Project M

[Chyros]

Just finished "Project M" - threw some nice keycaps onto my 1388032 (already a gorgeous-looking keyboard IMO). Wanted to share the result, I'm quite happy with it! You might even be able to recognise what keyboards the caps are off of .

[mike52787]

Caps are from an IBM Wheelwriter typewriter, that I know. As for the blue keys... did you get your hands on a real indy ssk or are those unicomp? unicomp i'm sure.

[depletedvespene]

I'm willing to bet the blue keys are non-Unicomp and they DO come from an industrial SSK.

[depletedvespene]

Magnificent. The only missing thing is to procure a grey "Fine" key and replace the extant Esc cap with it.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

If only I had that much desk space … and had no need for the Windows keys …

[ideus]

If only I had that much desk space … and had no need for the Windows keys …

Maybe your desk should "grow" to give space for such piece of keyboard history. I'd prefer a modern custom and programmable sixty anytime, but I can see the beauty behind a stock keyboard with custom applications.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I'll try watering it, that should do the trick.

[snuci]

The color on those blue keys is either off (they are actually too bright compared to the originals) or the overall picture colours are not right.

[wobbled]

They look darker than the blue caps on my industrial ssk, so they're probably unicomps. Still extremely nice though.

[Ibleic]

The blue is so vivid! Great color contrasts across the board.

[Chyros]

Mike is right, the main caps are from a Wheelwriter, and the blue ones are Unicomp reproductions. Indeed, they no longer do the original colour, but they did do the front legends, and I think they did a pretty good job anyway ^^ .

[Elrick]

Beautiful Keyboard .

Currently using the one I bought off Ellipse some months ago and took it, out of it's intact packaging box. The perfection with these older Model-M's that were made, just isn't exemplified today by anyone and that includes Unicomp.

The actual surface of these key-caps have a slight (PBT) texture but the dye-subs applied are pristine. It's true, these keyboards are unique and no matter what any other company claims, that their switches are like - Buckling Springs - means in real life, they're lying.

No other key-switch comes close to the sound and feel of these switches, only those using them will concur that reality.

[The_Boom_Boy]

What a classic

[andrewjoy]

If only it was a model F

[depletedvespene]

and the blue ones are Unicomp reproductions

Well, thank God I said "I'm willing to bet" instead of "I bet".

[Chyros]

and the blue ones are Unicomp reproductions

Well, thank God I said "I'm willing to bet" instead of "I bet".

Well, those keycaps are made by the same tooling as the original caps were, so really it's nitpicking xD . The biggest difference is the colour, which is darker on mine (and looks even darker in person).

The 1395682 is the only SSK I find interesting, precisely because its colour composition is so nice, so I figured those blue caps would also be a good fit with the 1388032, and the black badge, blue double-dyesub numpad caps and wheelwriter alphanumerics help it out as well.

[depletedvespene]

Perhaps you should now get a full gray unprinted keycap set from Unicomp and put it on the keyboard. Ok, perhaps gray alphanums and blue mods (and a red Esc, to complete the set).

[derzemel]

I go around drooling at Unsavers, G80-5000 etc., but, secretly, I always come back to the Model M 1388032. Mostly because it started production in the same year as I was born (1985) and I find it a bit poetic to have a still working machinery which is the same age as the user.

Anyway, your idea is pretty great and it looks very good.
One thing that bothers me a bit is the fact that Unicomp make those blue keycaps too dark. It's like they have a stock of that blue dye (or pbt pellets?) around and they cannot be bothered to change it (or mix it with white) until it runs out.

[andrewjoy]

they cannot be bothered

This is unicomps company motto.

They have the licences for one of the best key switches ever made and they use borderline broken tooling and crap materials to make them.

Matias are not much better. Use the longer switch plate from older alps like greens etc and put the slits back in as they help with the wobble.

[fohat]

because it started production in the same year as I was born (1985)

My oldest keyboard was made the day before my 32nd birthday.

[DustGod]

My oldest keyboard was made the day before my 32nd birthday.

PLOT TWIST: fohat is 32 years old and only collects XMIT Hall Effect round 2 boards.