Mini-Groupbuy: IBM Model F "Bigfoots" [shipped]

[Halvar]

@crossfire: sorry, schooling you wasn't my intent!

Yes, the space bar is a major annoyance when you try to reassemble the "sandwich"!

Make sure you read this:
workshop-f7/model-f-improvement-dis-ass ... t6982.html

and especially the paragraph: "Assembly trick: holding the spacebar hammer in place"

I broke two flippers by not thoroghly following this.

[Crossfire]

@crossfire: sorry, schooling you wasn't my intent!

Yes, the space bar is a major annoyance when you try to reassemble the "sandwich"!

Make sure you read this:
workshop-f7/model-f-improvement-dis-ass ... t6982.html

and especially the paragraph: "Assembly trick: holding the spacebar hammer in place"

I broke two flippers by not thoroghly following this.

Nothing wrong with it, I appreciate the lecture
Was really beating a dead horse with that converter...your hint really helped me, so thanks again.

Well, need to be extra careful with that...really interesting stab solution from IBM...it's visibly overengineered

[Crossfire]

Got my plate back from powder coating today and I'm super satisfied with the result.

Now only to find a smart way to install that teensy inside the case...

[seebart]

Wow that looks nice, so clean. Yeah there's not much room inside the Bigfoot.

[Crossfire]

It really is, the guy who did the coating has really put some effort in it...it was just an old, worthless plate to him but he understood my passion I guess
Yeah, on the outside it looks like there's a ton of space in there but in reality I have problems even putting it all together correctly so that it can fit :/

[kekstee]

That powder coating looks a lot nicer than what I could come up with. But at least I'm done punching holes:
Still need some clamps before I dare to assemble that thing though.

[Crossfire]

Very nice work on the foam!
I've decided to lube the stabilizer with krytox lube to give it a more smoother feel...I've put some on the friction points of the wire and plastic and even the wire and the spacebar stab hooks on the underside. Should put it together this weekend, can't wait!
You got your teensy ready too, kekstee?

[kekstee]

Not yet. I want to see if I can use it to flash my NerD60 before hiding it inside the Bigfoot.

[Crossfire]

Today was a big day for my model f, after an hour of trial & error with my father, we've managed to squeeze the sandwich together successfully. Every key registers so far, I only need to find a way to mount that female mini usb sip board for detachable cable mod and some proper mappings for the board.
It's gorgeous, types like no other and sounds like there's some major work done (where in fact it was)
I've made a photo build log for the whole project here: http://m.imgur.com/a/4a490

Enjoying her first proper sunset after a very long time:

[tigpha]

The result looks gorgeous Crossfire, especially considering the condition it was when you received it. You must feel very proud of a job very well done indeed.

[Crossfire]

The result looks gorgeous Crossfire, especially considering the condition it was when you received it. You must feel very proud of a job very well done indeed.

Thanks, I am. It was a nice project and it is cool to see such an old keyboard back in action. Unfortunately I will have to take her apart again to swap a broken flipper - nr. 0 did not register and while trying to put in the right spot, the spring holder broke off from the flipper. No biggie, everything else is OK and I really enjoy typing on her.

[chzel]

I broke a flipper when assembling my AT (bloody spacebar), it broke at one of the pivot feet, but because it's rather brittle, broke clean off, and a dab of CA worked like a charm!
Give it a try, and put it in a position you rarely use, it should be fine!

[Crossfire]

Well, like I've later discovered, the one flipper did fall into place just fine, the other was not aligned at all...poking in the barrel trying to push it into the place did result in the spring and the bump coming right off of the whole flipper. No biggie, will swap it with a new one, thanks to this community, there are some flippers thankfully floating around
Bottom line: amazing keyboard, even today. It feels so good a project like fssk now tops my to-do list

EDIT:
Finished mapping the board into a full blown hhkb 60% layout. It's really convenient but I'm still undecided what to do with the left block.

Here's my code for the .sc file:

Spoiler:

