***If you have a new shipping address please do email me to let me know your order numbers and the new address. Check your order email and our email communications (if applicable) to make sure the latest address I have on file for you is the correct one.
As a brief summary update, the container ship arrived towards the end of March and I have been busy mailing out lots of keyboards and will continue to go through the backlog over the coming months – sorry I cannot provide estimates for any particular order in the queue as noted before; please see below for additional details. Since I ordered a bunch of extra keyboards, there is still time to customize your Brand New Model F Keyboard and add on accessories like the First Aid Kit for future repairs, the customized legend keys on the Extra Keys product page, the new solenoid driver and extra hefty solenoid, the transparent relegendable keycaps just made from new molds, extra key sets and USB cables, etc.
So far I have mailed out more than 1,100 Brand New Model F Keyboards since early April, which is more than half of the remaining backlog. More than 3,000 keyboards have shipped since late 2019 when shipping started for this project. We have under 750 keyboards remaining in the backlog. My expectation remains as before, that I can expect to move through the rest of the backlog in June and July, and maybe part of August. As noted before, it is not possible to project the timeline 100% based on last month’s progress as each order takes a different amount of time and orders with many individual extra keys will take much longer to process; many of the remaining orders are disproportionately ones that have such keys while many of the “all in stock” orders have been able to go out already.
Recently another batch of the custom dye sublimated keys is arriving by express / air mail from the factory so many more orders will be “all in stock” and eligible to ship. The only remaining custom keys the factory finished up this week is the HHKB Front Print, Extras, SSK Num Pad, 4704, Terminal, and Ergodox sets. These key sets should arrive to me by air in the next 1-2 weeks.
To add accessories to an order that hasn’t shipped yet, you can place a new order and select the free/other shipping method at checkout, immediately before clicking Place Order. This way you can save on shipping – big savings especially for international shipping. However if in the US and if you can pay the shipping charge, please do so to help defray the significant project cost overruns. Everyone outside the US, feel free to contact me for a discounted international shipping quote if you are only ordering smaller items that ship separately. Otherwise they can ship with your keyboard if it hasn’t shipped already (can pick “other shipping” if that’s the case).
Regarding the shipping notification emails, everyone receives one as soon as your order ships.
To minimize production lead times for some orders after the container shipment set sail, I ordered extras of each variation from the factory; the current expectation is that most orders can be fulfilled from this batch at least for the current month, but no I unfortunately won’t be able to check orders from here on out to see if they are in the current container shipment. There is always the chance that some variations run out quicker than others, or that the factory made the wrong case colors or that some parts were damaged, which happened in the prior two shipments, and that would affect what could ship. The final round orders will be in a future container shipment of course.
For those holding out for the final round expecting updated components, please note that the keyboards are going to be the exact same as in the current container shipment of keyboards, which had some slight updates described on the updates page of the project web site. One notable update is that all the keyboards will have a USB-C xwhatsit controller instead of the prior batch which was mixed USB-C and the older Micro-USB standard. So I recommend joining this month if you are waiting for the final production design revision.
Please spread the word
Everyone please do let others know about the project if you don’t mind. I’m hoping the factory can make as many of these keyboards as possible. My thinking is that a lot more folks would be interested in these great old keyboards if they only knew they existed and spent a little time reading up on them and watching some videos on YouTube.
2021/22 keyboard orders: switch your case color to reduce your wait!
A number of cases are in short supply and/or were found to have some significant powdercoating damage: the classic F77 Off-White/Beige and the classic F62 Black cases (the compact cases are not in short supply). If you ordered one of these two options recently and want to skip the wait and switch to another case color option please send me an email with the other color you prefer (if possible please write me a new email to info@ModelFKeyboards.com instead of replying to this newsletter email) and I will let you know. This is absolutely optional: you will receive exactly what you ordered if you don't want to change anything, but if you'd like to receive it with as little additional delay as possible please consider this option. There is no cost to switch to most case colors outside of the premium options True Red and Silver Gray. I'm hoping for about 40 keyboards to switch! I also have more compact case keyboards remaining in stock compared to the classic style keyboards, so if you want to switch from classic to compact please let me know so I can see what's possible.
