[Vendor] IBM Model F 122-key terminal keyboards - $500 shipped US/CA/DE/FR/UK

XMIT · 23 Apr 2021, 15:35

I have a cache of 122 key Model F terminal boards to sell!

500 USD shipped.

To purchase:
Send a Deskthority to PM with the following information:
Subject: F122 Warehouse Sale for <your username here>
Include: Location (country and postal code), PayPal email address, a list of the top two boards you would like (or say "any board is okay"), and if you would also like a USB Soarer's Converter (+40 USD).

If I am able to fulfill your order, I will reach out to collect payment, mailing address and phone number.

Currently for sale:

2367 02AUG85
https://imgur.com/a/sBfLwTl

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5783 02APR85
https://imgur.com/a/dcF6XFE

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B Stock - $50 off due to issues:

8781 06DEC84
https://imgur.com/a/0weaWxN
Issues: substantial case repair performed by supplier on left hand side.

: 8781.jpeg (837.46 KiB) Viewed 20458 times

All available inventory posted as of 2021-04-26.

This represents some of elecplus's inventory that I rescued when the warehouse flooded in February. It has taken nearly two months to go through these boards, making sure they are dried, cleaned, tested and working. Add on a Soarer's Converter for 40 USD and the board will be usable out of the box with USB on a modern computer.

All boards are lovingly and individually packed with a bag, bubble wrap, two boxes and plenty of packing peanuts. For an example of how I pack these boards please visit viewtopic.php?p=483867#p483867.

A huge shout out to wcass for providing me the tooling to make replacement stabilizer wires for either Model F spacebars missing wires, or Model M spacebars on an F for those missing space bars. A couple of these have wcass wires, I cannot recall which.

The listed price is 500 USD shipped. This includes packing and shipping to the US, Canada, Germany, France and Britain. Much of the rest of the world should be eligible for this flat rate shipping, DM if you are somewhere else and I can check. US sales preferred.

Full photos are on imgur - click the link!

Each board has a four digit identifier. These are the last four digits of the serial number and make for a handy hash function for identifying boards. Again, when placing an order request, please include two boards that you would like, or that you're okay with any board.

Frequently asked questions:

Q: Can you reserve a board for me?
A: Negative. First come, first served.

Q: Do you have any boards with some particular attribute, such as certain key caps, or a certain date?
A: Everything I have at the moment is listed. What you see is what you get.

Q: Are these boards still available?
A: Yes. I do my best to keep this listing up to date.

Q: Wow, we're neighbors! Can I pick it up in person?
A: You sure can! I'll give you $50 off for local pickup.

Q: XMIT, you're a horrible person for selling these boards at this price.
A: That's not a question.

SOLD:

Spoiler:

XMIT · 23 Apr 2021, 15:35

Reserved for sold items.

XMIT · 23 Apr 2021, 15:35

Reserved.

XMIT · 24 Apr 2021, 13:29

...and, about zero interest, except for people complaining about the price. Let me explain.

I offered these boards at $600 shipped is about $525-550 before shipping depending on where you are. It’s on the high side of F122 pricing. But these boards are clean, complete, and tested working. MrsXMIT and I put about 100 hours of work in acquiring, cleaning, and completing these boards.

These boards came from elecplus’s warehouse. See viewtopic.php?f=52&t=25302 for details.

Unfortunately, these boards are offered at a high price because their acquisition price was so high. They came in from yet another supplier who was hit hard by COVID. elecplus was trying to do them a favor with what they paid. I was not involved in that acquisition. Reducing the price further will mean that elecplus is taking a loss on these boards.

But it seems the market has spoken. I will drop these to 500 USD shipped to the US, Canada, Germany, France, and the UK. I may be able to offer free shipping to countries not on the list, DM for details. Sales within the US will be preferred.

darkcruix · 24 Apr 2021, 15:33

I think your price is very reasonable in these days. Some will not agree with me, but that is reality.
I do already have a F122 which I dearly love and use...

I wonder if you have other items around the Model F cosmos? I am still looking for Datamaster, Displaywriter Type B, F50, Bigfoot (and maybe also a variant of the Blue Switch I do not have, yet). I know, I know, stuff that is not put out for sale here.

ntv242ver2 · 24 Apr 2021, 16:48

yeah $500 shipped to UK and EU is more than reasonable, pretty good deal even. These lands are not flourished with IBM like in the States.

XMIT · 24 Apr 2021, 18:36

I have tons of Model M boards but these are the only Model F boards that will be offered for sale in the foreseeable future.

Redmaus · 24 Apr 2021, 19:08

GLWS! I would buy one but I already have two haha

Muirium · 24 Apr 2021, 19:37

These boards are the gold standard of buckling spring. Everyone who has an F122 adores it, simple as that. They’re serious game ender material for anyone who likes their keyboards BIG.

And you’re dealing with XMIT here, a DT legend in his own right. Gold star, plus plus!

Wazrach · 24 Apr 2021, 20:15

Muirium wrote: 24 Apr 2021, 19:37 These boards are the gold standard of buckling spring. Everyone who has an F122 adores it, simple as that. They’re serious game ender material for anyone who likes their keyboards BIG.

And you’re dealing with XMIT here, a DT legend in his own right. Gold star, plus plus!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the F122 spacebar thud is one of my favourite things about the board.

I just purchased a beat-up F122 for £400 in the UK and I'm now kicking myself for not waiting and seeing this!

