IBM Model F AT modification
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: Lately an Ortek 142 though I swap out boards
- Main mouse: logitech
- Favorite switch: buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: 0239
- Contact:
So, I came into a Chicony 5160 AT with blue alps. The switchs are great but the case is uninspiring. On the other hand I have a broken IBM model F AT in the big basket of broken keyboards. You can probably see the wheels turning.
So.... anyone ever put the innards of such a thing in a model F AT case? Any obvious objections to the idea?
Model F with blue alps switchs, That could be fun...
So.... anyone ever put the innards of such a thing in a model F AT case? Any obvious objections to the idea?
Model F with blue alps switchs, That could be fun...
- fohat
- Elder Messenger
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Main keyboard: Model F 122-key terminal
- Main mouse: Microsoft Optical Mouse
- Favorite switch: Model F Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: 0158
F AT cases are nightmarish to open and close. The plastic is brittle and the clips are too tight.
Why-oh-why didn't the screw a metal back onto the AT?
Why-oh-why didn't the screw a metal back onto the AT?
- dcopellino
- Location: Italia - Napoli
- Main keyboard: IBM 4704 F400 brushed chrome
- Main mouse: Logitech laser wired
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: 0229
- Contact:
Personally I found very easy opening and closing F AT without clamps. My solution is opening like a book just loosing the top tabs with tongs
- Wazrach
- Location: Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
- Main mouse: Razer Viper 8KHz/ Viper Mini
- Favorite switch: Buckling springs
- DT Pro Member: -
I think he was referring to the case itself, not the assembly.dcopellino wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 16:42Personally I found very easy opening and closing F AT without clamps. My solution is opening like a book just loosing the top tabs with tongs
I agree with Fohat that the F AT case is a bit of a bitch to open. You feel like you're going to break it. The plastic also warps where the clips are.
It's pretty clear that IBM were pinching pennies with the AT, as the plastic case is thinner than the one on the XT and they left out the metal back panel of its higher quality predecessor.
- Wazrach
- Location: Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
- Main mouse: Razer Viper 8KHz/ Viper Mini
- Favorite switch: Buckling springs
- DT Pro Member: -
Don't forget, the Models F have curved assemblies, so some parts of the case are parallel to the curvature of the barrel frame. The Chicony will probably not fit snugly in the AT's case, but you could give it a go. I know it's technically possible to put the XT's assembly into the industrial, non-buckling spring XT keyboard's case.keyboard Kultist wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 01:58So, I came into a Chicony 5160 AT with blue alps. The switchs are great but the case is uninspiring. On the other hand I have a broken IBM model F AT in the big basket of broken keyboards. You can probably see the wheels turning.
So.... anyone ever put the innards of such a thing in a model F AT case? Any obvious objections to the idea?
Model F with blue alps switchs, That could be fun...
- dcopellino
- Location: Italia - Napoli
- Main keyboard: IBM 4704 F400 brushed chrome
- Main mouse: Logitech laser wired
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: 0229
- Contact:
You are right. I didn't realize it. When i bought mine, it came with a foot broken due to shipping breaking. A foot broken in two points and its support completely blown up. I used my son's mechano pieces to rebuild them, melting the plastics with hot pieces got burned on fire.Wazrach wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 17:29I think he was referring to the case itself, not the assembly.dcopellino wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 16:42Personally I found very easy opening and closing F AT without clamps. My solution is opening like a book just loosing the top tabs with tongs
I agree with Fohat that the F AT case is a bit of a bitch to open. You feel like you're going to break it. The plastic also warps where the clips are.
It's pretty clear that IBM were pinching pennies with the AT, as the plastic case is thinner than the one on the XT and they left out the metal back panel of its higher quality predecessor.
