Lexmark Dell Model M cleaning log!

[green-squid]

You've all been waiting for this!



Here it is with some funky LEDs!



Got this for a STEAL for 40 euros from ChewDrebby from Latvia! Thanks dude!





Let's tackle the first problem: some of the keys had this weird dirt on them that water did not take off.



So as Mattr suggested, I scrubbed every single key with baking soda. It's super effective!



I borrowed the special Hex screwdriver I needed from my neighbour, and got to the dirt issue.





First, I washed the case and scrubber some parts with baking soda.



And now for the big part - the dirty assembly. The dirtyness doesn't come across on camera..



Yuck!



After some time, I got it clean with Q-tips, paper towels and a window cleaning spray.



After putting the keycaps back, the last thing to do was put in some yellow LEDs and glue the LED board back.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

So this is it guys! I love this thing, but it's very loud, and I can't use it in the evening for long. But I love it anyway. What do you think?

[nsmechkb]

Awesome cleaning job!

The board looks great. Love how much enthusiasm you have for this stuff.

Thanks for sharing!

[green-squid]

Thank you!!!!

[macboarder]

Don't you just love the sight of a fresh cleaned board? I know I do
Excellent job, I also like the LED replacement idea.

[Elrick]

Awesome cleaning job!

The board looks great. Love how much enthusiasm you have for this stuff.

Thanks for sharing!

YES we need more Model-M cleaning and restoration work here.

Glad to see someone who is interested in using this old girl since you mostly see images and talk of OTHER keyboards instead. This place seems afflicted with Model-F reverence and all the Model-M's get ignored or treated as sub-standard.

Onya for showing some care for this old keyboard.

[Dingster]

Looking great, good job on the restoration
If you want to make it slightly more silent, try putting some sort of a cloth under it. The table usually affects the sound quite a bit (think wood amplifier).

[green-squid]

Looking great, good job on the restoration
If you want to make it slightly more silent, try putting some sort of a cloth under it. The table usually affects the sound quite a bit (think wood amplifier).

thanks! We'll see.

[digital_matthew]

Don't you just love the sight of a fresh cleaned board? I know I do
Excellent job, I also like the LED replacement idea.

There's nothing like getting a badly soiled Model M and restoring it to look like the day it was born. So satisfying. Nice work!

[mike52787]

I really like the amber leds, adds to the look of the keyboard. I have always preferred alternate colors to the standard green, really makes your board stand out in a crowd.

[green-squid]

I really like the amber leds, adds to the look of the keyboard. I have always preferred alternate colors to the standard green, really makes your board stand out in a crowd.

Thanks guys! Turned out better than I expected. But my sister always complains when I use it for more than 10 seconds

[Dingster]

I really like the amber leds, adds to the look of the keyboard. I have always preferred alternate colors to the standard green, really makes your board stand out in a crowd.

Thanks guys! Turned out better than I expected. But my sister always complains when I use it for more than 10 seconds

Let her type on it for a while

[green-squid]

I really like the amber leds, adds to the look of the keyboard. I have always preferred alternate colors to the standard green, really makes your board stand out in a crowd.

Thanks guys! Turned out better than I expected. But my sister always complains when I use it for more than 10 seconds

Let her type on it for a while

She is not into this type of stuff. Almost never uses a computer outside of watching a movie or a TV show episode every one in a while on a laptop. She says it's annoying, even though she's also as annoying sometimes. But I don't hate her.

[DustGod]

Nice work!

[green-squid]

Nice work!

Thank you!

[hansichen]

I really like the amber leds, adds to the look of the keyboard. I have always preferred alternate colors to the standard green, really makes your board stand out in a crowd.

Thanks guys! Turned out better than I expected. But my sister always complains when I use it for more than 10 seconds

There is an easy solution. Take the board and slap your sister You'll see, afterwards she won't complain anymore

[green-squid]

I really like the amber leds, adds to the look of the keyboard. I have always preferred alternate colors to the standard green, really makes your board stand out in a crowd.

Thanks guys! Turned out better than I expected. But my sister always complains when I use it for more than 10 seconds

There is an easy solution. Take the board and slap your sister You'll see, afterwards she won't complain anymore

Sometimes we all feel like that, don't we?

[Elrick]

There is an easy solution. Take the board and slap your sister You'll see, afterwards she won't complain anymore

You can't do that now due to the current "Time's Up Movement".

Remember women aren't always physical unlike us moronic men, who deal with everything in Life with Fists and Threats.

So it's about time they (the women) have this happening for them simply due to being physically repressed/threatened for such a long time. I'm not one of those card carrying haters of women and will never be one, unless my significant other does something to me that warrants that level of hatred, thus far it's been very amicable.

The one thing all Women have that trumps everything within our existence is that they can carry and give life to the human species. Something over looked and ignored by us men, time and time again. Always thought if we Men, could carry and bring life into the world, this place would be very different instead of the current warlike stance that prevails everywhere.

Mainly due to men not realizing what it's like to carry life within oneself and giving birth to it, I would think it would take away our insanity for constant death and destruction.

[green-squid]

Yes, I agree that we should NOT beat women!

[scottc]

I would think it would take away our insanity for constant death and destruction.

We can always depend on Elrick to take any thread and make it absolutely fucking bizarre.

[green-squid]

I would think it would take away our insanity for constant death and destruction.

We can always depend on Elrick to take any thread and make it absolutely fucking bizarre.

Elrick is an interesting dood..

[Darkshado]

Back on topic, you could make your keyboard a little quieter with a floss mod. Another mod I haven't tried yet would be to stuff every void in the case with sound dampening material.

[green-squid]

Back on topic, you could make your keyboard a little quieter with a floss mod. Another mod I haven't tried yet would be to stuff every void in the case with sound dampening material.

I have considered that, but closing my room's and my sister's room's doors seem to do the trick. But it would be a good mod for sure.