Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Buy/Sell/Trade - non-retail => Topic started by: Jack Burton on October 21, 2011, 07:31:33 pm
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Looking for an old clicky keyboard by IBM. These things were indestructable.
(http://www.overclock.net/attachments/computer-peripherals/82357d1221078265-unofficial-ibm-model-m-club-ibm-model-m-keyboard.jpg)
I'm more likely to want to trade arcade and gaming related things than offer cash, but if the price is right we can work something out.
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You know that they use a lot of current and may still not work with the new mother boards even with the pull up resistor installed in the model M
There is a USB adapter that work with the Model M that seems some issues with mother boards that don't..
I know I got some used one and Lots of parts of the Model M kicking around here. I use to sell rebuilt ones 15 years ago.
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These get used a lot by hacker types so I'm not really worried about damaging my board. I actually had two that got left behind in my old apartment and I've been having to make do with this terrible membrane pos since. Send me a pm if you are looking for anything and we might be able to set up a trade.
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Unicomp (http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/keyboards.html) ended up with the rights to that old design (via spinoff from Lexmark which was itself a spinoff of IBM), and they actually still make them. I don't personally have one (I have an old Model M), but I'm told they're essentially identical. You can also get the same spring style in the more compact modern formfactors as well as with USB, if that fits your fancy, and with niceties like the "Windows Logo" accelerator key that I have trouble living without these days (on Windows and Linux, but mostly the latter).
They also have the "Active Response" rubber dome membrane keyboards that IBM made for a while. I actually kinda prefer them to the spring style. They're WAAAAY better than the cheap $5 keyboards that come with most OEM computers or that you find in the bargain aisle at your local computer farm (TM). Probably why they cost $50 instead of $5 :)
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It's funny, Unicomp is based out of Lexington, the place I moved from and left my old keyboards there :P I once called them to see if they had a particularly rare buckling spring keyboard in stock and they said they did not but offered to sell me one very similar at a discount. From the way the person on the phone talked they're a very small, engineer led company.
and yes, the unicomp customizer IS a model M. Not sure I'm gonna drop $80 for a new one though. I'll hunt for a while or try to trade.
Once I do get a model M I might email them and see if I can get a nice set of those grey keycaps from them.
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I got spare board and spare caps and the funny thing is I still using the same model M for 10 years. It's Number 2.. Old number one got dropped and was never the same again but I did save it for parts. I use to keep collecting them when I saw them at the swap meets.
Trust me you will know the differences between The Model M and the Unicomp. I get odd calls about the Model M every few years from close friends or friends of friends.
There are some Model M on Ebay, If you want to go that route.
I did find a Dusty model M but it doesn't have a cable. It needs a serious cleaning.
I use to have a few already cleaned and wrapped in plastic. I need to take a look ..
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I'll nod along w/Unicomp being a good source for a "new" Model M... I've got a "Customizer 101" here (yeah, *101*, not that 104 crap) that I picked up six or seven years back to replace the original Model M I was using at the time and had worn out a few keys on. For me it was just quicker to order one from them than to chase an original one down and clean it up.
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I think that will work. PM sent.
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I have an extra model m keyboard which has been taken apart and fully cleaned (I even broke down and bought a deep-well bit). If your interested, we could prob work on a trade/sale
-Dave
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I broke down and ordered one off of ebay. Should be coming in the mail tomorrow. I'm excited about a keyboard! :P
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You'll be very happy with your Model M! I highly recommend buying a deep-well hex bit for the screws, every Model M I have encountered (I'm on the 4th one) has been dirty as heck and required a deep cleaning. I forget the exact size, but a good search should pull up the right info; I had to buy mine online, btw.