Nice dye sublimation work:
Here is a photo from a recent air shipment. The factory did a great job with the sublimation and Zed has done a great job getting the legends to be in line with the IBM legends. This particular legend is even a deeper shade of black than my reference 1984 F122 6110344 one piece set! I did not expect that. The legend design, alignment, and sublimation are of such good quality that it is difficult for me to tell whether both keys were made by IBM or whether one is new and one is IBM. Please pardon the poorly lit, cell phone quality photo and shallow depth of field blurring the keys – I did not scan both keys with a flatbed scanner as with my prior comparisons.
It is a special additional key from a Norwegian set (as noted in the key set renderings on the “full key set” store page, many of the international sets come with extra keys that are slightly different, to accommodate the more variable keyboard legend options)
Nice Front Printing dye sub results:
The first batch of 200 front print keys arrived earlier this year: the pearl F1-F12 US front printed keys. The keys came out well. As a note the alignment for the front printing is not as strong as the top alignment – this was true even for the IBM sublimated keys. The front printing has proven to be extremely difficult to even get to this point.
New Model F production keys are on top of my IBM F122 in the first below photo. The second photo below shows two example IBM-sublimated keys on my F122 – note the varying angles and blurriness/thicknesses of the front printing even for IBM.
Update: Brand New Beam Spring Keyboards Project
As you may have seen on the Deskthority project thread, the Brand New Beam Springs Project was announced last year; as noted back then the project will only start once I have wrapped up the new Model F backlog, expected in the next month or so. Please sign up on the Google form link below to reserve your spot in the project and check out the Deskthority project thread below for more details.
The factory continues to finish up the second batch of beam spring round 1 keyboards (the first batch is already in stock as noted before). Please check out the forum threads on the round 2 beam spring keyboards, including a discussion on case design and layout requests. As noted before, orders will be accepted only after I finish up the Model F backlog over the next month or two.
When folks note their interest in a 122 key keyboard, is their specific interest in the exact historical 122-key terminal models with the 24 bunched-together function keys, 5-key cursor design, etc.
Or is it primarily a request for the ability to have more keys than on a standard ~104 key keyboard? 12 extra keys on the top and 10 extra keys on the left side for function keys/custom keys, etc.
Personally I would like a 122 key beam spring keyboard that resembles the Model M 101-key layout but with the extra 12 keys above the 12 function keys, 10 keys on the left which I can use for custom keys (Explorer, media playback, start menu, etc.), the keys between Ctrl and Alt of course, and 3 keys above the Insert/Home/Page Up keys for Print Screen, Scroll Lock, and Pause/Break. I’m not sure if this updated layout would have too much interest.
Measurement help requested – original beam spring cases
For folks who have beam spring keyboards other than the 3278 can you provide measurements or drawings (a photo of a handwritten drawing would be fine) of the side profiles and size of the bezels around the top, bottom, left, and right of the keys? I ask because I only own the 3278 models.
I’d like to get the proportions right in the proposed designs.
I’d request the radius of the curves (one can approximate by measuring a straight line cross section of the curved part of the case), the side profile heights at various points, and the overall length.
Since IBM appears to have designed in inches and fractions of an inch please provide the measurements as such if possible.If easier to provide the numbers that is fine, or if easier to draw something not to scale and mark the distances that would be good too.
Interest Check: Pad Printed White text on Black New Model F KeysI am reviewing samples for the pad printing with the plan to offer white text on black keys, which is a common request. If interested in black pad printed Model F / Model M keys please sign the interest form here to reserve your set. Given all the setup costs for each production batch I may only produce one batch of a few hundred sets https://forms.gle/qnUATUrng8bX9Qxt8
I received the air shipment from the factory and here are the latest pad print samples with the Brand New Model F keys. I requested the printing to be thicker like on the original IBM M13. Of course the samples do not have the correct alignment of the finished products. Please disregard the cell phone quality of the photos.
Interest Check: ISO Black, Dark Gray, and Industrial SSK Blue key sets, Code Keys, Big PC AT style Enter Keys?