Code: Select all

##
# Bigfoot controller config
# by soarer
##
matrix
	scanrate 1
	debounce 1
	blocking 0
	muxstrobe_port PB6:0
	sense_delay 1
	muxstrobe_gate -PD1
	sense_polarity 1
	
	sense PD0

	muxstrobe  0 Z	# 00
	muxstrobe  1 S	# 01
	muxstrobe  2 W	# 02
	muxstrobe  3 3	# 03
	muxstrobe  4 X	# 04
	muxstrobe  5 D	# 05
	muxstrobe  6 E	# 06
	muxstrobe  7 4	# 07
	muxstrobe  8 C	# 08
	muxstrobe  9 F	# 09
	muxstrobe 10 R	# 0A
	muxstrobe 11 5	# 0B
	muxstrobe 12 V	# 0C
	muxstrobe 13 G	# 0D
	muxstrobe 14 T	# 0E
	muxstrobe 15 6	# 0F
	muxstrobe 16 B	# 10
	muxstrobe 17 H	# 11
	muxstrobe 18 Y	# 12
	muxstrobe 19 7	# 13
	muxstrobe 20 N	# 14
	muxstrobe 21 J	# 15
	muxstrobe 22 U	# 16
	muxstrobe 23 8	# 17
	muxstrobe 24 PAD_2	# 18
	muxstrobe 25 PAD_5	# 19
	muxstrobe 26 PAD_8	# 1A
	muxstrobe 27 NUM_LOCK	# 1B
	muxstrobe 28 M	# 1C
	muxstrobe 29 K	# 1D
	muxstrobe 30 I	# 1E
	muxstrobe 31 9	# 1F
	muxstrobe 32 COMMA	# 20
	muxstrobe 33 L	# 21
	muxstrobe 34 O	# 22
	muxstrobe 35 0	# 23
	muxstrobe 36 PERIOD	# 24
	muxstrobe 37 SEMICOLON	# 25
	muxstrobe 38 P	# 26
	muxstrobe 39 MINUS	# 27
	muxstrobe 40 SLASH	# 28
	muxstrobe 41 QUOTE	# 29
	muxstrobe 42 LEFT_BRACE	# 2A
	muxstrobe 43 EQUAL	# 2B
	muxstrobe 44 SPACE	# 2C
	muxstrobe 45 RSHIFT	# 2D
	muxstrobe 46 BACKSLASH	# 2E              # ~ (ISO)
	muxstrobe 47 RIGHT_BRACE	# 2F
	muxstrobe 48 RALT	# 30
	muxstrobe 49 APP	# 31
	muxstrobe 50 ENTER	# 32
	muxstrobe 51 BACKSPACE	# 33
	muxstrobe 52 PAD_0	# 34
	muxstrobe 53 PAD_1	# 35
	muxstrobe 54 PAD_4	# 36
	muxstrobe 55 PAD_7	# 37
	muxstrobe 56 PAD_PLUS	# 38
	muxstrobe 57 UNASSIGNED	# 39
	muxstrobe 58 PAD_MINUS	# 3A
	muxstrobe 59 PAD_ASTERIX	# 3B
	muxstrobe 60 PAD_PERIOD	# 3C
	muxstrobe 61 PAD_3	# 3D
	muxstrobe 62 PAD_6	# 3E
	muxstrobe 63 PAD_9	# 3F
	muxstrobe 64 EUROPE_2	# 40             \ | (ISO)
	muxstrobe 65 A	# 41
	muxstrobe 66 Q	# 42
	muxstrobe 67 2	# 43
	muxstrobe 68 LGUI	# 44
	muxstrobe 69 UNASSIGNED	# 45
	muxstrobe 70 UNASSIGNED	# 46
	muxstrobe 71 1	# 47
	muxstrobe 72 UP	# 48
	muxstrobe 73 F5	# 49
	muxstrobe 74 DELETE	# 4A
	muxstrobe 75 F1	# 4B
	muxstrobe 76 DOWN	# 4C
	muxstrobe 77 F6	# 4D
	muxstrobe 78 F4	# 4E
	muxstrobe 79 F2	# 4F
	muxstrobe 80 RIGHT	# 50
	muxstrobe 81 UNASSIGNED	# 51
	muxstrobe 82 UNASSIGNED	# 52
	muxstrobe 83 UNASSIGNED	# 53
	muxstrobe 84 LEFT	# 54
	muxstrobe 85 UNASSIGNED	# 55
	muxstrobe 86 UNASSIGNED	# 56
	muxstrobe 87 UNASSIGNED	# 57
	muxstrobe 88 LSHIFT	# 58
	muxstrobe 89 LCTRL	# 59
	muxstrobe 90 TAB	# 5A
	muxstrobe 91 ESC	# 5B
	muxstrobe 92 UNASSIGNED	# 5C
	muxstrobe 93 UNASSIGNED	# 5D
	muxstrobe 94 UNASSIGNED	# 5E
	muxstrobe 95 UNASSIGNED	# 5F
end	
remapblock
  layer 0
    APP FN1
endblock

# define that FN1 accesses layer 1
layerblock
    FN1 1
endblock

remapblock
  layer 1
    1 F1
    2 F2
    3 F3
    4 F4
    5 F5
    6 F6
    7 F7
    8 F8
    9 F9
    0 F10
	MINUS F11
	EQUAL F12
	TAB CAPS_LOCK
	L PAGE_UP
	K HOME
	PERIOD PAGE_DOWN
	COMMA END
	I PRINTSCREEN
	O SCROLL_LOCK
	PAD_ASTERIX PAD_SLASH
	A MEDIA_VOLUME_UP
	S MEDIA_VOLUME_DOWN
	D MEDIA_MUTE
	LEFT_BRACE UP
	SEMICOLON LEFT
	SLASH DOWN
	QUOTE RIGHT
	DELETE INSERT
endblock

Really digging the red cable...

