspring prices might seem, housing prices in my area are far more absurd still. It certainly helps but the amount I have earned selling most of mine still doesn't fully cover the down payment!

These are what I still have left. First of course is my ever so trusty 3278, the very first beamspring I have ever found: If I could only keep one this would most likely be it:
Spoiler:
2019-02-20 11.24.35.jpg
2019-02-20 11.24.35.jpg (4.65 MiB) Viewed 4873 times
I still have one more from my series of hauls from last year, but since it was in the worst shape of the lot I have kept it around as a parts board. Hence many keycaps are missing, and the door is currently on loan to someone:
Spoiler:
Image
I also have a 3741 datastation keyboard module which in spite of not being restored might just be the best feeling out of all the beamsprings I've ever tried, and has hardly any wobble. Obviously nowhere near as cool as JP!'s though since I don't have the original desk:
Spoiler:
2019-02-20 11.26.07.jpg
2019-02-20 11.26.07.jpg (3.22 MiB) Viewed 4873 times
And last but not least, although I am not sure if I should count it since it's a fully fledged computer, my IBM 5100:
Spoiler:
2018-11-19 11.30.27.jpg
2018-11-19 11.30.27.jpg (3.61 MiB) Viewed 4873 times

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 10 Mar 2019, 08:48
by John Doe
Hope the 5251 variant could do some help.
6902B4BA-8D59-4323-82D2-9BB70AE87127.jpeg
6902B4BA-8D59-4323-82D2-9BB70AE87127.jpeg (1.7 MiB) Viewed 4708 times
28918276-9877-495E-9758-9486C7B79201.jpeg
28918276-9877-495E-9758-9486C7B79201.jpeg (2.05 MiB) Viewed 4708 times

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 10 Mar 2019, 12:09
by AJM
Very nice. Do you have some more pictures of the case? That's not the usual 5251 case, that I know.

(And I just saw, that there's no picture of an 5251 in the Wiki at all! I'll try to change that.)

Re: IBM Beam Spring listing / registration

Posted: 01 Apr 2019, 22:59
by reichlinger
I have an IBM Series I system which I purchased in 1978. I added to it up until the mid 1980s. I have 4978, 4979, 3101, and 3151 terminals which I purchased new. Recently I was looking through stuff on my shelf and I found a NIB 3101 that I did not remember that I had.