I am looking into making a mold for the ISO Enter key (currently we are using Unicomp keys for this key as noted before, and they cannot make the additional colors for black and for gray and blue to match my project’s key colors). This would allow for key sets with ISO Enter to be made in additional project colors black, 60% dark gray, and Industrial SSK Blue. I will probably make the key non-stepped just like the other keys are all non-stepped.
If you are interested please fill out the Google form below to note which sets you’d like. To help pay for the mold each set will cost $20 extra, a total of $99 instead of $79 for each set. The key could also be ordered for $20 individually.
Since I am making a mold would any other keys be worth adding that have not been made before? I don’t think the big PC AT enter key or code key would have enough interest to merit $1000 extra for the mold costs but it would be lower than having a completely separate mold. Please post on the Deskthority project thread if you have any recommendations.
Major Project Milestone – 2 million dollars in orders!
This month we reached a major project milestone of 2 million dollars in Brand New Model F orders! It is very surprising to me that there has been so much interest in this project. This figure includes accessory orders and shipping costs.
New keys now available: Zed has just created the F13-F24 keys for those F122 and M122 users – now available on the extra keys page.
A note on setting up your new Model F Keyboard
As I have mailed out more than 1,000 new Model F keyboards in recent weeks, a lot of folks have asked questions or expressed issues with setting up their new Model F Keyboard. An important reminder is to fully review the manual and watch the videos in the manual before setting up your keyboard so you do not waste your time attempting fixes that do not effectively solve an issue.
Every recommended fix is in the manual; fixes not written there are not recommended! If a key does not work for example, many folks lose an hour removing and re-seating the same key or performing other steps which do not solve the problem. Check out the installation videos showing how to hold the keyboard up vertically, space bar end up, for example – otherwise many keys will not work. What one should do is noted in the manual: focus on adjusting or replacing the spring which is almost always the culprit as these keyboards are unfortunately bounced around in shipping. Also having the right tweezers or other tool to push down the spring enough without damaging it is very important. Check out the manual at modelfkeyboards.com/manual and the Quality Control Secrets Revealed video embedded in the manual. The manual also covers what to do with a sticky/stuck extra-wide key (check out the “wiggle” method).
Some folks are flashing the wrong firmware and softbricking their keyboards because they did not see the notes in the manual (FYI use the “wcass” firmware and not the xwhatsit, universal, or other version). Please only use the latest firmware – re-download the file at the link “updated firmware” in the manual and do not use files you downloaded previously. Also for Via and Vial please follow the recent month’s posts and my firmware installation video as they are slightly more tricky to install properly. Not to worry, these controllers can’t permanently be bricked to my knowledge; follow the notes in the manual on how to manually enter bootloader mode as a last resort.
As noted in the manual, you will run into a lot of issues if you use a dock or USB hub with these keyboards. Only plug the keyboard directly into your computer. Do not try to flash firmware with the keyboard plugged into a hub or dock.
The two grounding screws on the controllers sometimes need to be retightened as it causes errors like keys appearing out of order or certain key combinations not working correctly.Please do not be scared about the project because of these reported issues. There is a reason that thousands of folks choose to spend some minutes to learn how to work with a Model F so they can type on these great old style keyboards as their daily drivers! As noted before the main two issues why an individual key does not work is if the spring needs adjustment or if the two controller grounding screws were not screwed tightly enough from the factory. Once you spend some time reading through the manual and watching the videos you will be ready and able to set up your new Model F Keyboard and keep your keyboard running hopefully for many more years, long after the project has shut down. If you follow the instructional videos and instructions in the project web site manual step by step, there are no unsolvable issues.
Updated firmware to fix a bug with solenoids; QMK key combination note
This firmware is only required if your keyboard shipped recently and if you have a solenoid. Previously there was a bug that was preventing solenoids from operating but the latest firmware in the above link (also linked to in the manual) fixes this issue. Follow the written and video instructions in the manual for a step by step guide. This is the same firmware update posted in last month’s update – reposting for increased visibility.
As noted in the manual, your solenoid will not function correctly if you use the QMK configurator web site to generate your firmware, instead of flashing one of the premade firmware files linked to above, though it is an easy fix – please see the manual for more details.