[kekstee]

Very nice job restoring it. I'm currently planing to give assembly a shot next weekend. From what I've seen so far I will have to use every trick available and a good amount of force.

[Crossfire]

Thanks! But please, to avoid frustrations, get another pair of hands to assist you while putting that sandwich together. I'll need to repeat that exercise in the next few days too, so we're basically in the same basket

[kekstee]

keyboard 1:0 kekstee

A pair of hands won't do, another pair of clamps would be better to make it 6 in total.
I think I should be able to find those somewhere next week. Closest I came was a slight overlap, but when I tried to force that together it simply sprang open again and I had to start over. At least nothing seems broken so far.
Also I can say goodbye to my paint job at the joints and the hammer side already.

I expected it to be difficult, but this is something else entirely :D

[Crossfire]

Yeah, putting it together is...well, let's say you really have to like this hobby
I was this close on giving up that day...then with a little help of another pair of hands, some clamps and a wooden hammer I've somehow achieved to slide the bottom plate in to those hooks. And yeah...luck was there too...a lot

[DanielT]

Very nice restoration project And love that red cable it goes with board very nice.

[Crossfire]

Thanks man! Let's say this is how I've pictured a modern kind of bigfoot...needs some variety

[kekstee]

Alright! I got it assembled on Monday, wired up on Wednesday and just fired up the controller firmware. Had to raise debounce to 3, in order to avoid too many presses from my space bar, but thats it. I'm very happy, just a few layout quirks left to figure out.



//e also I didn't put its feet back in yet. One was broken but Halvar supplied a replacement (<3) and after taking that one out I decided to risk it and remove the healty one as well for cleaning. Nothing I'm too keen on doing again any time soon.

[Crossfire]

Great job!
You can freely use my code from one of my previous posts, looks like I'll have to raise debounce to 3 or similar too, sometimes random "keypresses" happen, so that should eliminate that.

[alh84001]

This is a bit of a cheat post, but here goes:


Why is it a cheat? Well, a couple of reasons:
- it's not from this group buy (got it from hypkx) - however it was in similar condition, if not worse

Spoiler:

Here's a pic from hypkx's sale

And here's a pic when half of back plate was sanded

- it's not actually bigfoot inside - it has a restored XT assembly that I have left over from an XTant build

- it has no springs (I got some on the way though) and no foam inside for now - I got the foam, but i need to get the slot puncher

- and those keycaps have not yet been cleaned - too lazy to do it now, will do before final assembly

So, not much of a working keyboard, but after a lot of cotton pads damped in isopropanol and some TLC, it is really a nice board to look at and the potato pic doesn't do her justice. The biggest kicker is definitely when those long legs get out I'm a bit afraid of the moment when I will have to assemble it with springs, though.

A quick question - did anyone figure out a way how to separate the legs from the case?

[lot_lizard]

A quick question - did anyone figure out a way how to separate the legs from the case?

You mean like this ?

image.jpeg (725.19 KiB) Viewed 4776 times

[lot_lizard]

Wasn't trying to be a tease. Phone was acting up. The four clips of the harness are actually quite a bit more pliable than you are expecting, so the fear of breaking is less than you should be fearing if cautious. I have done maybe 6 now if you count each one separately in a pair. The trick is to rotate the leg up, wedge the two clips that are accessible, rotate the leg down while holding the placement of the wedges (keep them short for clearance), and then wedge one more. As you gently pry the final up, the wedge force of the first three will project the black pin out without pulling. I have spares if you run into trouble by over exerting, but I have yet to damage one

[alh84001]

Exactly that! Thank you.

I was sure that those black "wings" don't go in, but I was afraid to put too much pressure on the clips.

[Crossfire]

How do you like them feels? Capacitive godness!

[alh84001]

Hard to tell without the springs But judging from my XTs, it'll be awesome.

[Crossfire]

Haha righttt
It will be, indeed. Let me know if you need those punchers..