IBM Industrial PC keyboard (Oak switches)

snuci · 28 Apr 2016, 00:17

I know Webwit posted a couple of pictures of his but I thought I'd post some more pics so that this variant of Oak switches could be included in the Wiki. This is an Industrial IBM PC XT keyboard and I am carefully trying NOT to call it a "Model F" because it has Oak Full Travel Membrane (FTM) switches and keyboard mechanism.

Here are some pics. Unfortunately, the space bar is not original. I am looking for one and an extra switch in another thread.

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - keyboard top; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - keyboard top.JPG (238.78 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - Keyboard back with rubber feet (not cork); IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - Keyboard back with rubber feet (not cork).JPG (130.44 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - keyboard top no key tops; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - keyboard top no key tops.JPG (194.17 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - internals top; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - internals top.JPG (224.06 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - keyboard controller; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - keyboard controller.JPG (306.71 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - back of keyboard mechanism; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - back of keyboard mechanism.JPG (199.06 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - internal label; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - internal label.JPG (263.78 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - internal date stamp on inner case; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - Internal date stamp on case.JPG (263.25 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - identification; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - identification.jpg (309.65 KiB) Viewed 5807 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - okay key switch parts; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - okay key switch parts.JPG (254.64 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - Okay key switch base; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - Okay key switch base.JPG (196.5 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - key tops; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - key tops.JPG (118.08 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - key profile; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - key profile.JPG (257.76 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

: IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - close-up of PBT key cap; IBM Industrial XT (Oak) - close-up of key cap.JPG (204.95 KiB) Viewed 5814 times

bocahgundul · 28 Apr 2016, 00:36

That switch looks interesting and the keycaps is so crisp!
are there a typing videos of this switches? I want to hear the sound haha

seebart · 28 Apr 2016, 15:17

Impressive, I hope you did not have to spend a fortune on this one.

terrycherry · 28 Apr 2016, 15:26

Great. I just have a few bad quality picture about this rare variant of IBM keyboard with OAK switch!
Love your quality photos. Please keep it on, snuci!

snuci · 28 Apr 2016, 17:01

seebart wrote: Impressive, I hope you did not have to spend a fortune on this one.

I trades a regular IBM PC XT Model F and covered shipping both ways. I thought it was fair because it is missing the space bar and that will be impossible to find unless someone has a Sun Type 3 keyboard that has the same switches that they are willing to sell. That is just as rare.

One thing I forgot to ask in my initial post is: Does anyone know specifically what this keyboard went with? I have searched everywhere and can't find any hints.

seebart · 28 Apr 2016, 17:24

That was a good trade for you then! I don't know what computer IBM shipped this with or if there even was a dedicated machine? Do we even have this in our wiki?

snuci · 28 Apr 2016, 21:29

seebart wrote: Do we even have this in our wiki?

No, I'm just piling up keyboard pics for now. It need to be in the wiki as a keyboard and a switch.

terrycherry · 05 May 2016, 11:29

Great! It's very hard to find out with this switch.

alh84001 · 11 May 2016, 19:02

Interesting board. Why would they choose a different switch for this one?

Also, bottom case plate is different than in F XT, which has that groove closer to the top. Is it metal? Top case doesn't have those plastic guides on the bottom edge and besides the screw holes, which are to fit the keyboard assembly, Weird animal, this one.

snuci · 11 May 2016, 23:39

The only thing I can think of it that these switches would hold up to harsher conditions. But countering that, I don't see industrial spec components on the keyboard controller board which would make a little more sense given the industrial nature.

The bottom is painted sheet metal. For a while, I thought the top was too but it turned not to be. The paint is much rougher in texture than a normal Model F XT keyboard. It is an interesting board.

livingspeedbump · 12 May 2016, 03:50

Impressive find indeed. Love the badge on this one.

How does it actually feel to type on?

lot_lizard · 21 Nov 2016, 18:07

Any chance you would ever part with this? I am going to be putting together an XTant, and would LOVE this as the case (obviously saving everything to restore later).