Someone recently found out the cause of an error with a specific key combination in QMK – I am quoting their reply below:
“There was a question on your Q&A forum (not by me) about the keyboard seemingly locking up when you press left-shift + right-shift + Esc all at the same time. I figured it out, compiling my own QMK: the default firmware you get when you compile it from the beta-QMK website configurator actually compiles with: COMMAND_ENABLE = yes in the rules.mk. To prevent these lockups, you need to define COMMAND_ENABLE = no in the rules.mk. I’ve created my own keymap using that, no lockups (and thus also no hidden magic keys any longer which were not explicitly in the keymap already).” https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/questions/question/keyboard-becomes-unresponsive-when-hitting-shift-shift-esc/
On a somewhat related note, has anyone installed the new production solenoid in another keyboard, like an IBM original F or beam spring keyboard? Hopefully we can see some photos of the solenoid mounting.
QMK configuration request – custom right side blocks 3, 4, and 5
How are folks programming the right side blocks 3, 4 and 5? If anyone has made JSON files that are the same as the ones I provided, but with adjustments for the right side blocks 3/4/5 please do share! I guess the secondary legends are set up as a function layer, or maybe a tap layer to mimic the functionality of the Num Pad key? Some folks have posted configurations for some of these blocks for Via/Vial but not yet for QMK.
New Case Photos
Here are photos showing the new tougher powdercoating option on the compact cases that was mentioned several months ago. Dark Blue (top case) and Carolina (Light) Blue (bottom case) are shown below in the first photo. After that photo you can see photos of the other various cases (from Left to Right in the photo showing all the cases: Black, Regular Gray, Industrial Gray, True Red, Off-White/Beige).
For compact keyboards shipping this year, everyone gets the new improved option instead of the anodized option which was more easy to scratch. The new cases are also from the brand new die cast aluminum molds as noted before (makes the case two piece instead of three piece) The new cases are fully compatible with the older batch of internals in case anyone wanted to upgrade.
500+ photos of my IBM Keyboards
Someone recently requested to use some of my IBM keyboard photos for their web site, with attribution.
To share this collection all in one place with everyone, below is my album of 500+ photos of my IBM keyboard collection, available on Flickr in full resolution.
Please note that almost all of these keyboards are no longer in my collection so I have nothing available for sale any more.
Many were taken with Nikon DSLR cameras. IBM Model M, IBM Model F, and IBM beam spring keyboards, including NOS keyboards, NOS IBM XT keyboard interior only, 1390131 retail packaging including power cord for the chassis and booklets, M13, Industrial SSK, 101-key Model M 1390401, 4704 F50 / F77 / F107, 1392980, F122, F104 Unsaver, terminal, and many others. The files are not named by keyboard model, alas.
Some production photos:
This photo also shows the more authentic XT style foam being used for the current container shipment, as opposed to the foam used for prior shipments. As the new foam is less dense, I expect it will result in sound quality that is slightly less muffled, but this may not be noticeable. For those who prefer the higher sound dampening properties of the older foam, all of the extra foam is still that style (there is no option to get extras of the XT style foam at this time, besides the foam for the IBM XT keyboard itself which is still available in limited quantities).
Here’s a nice and detailed Model F review from late last year – I had not come across it until this month.
Industrial SSK 12 key sets and international key sets arrive
Recently a bunch of the remaining key sets arrived by express mail from the factory, including the Industrial SSK 12 key sets, many of the remaining international sets (Swedish-Finnish, etc.), and some of the Extra Keys. Another air shipment batch over the coming weeks should have the remaining dye sublimated keys we have been waiting on.
The Industrial SSK 12 Key sets look great – I would say they are even an upgrade over the IBM/Lexmark Model M originals. As always please disregard the colors (cell phone photos). I am glad the factory focused extra effort on making sure these sets look as good as they do, even though this resulted in a delay for these keys. The Front Printing was by far the most difficult part of the dye sublimation and it took more than one year to get it right.
Nice photo
I wanted to share a nice photo of a full size 101 key Industrial Model M with the Industrial SSK 12 key set – one of the first photos I have seen of this combination:
Here is a nice photo (shared with permission) of the Industrial Gray keyboard with the Industrial SSK 12 key set and a right side block arranged in an alternative way.