- Wazrach
- Location: Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
- Main mouse: Razer Viper 8KHz/ Viper Mini
- Favorite switch: Buckling springs
- DT Pro Member: -
That sounds like a lot of effort for one foot - is it not possible to use XT feet with an AT? I know the mechanism is slightly different, but it's very easy to find XT feet and I'm sure you could get it to workdcopellino wrote: ↑03 Jun 2019, 09:30You are right. I didn't realize it. When i bought mine, it came with a foot broken due to shipping breaking. A foot broken in two points and its support completely blown up. I used my son's mechano pieces to rebuild them, melting the plastics with hot pieces got burned on fire.Wazrach wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 17:29I think he was referring to the case itself, not the assembly.dcopellino wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 16:42Personally I found very easy opening and closing F AT without clamps. My solution is opening like a book just loosing the top tabs with tongs
I agree with Fohat that the F AT case is a bit of a bitch to open. You feel like you're going to break it. The plastic also warps where the clips are.
It's pretty clear that IBM were pinching pennies with the AT, as the plastic case is thinner than the one on the XT and they left out the metal back panel of its higher quality predecessor.
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- Location: United Kingdom
- Main keyboard: Modded IBM Model F AT
- Main mouse: Mionix Naos 8200
- Favorite switch: Capacitive Buckling Springs
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
What are the reasons the XT feet dont fit into the AT because when I restored my AT the feet looked identical the only difference I could see between the two were the AT used a coil spring for the feet and the XT uses a weird shaped spring. But when I removed the feet from both they looked identical.
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: Lately an Ortek 142 though I swap out boards
- Main mouse: logitech
- Favorite switch: buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: 0239
- Contact:
Ah well, it looks like my evil plot has come to nothing. The metal plate in the Chicony is a bit too wide. It was a nice thought though. Thanks for all the suggestions guys.keyboard Kultist wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 01:58So, I came into a Chicony 5160 AT with blue alps. The switchs are great but the case is uninspiring. On the other hand I have a broken IBM model F AT in the big basket of broken keyboards. You can probably see the wheels turning.
So.... anyone ever put the innards of such a thing in a model F AT case? Any obvious objections to the idea?
Model F with blue alps switchs, That could be fun...
- Wazrach
- Location: Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
- Main mouse: Razer Viper 8KHz/ Viper Mini
- Favorite switch: Buckling springs
- DT Pro Member: -
Awh. Sorry to hear that. I have another idea though...keyboard Kultist wrote: ↑04 Jun 2019, 16:15Ah well, it looks like my evil plot has come to nothing. The metal plate in the Chicony is a bit too wide. It was a nice thought though. Thanks for all the suggestions guys.keyboard Kultist wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 01:58So, I came into a Chicony 5160 AT with blue alps. The switchs are great but the case is uninspiring. On the other hand I have a broken IBM model F AT in the big basket of broken keyboards. You can probably see the wheels turning.
So.... anyone ever put the innards of such a thing in a model F AT case? Any obvious objections to the idea?
Model F with blue alps switchs, That could be fun...
If possible, you could sand the sides of the Chicony's plate. Either that, or you could find a better-built Alps alternative?
- fohat
- Elder Messenger
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
- Main keyboard: Model F 122-key terminal
- Main mouse: Microsoft Optical Mouse
- Favorite switch: Model F Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: 0158
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: Lately an Ortek 142 though I swap out boards
- Main mouse: logitech
- Favorite switch: buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: 0239
- Contact:
A late addition. So I got another 5160 with the thought I'd just do a case transplant. It got here with Futaba MA switchs. I don't know.... they are so weird that I may keep it as is. Very odd... like typing on jars of home made jam. So odd, yet I kind of like it.
- SneakyRobb
- THINK
- Location: Canada
- Main keyboard: KB-5161A, F122, Dc2014, Typeheaven, Beamspring FXT
- Main mouse: MX518 Legendary
- DT Pro Member: 0242
"So odd, yet I kind of like it."keyboard Kultist wrote: ↑27 Jul 2019, 22:23A late addition. So I got another 5160 with the thought I'd just do a case transplant. It got here with Futaba MA switchs. I don't know.... they are so weird that I may keep it as is. Very odd... like typing on jars of home made jam. So odd, yet I kind of like it.
-Most keyboards here.