deskthority

Hello everyone Here is my 1984 IBM Model F AT Keyboard restoration log hope you find it helpful.

How the keyboard Looked when I first got it

Very nice. Those AT's in German layout are super rare it seems and yours seems to be in excellent condition.

Mind if I feel a bit envious of you, for possessing that F AT?

Thanks a lot for all the support guys these keyboards are much nicer layout than the XT.

Always like to see such kinda threads, nice job.

Thanks

Starting to remove all the key caps.

All Key caps removed ready for ISO key caps.

Image of the IBM logo IT EVEN HAS THE ORIGINAL PLASTIC WRAP STILL ON IT.

All old key caps.

Image of top case before being cleaned.

Close up of the dirt on the top case.

More dirt on the top case.

Getting ready to clean the top case.

Image of the capacitive sensing board for the keys.

Image of the foam which appears in good condition but it is not as you will see in the next image.

All key barrels removed at this point I knew it needed new foam.

All keyboard parts disassembled.

Image of all the buckling spring assemblies.

Image of the lock light circuit board.

New 3mm foam traced ready to be cut to shape.

New foam in and a tip to anyone doing this use lots of clamps when reassembling.

New foam installed and also space bar lightened by bending the wire stabiliser outwards and then using fishing line to hold the buckling spring in place while reassembling the keyboard.

Image of the completed keyboard Let me know what you think.

The Manufacture label on the back of the keyboard.

Fkazim wrote: ↑

02 Mar 2019, 18:34

New foam in and a tip to anyone doing this use lots of clamps when reassembling.

Ha! Reminds me of how many clamps I had to slap on when I stupidly used 1/8" foam to restore my F-122. And even with all this squeeze-power I still had a hell of a time getting it put back together.

Haha yeah I feel your pain but I would still say the IBM Model F is easier to work on than the IBM Model M what do you think?

F is much more modular and repairable. The darn rivets truly ruin M's (otherwise I feel they're great keyboards).

But M is less finicky from an electrical standpoint. I have a simple Soarer's converter that I made a long time back with Gnd, Vcc, data, and clock wired up. My F's don't work with this converter though. For the F's I have to also wire earth ground (?) to Gnd as well.

Sorry if this doesn't make sense. I don't understand basic electronics principals that you learn in jr. high.

That's really useful info thanks for sharing and the plastic rivets really ruin M's as you said such a shame IBM chose that assembly method.

I wouldn't be able to resist peeling that plastic off of the badge.