Moving or Adding Hammer-Spring Assembly on IBM 122 Keyboard

Hypersphere · 07 Apr 2014, 02:02

I am looking into the simplest possible modification of an IBM 122-key keyboard (F1 Model M) to make the layout as close as possible to a standard ANSI layout.

From what I can see, it appears that this can be done by removing a spring to the right of the left-shift and moving a spring-hammer assembly from the "{" key to the barrel directly underneath the backspace.

How difficult is it to move a spring-hammer assembly from one barrel to another? Does someone have a guide with pics to demonstrate this procedure?

dorkvader · 07 Apr 2014, 03:34

you will have to scrape the barrels off and then bolt or screw mod it.

Once you've separated the layers, moving the spring over is very easy.

Halvar · 07 Apr 2014, 17:50

phosphorglow's video shows it all, and from a pro!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JkO35gsIB8

If you need replacement parts in the US take a look at clickykeyboards.com:

http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cf ... tcat/33739

Hypersphere · 07 Apr 2014, 20:46

dorkvader wrote:you will have to scrape the barrels off and then bolt or screw mod it.

Once you've separated the layers, moving the spring over is very easy.

Thanks for confirming that there is no getting around it -- I am going to have to do major surgery to get the result I want.

Hypersphere · 07 Apr 2014, 20:51

Halvar wrote:phosphorglow's video shows it all, and from a pro!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JkO35gsIB8

If you need replacement parts in the US take a look at clickykeyboards.com:

http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cf ... tcat/33739

Thanks for the links! Clickeykeyboards I know very well -- I have purchased several keyboard and various parts from them -- truly a first-class operation!

I had not seen phosphorglow's video before -- it is really a good one. I especially like the cellotape trick for removing and reinstalling the spring assemblies!

quantalume · 07 Apr 2014, 21:08

Halvar wrote:phosphorglow's video shows it all, and from a pro!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JkO35gsIB8

Holy cow, that dude has quite a system! I think it's fair to say that there will still be working Model M's around in 100 years.