EDIT: That was meant to be a PM... whoops. Well, let me know

. Looking at the dimensions, it looks like it would work

snuci · 21 Nov 2016, 19:51

Sorry lot_lizard. I am still looking out for a Sun type 3 keyboard to replace the space bar.

This is a flat keyboard. Doesn't the XTant need a curved case anyway?

lot_lizard · 21 Nov 2016, 20:01

snuci wrote: Sorry lot_lizard. I am still looking out for a Sun type 3 keyboard to replace the space bar.

This is a flat keyboard. Doesn't the XTant need a curved case anyway?

The case itself needs to be flat, where the curve is in the back/top plates of the assembly. From the looks of it, I believe you have the same (or similar) ridge on the bottom of the case that props the board up like the XT does. The XT would ignore the screw points into the top casing from the assembly (think Kishsaver), and just rely on the 2 screws at the very top. Again, this is all a guess, but I THINK?!? it works looking at it in pics.

alh84001 · 22 Nov 2016, 15:33

@lot_lizard so you got that kit from fohat? Welcome to the club

Take a look at my post above, I made some comments on the case. Even though it might not be possible to fit an XT(ant) assembly in this case, maybe you could combine top case from this one and (powder-coated) bottom case from an XT board.

lot_lizard · 22 Nov 2016, 17:56

alh84001 wrote: @lot_lizard so you got that kit from fohat? Welcome to the club

Take a look at my post above, I made some comments on the case. Even though it might not be possible to fit an XT(ant) assembly in this case, maybe you could combine top case from this one and (powder-coated) bottom case from an XT board.

Thanks... I ended up snagging a PCB from WCass, but not the rest. I can follow the template myself I THINK (have a slip roller in the shop). We'll see how it turns out. This OAK case is spectacular though. If anyone ever wants to part with one, PLEASE PM. WCass's project was born to live in this shell. Appreciate the heads up about the bottom plate

snuci · 22 Nov 2016, 18:12

lot_lizard wrote: WCass's project was born to live in this shell.

I don't think it will work. The top and bottom case shells are flat because the OAK PCB is flat. Because of this, the curved profile is simulated through the key caps. Correct me if I'm wrong but the XTant is normally curved like the XT (so it will fit in an XT case). Your only option with this case is to put the XTant PCB in flat. If it was designed to be curved, I would guess that the Model F key caps would be too spread out between rows and look funny. Not only that but the curve helps it fit into the top cases key cutout. If the XTant PCB was put in flat, the top and bottom rows would probably bind against the cutout and it wouldn't work.

It is a very cool case but I don't think it will work.

lot_lizard · 22 Nov 2016, 18:35

I see the ridge discrepancies on the bottom plate that alh84001 pointed out (what holds the top side of both boards up... at least in the XT it does). Otherwise, they look identical from the great pics you took. In theory the curved plate is just dipped lower in the middle and higher on the edges to simulate the row profile differences OAK does with caps? It looks like both are only held in place by where the two screws secure the bottom to the top from the backside. This is all academic mind you based on good pics... but the XT I believe is using the same top mold. I would send you one just to compare if you didn't mind (if interested, PM me, but I assume you might have one considering you have EVERYTHING). I would like to know before I go on a witch hunt. BETTER YET... sell me this one, I can confirm LOL.

snuci · 22 Nov 2016, 18:40

lot_lizard wrote: I would send you one just to compare if you didn't mind (if interested, PM me, but I assume you might have one considering you have EVERYTHING).

Yes, I have a small pile of XT keyboards

I'll take them both apart and take pics. It might have to be on the weekend because I have bad lighting at this stage of the year when I get home from work.

snuci · 30 Nov 2016, 02:15

Pics are posted of the Industrial XT versus the Model F XT in this thread here: photos-f62/ibm-xt-model-f-vs-industrial ... 15232.html

lot_lizard · 30 Nov 2016, 02:41

Excellent thread with explanations. Really appreciate you taking the time

Ir0n · 30 Nov 2016, 02:56

This looks sexy.. what do the switches feel like and any chance you could post a video?