Is anyone up for helping move the Model F QMK/Via/Vial project to the new Raspberry Pi RP2040 chip over the coming months?
Recently the ATMEGA chips have become nearly impossible to find in quantity due to the chip shortage, which means it’s probably time to switch over to the RP2040 for the capacitive keyboard controllers. After it is up and running I would like to secure the RP2040 chips soon before they may run out too, so that the final Model F round and beam spring second round will not be delayed.
What would it take to get the Model F firmware working on the RP2040 chip? Would the xwhatsit wcass controller require an updated design for the RP2040 to work? Any help for this project would be appreciated.
3rd Nice Photo Set
I believe this is one of the first Dark Blue powdercoated keyboard photos that has been shared! I like the use of the buckling spring logo key as perhaps the function key – makes for a nice custom touch for the layout.
I recently received some photos and interesting details on the IBM Code key, a rare buckling spring spacebar-type key found on wheelwriters and am sharing them, with permission:
“I ordered a whole set of the IBM Wheelwriter 3 keys, and I started putting some of them on the Model F.
The Code key is the size of a regular right shift key; it is 2″ long. It does not fit where the right shift goes however, as the bottom stems are in different locations compared to a shift key.
I put mine where it was originally intended to be; the bottom left of the keyboard next to the spacebar. I think it will be my new Ctrl key.
The Code key is the exact same size as Right Shift is 2.75U with different stem and post locations.” [stem and post are switched]
Seems like the code key requires a part of the keyboard arranged in a 1.5U+1.25U location. With the new Model F’s it seems that this example is 1.5U+1U+fitting a 1U key where the 1.5U key would go.
The first red and green text dye sublimation keys arrived from the factory and look nice. Some folks wanted red text esc or green font for the alt key like on the Model M keyboards.
Someone sent me some interesting information on the original functionality of some of the IBM terminal keys: “I found a great video demonstrating what some of IBM’s terminal keys did on a real system. The title on YT is “IBM 3178 Terminal Operations and Use demonstration. A side note, the “Reset” key works the same as the “Error Reset” key found on other terminals. It dates back to the punch card days; I can link you a manual that details further if you wish. The IBM 3101’s keyboard has a compartment for storing documentation. Perhaps you could ask if someone still has a pamphlet they might have found in there.”
Cryptocurrency update
As requested by a number of folks, I have just added a beta option to make payments for orders through cryptocurrency by Bitpay, which allows payment through a number of wallets and cryptocurrencies (but not all of them are supported). Please do share your feedback on this feature as it may have bugs.
Here’s an interesting Model M key set someone was discussing with me recently (this one will not be made as part of the new sets unfortunately): Model M keyboards that came with coordinate measuring machines (CMMs)
“As for one of the objects (the intercom), this is one of his comments; “It was used for an old destination control system at an IBM office with banks of elevators. Instead of pressing up and down arrows, getting in and then pressing the button in the elevator, you would press the button and tell a dispatcher which floor. They would then tell you which elevator to use, and you get in and don’t have to press anything. They would know what floor everyone wanted to go to, and would optimize it so that every elevator would stop at the least amount of floors, grouping people together as efficiently as possible.””
Details on the most recent container shipment that arrived around the end of March
The shipping container contents weigh over 20,000 pounds, including thousands of keyboards, key sets, and other accessory parts! As noted before the factory has improved their QC and assembled the first aid kits so this should save me a lot of time and help me to mail out everyone’s orders much faster than last time. Everything is expected to be ready to go this time and we are not waiting for dye sublimation to start like we were last time. As noted before I ordered slightly bigger keyboard boxes which will save the time of me taping up and mailing the little key set boxes.
Here’s the process after the keyboards were completed: the container was delivered to the factory, the factory loaded the container with lots of pallets and boxes, and then the container was picked up by the local shipping partner of the freight forwarder to be driven to the port. Then the containers were loaded onto a container ship.
