F104+SSK+122+62+77+50+Ergo orders now open! New Kishsaver+Industrial Model F Keyboards
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
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Thanks for being a part of the project! The updates page on the project web site is the most accurate in terms of the timeline. As noted near the top of that page, the backlog is always about a couple months. There is no progress tracking; the next and final update will be the email with tracking!
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
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Firmware update:
As per our recent discussions, all of the project's firmware development is now available in one place, Rico's github: https://github.com/mymakercorner/
The leyden_jar branch is current for the Leyden Jar controller. https://github.com/mymakercorner/vial-q ... leyden_jar
The xwhatsit_vial branch is current for the finalized NathanA updates of xwhatsit.
Other branches are for testing.
Additionally, I have attached an untested and unsupported Leyden Jar port of all the various xwhatsit boards, along with a python script that does the porting. I just sent it to Rico. It's provided untested, as is, but any fixes would be helpful. So far the script is extremely preliminary and doesn't properly port over all of the features, the new calibration binning, the ability to check or uncheck in Vial to split or unsplit keys, etc. If you're on Windows, QMK WSL compiles in minutes compared to the hours QMK MSYS takes. This is only for those who have soldered a Leyden Jar controller to one of these other keyboards (F62, F77, F15, F Ortho, F50) and are willing to do some testing.
As per our recent discussions, all of the project's firmware development is now available in one place, Rico's github: https://github.com/mymakercorner/
The leyden_jar branch is current for the Leyden Jar controller. https://github.com/mymakercorner/vial-q ... leyden_jar
The xwhatsit_vial branch is current for the finalized NathanA updates of xwhatsit.
Other branches are for testing.
Additionally, I have attached an untested and unsupported Leyden Jar port of all the various xwhatsit boards, along with a python script that does the porting. I just sent it to Rico. It's provided untested, as is, but any fixes would be helpful. So far the script is extremely preliminary and doesn't properly port over all of the features, the new calibration binning, the ability to check or uncheck in Vial to split or unsplit keys, etc. If you're on Windows, QMK WSL compiles in minutes compared to the hours QMK MSYS takes. This is only for those who have soldered a Leyden Jar controller to one of these other keyboards (F62, F77, F15, F Ortho, F50) and are willing to do some testing.
- Attachments
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- leyden-untested.zip
- (2.09 MiB) Downloaded 26 times
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Pad printing update:
After nearly six years of R&D and tooling work, pad printed Model M and Model F keys are finally available to order!
https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/product ... f-key-set/
The first production batch of 25 sets has been completed this month, with the remaining sets to be completed over the coming months.
I am working on confirming that the M13 trackpoint (including special G H B) sets can be made. I will post an update after opening those sets up to orders on the project website. If you want one of those sets, you can't order them just yet but keep checking the forums for an update. I should find out next week.
Apologies for the low quality blurriness of areas of the photos; it is just the photo not the keys.
See the product page for additional details.
After nearly six years of R&D and tooling work, pad printed Model M and Model F keys are finally available to order!
https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/product ... f-key-set/
The first production batch of 25 sets has been completed this month, with the remaining sets to be completed over the coming months.
I am working on confirming that the M13 trackpoint (including special G H B) sets can be made. I will post an update after opening those sets up to orders on the project website. If you want one of those sets, you can't order them just yet but keep checking the forums for an update. I should find out next week.
Apologies for the low quality blurriness of areas of the photos; it is just the photo not the keys.
See the product page for additional details.
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
A new firmware version has been released for the Leyden Jar controllers (factory installed on F122 keyboards):
https://github.com/mymakercorner/vial-qmk/releases
The calibration binning algorithm has been optimized.
https://github.com/mymakercorner/vial-qmk/releases
The calibration binning algorithm has been optimized.
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engr
- Location: USA
Joe,
I am glad to see the pad-printed keysets are here.
A couple of questions regarding these sets:
1. As you noted, the photos are a bit blurry. Could you show a few close-ups of the surface defects you described to make it easier for us to decide if we want to order the hand-selected or the regular sets? Are we talking mold marks on front/side surfaces, or are these defects on top surface?
