IBM Model F AT Space-bar mod

[anmq91]

Hey guys,

I, like many others here, find the space-bar weighting of the model f AT to be far too heavy. I get that it adds to the solid feel of the board, but as I am looking to use this as a DD and have a ton of typing to do for my PhD thesis and work along side, the space-bar will really need to be lightened.

Thing is, I have only found two partial (very short) guides on lightning the space-bar on the AT. One which suggest bending the wire slightly to reduce tension, and the other that recommends to cut off a bit of plastic fastener that holds the wire in place. The first method was successful the the first author but not for the second author. The other guides, amazing and detailed as they are, all require cutting the steel barrel plate and replace the space bar with a model M one; something that I would rather not do as I do not possess the tools to cut through steel.

So I thought it best to ask the community if anyone has any experience in lightening up the space bar on the AT without doing a hack-job on the plate. I'm hoping to make a comprehensive guide here with pictures to add to the community database. Any help would be highly appreciated!

[Fkazim]

Well ultimately you would have to separate the barrel plate and back plate. In terms of "hack job" if you are referring to the method with drilling holes in the spacebar stabiliser posts to reattach the stabiliser bar. Then the answer is no you don't have to do a hack job. But you do for sure have to separate the keyboard assembly to lighten the spacebar.

[anmq91]

Well ultimately you would have to separate the barrel plate and back plate. In terms of "hack job" if you are referring to the method with drilling holes in the spacebar stabiliser posts to reattach the stabiliser bar. Then the answer is no you don't have to do a hack job. But you do for sure have to separate the keyboard assembly to lighten the space-bar.

I'm ready to take on the challenge of opening up the board and putting it back together. By the 'hack-job' I was referring to the space-bar mod where the plate is cut to be made a little bigger in order to have two extra barrels are placed for the Alt keys flanking the space bar on either side. In this case people normally end up using a model M spacebar with custom stabilizer tabs epoxied onto the barrel plate.

What I really need to know is how exactly to reduce the weighting of the space-bar without damaging it permanently. The couple of conflicting reports on Geekhack have left me wondering what the correct way is.

[Muirium]

Everyone calls the Model M spacebar + 2x 1.5u mods conversion the ANSI mod, for communication’s sake!

I’m always tempted by those modifier keys, yet always put off by the need to get real dirty when it comes to spacebar stabs.

[anmq91]

Everyone calls the Model M spacebar + 2x 1.5u mods conversion the ANSI mod, for communication’s sake!

I’m always tempted by those modifier keys, yet always put off by the need to get real dirty when it comes to spacebar stabs.

Ahh thanks Mu, I had thought that the ANSI mod only referred to the changing of the big-ass Enter to the normal ANSI one!

Yeah that is putting me of taking on such a project as well. Also since spare parts aren't readily available for the board (in the case that something does goes wrong.) :/