For this batch, a 40′ (!) container is filled to the edge, though the pallets are not double stacked (they are extra tall pallets and so could not be double stacked) so there is a few feet of clearance on top as shown in the photos. Prior container shipments were 20′ or LCL.
Thanks to the help from a few folks I have put together a description of the Icon Keys on the Extra Keys page, in order from left to right - please let me know if there are any errors or if you have the Unicode codes for the missing items. To see the rendered key sets below in full resolution please head over to the Extra Keys page: https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/product/new-custom-legend-keycaps/
Icons Row 2:
1. <X| Backspace / Erase to the Left (U+232B)
2. <X| Backspace / Erase to the Left (U+232B)
3. <X| Backspace / Erase to the Left (U+232B)
4. ⎋ Escape (Apple Escape) [unicode U+238B]
5. O-->[ ] IBM print screen
6. Padlock with the Up and Down arrow: Scroll lock
7. ⎉Pause / Circled Horizontal Bar with Notch [U+2389]
8. a^ Insert IBM-style
9. a with curved line: Delete
10. ⌦Delete / Erase to the Right (U+2326)
11. ↖ Home / North West Arrow [U+2196]
12. ↘ End [unicode U+2198]
13. ⇞ Page up / Upwards Arrow with Double Stroke [U+21DE]
14. ⇟ Page down / downwards arrow with double stroke [U+21DF]
15. Padlock with the number “1” Num lock
16. ⎇Alt key with arrow (U+2387)
17. ◇Meta / UNIX-style super key / Diamond [U+25C7]
18. ⌃ Control 1.5U
19. ⌥ Option (alt) 1U [unicode U+2325]
20. ⌘ Command 1.5U
21. ⇮ Upwards Double Arrow (U+21EE)
22. List icon
23. ƒ Function / F with a hook [unicode U+0192]
24. ↵ Return / Enter
I would certainly appreciate any of the side profile measurements on the various beam spring cases other than the 3278 which I own. The goal is to have some cases inspired by the profiles and designs of various IBM cases, assuming the mold exterior parts can somehow be combined to keep costs reasonable (then it would just require different mold cores).
My first IBM style design posted a couple months ago was a combination of some IBM cases but I'm thinking maybe I should just do one case for each main variety (5251, 3278, 3101, maybe the 66 key beam spring?).
Of course of we go with a mold instead of CNC milled, the bent tabs for the top case would be removed and you would not see them. The top and bottom case would be assembled with posts on the inside of the top case.
Below are some details on the beam case design, to be more in line with the originals.
Top case (now at an angle as requested)
.....Top inner assembly ("TIA")
..........Inner foam
..........Beam Module
..........PCB
..........Foam or rubber sheet below the entire PCB
.....Bottom inner assembly ("BIA")
Bottom case
Notes on the PCB: the PCB is secured to the top+bottom inner assembly in a different way from round 1. The PCB touches the area where the top+bottom inner assembly are screwed together. To avoid issues, because the metal inner assembly cannot touch the PCB, on the top side, there is a small mylar strip glued or taped to the top inner assembly as you would see with the original IBM beam spring keyboards. On the bottom side of the PCB, the large foam mat has some holes in it for the screws so that the PCB does not contact the metal parts. The PCB and foam pieces are not shown in the photos (you can see a gap where the PCB would go, in between TIA and BIA.
The new TIA has slightly larger holes in the TIA, so that the modules will not fit into place. This will make assembly less secure - the beam modules will not be securely installed in place in the TIA; instead they will only be secure when the inner assembly is completed. Before then, the beam modules can be easily moved out of place. The reason for this is to reduce the contact between TIA and the beam module, in order to reduce the sound (that is why a foam is added). The foam allows a reduction in the noise of the mechanism. The goal is to eliminate the ringing sound when typing. This part was not in the previous beam design. The colors shown are all false colors designed to maximize visibility/contrast of the various parts. I expect the TIA to be black and BIA to be the same IBM gold type finish.
Screws: Case screws will be hex countersunk/flat top, 6-32, 1/2". Inner assembly screws will be standard + Phillips, the same used with the F62/F77. The TIA has holes and the BIA has threaded holes. The threaded holes are not shown in the photos.