I have restored it, but I've had to spend even more money on an XWhatsit controller since the original one appears to be dead. The keycaps are very bindy despite cleaning them and there were several missing keys, including - you guessed it - the spacebar! I'm currently using a Model M spacebar on it, using Ellipse metal clips on the barrel frame to accommodate the thicker wire. It's not the same! Instead of that lovely loud thud of the stock spacebar, I just get a disgusting shrill rattle that I can't shut up with any amount of grease.

Buuuut, it has lovely blue sublegends in German and to my surprise, a PVC Model M-like case that isn't prone to cracking like the typical F122 case is.

Weezer · 24 Apr 2021, 22:11

Has the foam been reworked on these?

XMIT · 25 Apr 2021, 00:32

Weezer wrote: 24 Apr 2021, 22:11 Has the foam been reworked on these?

Negative. Or at least, not to my knowledge.

If I had reworked the foam on these, I would have posted photos, since a foam rework is about half a day of work and not to be taken lightly. I'd also be asking 800 USD if they had new foam, and I probably would have ANSI converted them in the process.

pr0ximity · 25 Apr 2021, 02:23

PM'd! Always wanted an F-122 and I think from such a trusted member of the community, sourced from elecplus, these are very fair prices.

XMIT · 25 Apr 2021, 02:29

PM responded.

To the others: I'm sorry to say that I'm not able to hold keyboards for anyone. I mark as "pending" when a purchase order comes in and move to "sold" when the order is closed.

I'll advise when I'm down to my last couple. After these are gone, there may be a couple that really need some work, but after that, I don't foresee more supply for a long time...

XMIT · 25 Apr 2021, 20:34

Updated OP with some frequently asked questions.

XMIT · 26 Apr 2021, 18:31

All keyboards are now posted. If you have been holding out for something in particular, best to pick it out now before someone else does.

XMIT · 28 Apr 2021, 20:59

Boards continue to trickle out at a rate of about one per day. Please do not hesitate if you are on the fence! I may start offering some boards through other outlets.

XMIT · 03 May 2021, 00:27

Bump! I've still got seven six gorgeous F122s to rehome. Two are even offered at a discount. I'll start listing these through other channels but wanted to make sure my Deskthority friends got first pick.

XMIT · 08 May 2021, 15:16

Five F122s still for sale here! 500 USD shipped isn’t so bad when you consider that shipping to the UK or EU costs about 100 USD and is included!

Muirium · 08 May 2021, 15:29

Oooh!

I like my keyboards with half as many keys as these, so I'm good. But c'mon folks: get it while it's here to get! There will soon be a day when Model Fs just won't exist even at this price.

Dirty, unconverted Kishsavers for $100 seemed like a lot back in their day! It's the way of the (keyboard) world.

an_achronism · 08 May 2021, 17:41

Yep. The most recent F122 I've seen on eBay went for more than $500 before postage ($525 I believe) and obviously to win it I'd have had to pay more, who knows how much more. On top of that, I'd have had a shipping cost of more than $100, plus the forced eBay International Shipping Programme import costs to get it from the US to the UK, which I have found to be incredibly dubiously calculated. So something like $700+? I dropped out of the auction when it crossed $400 or so.

raoulduke-esq · 08 May 2021, 18:32

That’s an amazing shipping deal for our European brethren!

US-side $500 can get you cleaned, converted with new foam, and shipped but I understand elecplus is losing money even at this price so it makes sense. Going on eBay would take a huge chunk for fees so I hope these move here!

I so wanted to participate for the cause but I’m holding out in the hopes of catching one some day with a full set of blue sub-legends and no case dings/chips. Caps and cases can be cleaned if you buy dirty but the chips are there to stay.

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I pity the fool who paid $500 for an M122… Guarantee none of these were shipped as well as xmit will ship them.

an_achronism · 08 May 2021, 19:00

Indeed, shipping is a major worry because the damn cases are so brittle, and I'm convinced XMIT is packing better than just about anybody.

Ideally, I'd prefer to find one without any dings/chips as well, but I feel like I could be waiting a long time before such a thing shows up for a reasonable price in the UK/EU.

XMIT · 08 May 2021, 21:59

raoulduke-esq wrote: 08 May 2021, 18:32 US-side $500 can get you cleaned, converted with new foam, and shipped

I cannot match that. A foam mod is a major undertaking, about a four hour job, assuming the foam has already been procured. But I can throw in a free Soarer's Converter for the next two boards that go to US buyers. Please be sure to ask for this specifically, I will not include them by default.

elecplus is selling these at a loss

but better sold than idle.

XMIT · 15 May 2021, 02:13

I still have five very nice F122s available! Please buy one!

XMIT · 17 May 2021, 03:09

Four F122s remain as a part of this sale.

XMIT · 18 May 2021, 17:28

Three to go!

raoulduke-esq · 19 May 2021, 21:09

Dude paint those remaining 3 blue and slap some stickers on them. elecplus will retire in STYLE instead of losing money. That POS is already up to $630 with 24h to go. People are actually falling for that bull...

XMIT · 22 May 2021, 13:55

Three F122s left in this batch. If interested, please make an offer!

XMIT · 23 May 2021, 01:51

The remaining boards are selling slowly due to cracked top cases.

I have managed to repair these boards using an M122 donor top case. See viewtopic.php?f=7&t=25813 for details.