IBM KB-9910 Keycaps PBT? Can it be Modded w/ Modern Switches?

Alvin777

13 Nov 2023, 00:35

Hello extreme keyboards friends. Are the keycaps on the IBM KB-9910 made of PBT and could this keyboard be somehow modded to mechanical switches using modern switches getting rid of it's dome and membrane system?

Thank you. God bless you.

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Muirium
µ

13 Nov 2023, 11:07

One of these?

Image

I'd wager against PBT caps. The Windows keys give away the fact it's mid-nineties at the earliest, when PBT was already well on the way out of mainstream use.

As a membrane + rubberdome + slider design, the caps will be completely the wrong shape for mounting on keyswitches.

Unfortunately, there's pretty much nothing whatsoever to harvest from old dome and membrane boards.

Alvin777

13 Nov 2023, 11:15

Hi, thanks for the reply. I believe that's that one but the one I saw at my bottom shelf (pulled out from an office I believe) has the ANSI type Return key (ISO Return key is better and bigger)

(By the way the usual popular, kind of cheap 3 dollar or so, PS/2 to USB adapter doesn't work on everything on all USBs what's the the next more quality PS/2 to USB adapter (hopefully not too expensive) w/ smarter circuitry you can recommend?)
Last edited by Alvin777 on 13 Nov 2023, 11:31, edited 1 time in total.

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Muirium
µ

13 Nov 2023, 11:23

That was just the nicest pic I could find of the model number. Mostly, what comes up are the usual ugly ebay shots. ;)

Re: converters… a very frequent topic!

Alvin777

13 Nov 2023, 11:38

Thanks again :-) Are the keycaps of this membrane IBM PBT or ABS? Are they worth cleaning and reviving even if it's not a Model F or M? It's an original IBM with the nice protruding logo.

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Muirium
µ

13 Nov 2023, 11:53

If you mean "worth" doing for a profit, then certainly not. But if you like the keyboard, there's no shame in it.

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