Fancy Keyboard(s)

Well, I'm building a sweet computer and I thought I should have a nice keyboard to go with it. I really like the keys on my Apple II and thought about buying a keyboard from one, but I couldn't find any for sale. I also like the idea of having peripherals that all look like they're from a different time period, so I decided I would probly build an Art Deco style keyboard with typewriter keys. So, Steampunk computer, Art Deco keyboard, modern apple cinema display, etc.

   After seeing some awesome keyboards like the ones by "Datamancer" I decided I wanted to do something similar.

 

     I still needed a keyboard, so I did some research and discovered the IBM Model M. The M is a keyboard introduced by Ibm in 1984 for terminals. The M is considered to be the best keyboard of all time and many people (and geeks/nerds) still use them today because they're built so well that its almost impossible to wear them out. Another great thing about them (probly the best) is that they have mechanical key-switches instead of bubble contacts like all other modern keyboards (save a few companies who still make mechanical keyboards, but they are still considered inferior to the model m). Mechanical key-switches give a nice tactile feel and a loud clicky sound when pressed. Did I say loud? I meant LOUD! Once you type on one though, you'll never want to go back to anything else. Its a much more satisfying feeling than the squishy craptastic keyboards bundled with computers today.

      I went on eBay and found an early model M (grey label). These are slightly better quality than the ones built after 1992 (blue label). I finally got it and opened the box. It had one of those keyboard covers on it and I took it off to find that it was in PERFECT condition! I mean it was as clean as the day it was new! there was no way I was going to modify such a perfect example of a model m. So, I decided to just use it as is.

   

     A couple of weeks later my brother in law found me another Model M (blue label). This one was in much worse shape. Well, its still in pretty good shape, just really dirty, but you can tell the action is slightly heavier that my nice one, still really nice though. So now Ill have one to mod!

I decided to clean it up anyway.

Its kinda hard to see from the pictures, but this one is filthy. 

This is with the keycaps off. Did I mention the keycaps are removable?  I forgot to take a picture with them on to show how dirty they were.

Here's the keycaps after I let them soak for a day.

Yuck! Nasty keyboard crap!

Did I mention these things have drainage ports for when they get spilled on? Yeah, It looks like they were really designed to last!

Yeah, thats a steel plate... This is part of the reason these tanks weigh so much.(~6lbs?)

 Ah, much better.

 This is the older M disassembled. Look at how clean it is!

 

Now that's a grounding cable if I ever saw one! What? Did they think this thing was going to get struck by lightning?

Over-engineering, thats how I like it!