2. You mentioned that colors other than white would require several hundred USD in setup costs. What about a full set with white printing but in two languages (I.e. two sets of characters in each key, both printed in white) - would that also require several hundred in setup costs? What about a set with three colors (white, red, and blue) - would that even be possible?
I am glad to see the pad-printed keysets are here.
A couple of questions regarding these sets:
1. As you noted, the photos are a bit blurry. Could you show a few close-ups of the surface defects you described to make it easier for us to decide if we want to order the hand-selected or the regular sets? Are we talking mold marks on front/side surfaces, or are these defects on top surface?
2. You mentioned that colors other than white would require several hundred USD in setup costs. What about a full set with white printing but in two languages (I.e. two sets of characters in each key, both printed in white) - would that also require several hundred in setup costs? What about a set with three colors (white, red, and blue) - would that even be possible?
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Stolen keyboard alert:
F122, Off-White/Beige, Serial 5 has been reported stolen or missing. Please keep an eye out and email me if you see any F122 Off-White/Beige keyboard.
1. I posted a few more photos on the product page on the project web site. They are zoomed in so much that it's either the camera digital zoom artifacts and/or you can see some individual ink droplets. These refer to the defects in the printing (as described on the product page). The keycaps on the key tops are the same keycaps with the unprinted black sets, so any of those product pages or customer images posted over the years would show those marks. They are not new or unique to the pad printing.
2. Tooling costs are for two things: ink changes and new metal plates for each set of legends. The character count doesn't matter; if it's different even by one key then it's a new plate. They don't want to be bothered with one-off requests so I'd have to make a good amount of each request, and batched together with other requests.
F122, Off-White/Beige, Serial 5 has been reported stolen or missing. Please keep an eye out and email me if you see any F122 Off-White/Beige keyboard.
1. I posted a few more photos on the product page on the project web site. They are zoomed in so much that it's either the camera digital zoom artifacts and/or you can see some individual ink droplets. These refer to the defects in the printing (as described on the product page). The keycaps on the key tops are the same keycaps with the unprinted black sets, so any of those product pages or customer images posted over the years would show those marks. They are not new or unique to the pad printing.
2. Tooling costs are for two things: ink changes and new metal plates for each set of legends. The character count doesn't matter; if it's different even by one key then it's a new plate. They don't want to be bothered with one-off requests so I'd have to make a good amount of each request, and batched together with other requests.
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Green Maned Lion
- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: Unicomp New Model M
- Main mouse: X-keys L-Track
- Favorite switch: Buckling Spring
Who steals a keyboard?
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Jesse9766
- Location: US
- Main keyboard: NIZ Atom68 45g
- Main mouse: Glorious Model O
- Favorite switch: NIZ EC Switch
Joe,
Have you considered partnering with a company like yuzukeycaps for low quantity production dye sub keys? They use Keyreative for the dye sub and can have white legends against a dark background with reverse dye sub. A custom one-off 100% keycap set you upload yourself runs $100 and gets dyed and shipped in a month after ordering. The print quality is sharper than pad printing. The disadvantage is that the darkest you can get is dark gray and not a deep black like in ABS but I think the level of customization is worth the tradeoff.
https://yuzukeycaps.com/
Have you considered partnering with a company like yuzukeycaps for low quantity production dye sub keys? They use Keyreative for the dye sub and can have white legends against a dark background with reverse dye sub. A custom one-off 100% keycap set you upload yourself runs $100 and gets dyed and shipped in a month after ordering. The print quality is sharper than pad printing. The disadvantage is that the darkest you can get is dark gray and not a deep black like in ABS but I think the level of customization is worth the tradeoff.
https://yuzukeycaps.com/
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Trackpoint Model M13 pad print update:
You can now order the trackpoint pad printed key set: https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/product ... f-key-set/
The factory will be pad printing the 15 sets I sent them years back in anticipation of pad printing. Strict limit of 2 sets per person. These might sell out quickly. I wanted to make more but sadly Unicomp no longer has stock of the unprinted GHB Trackpoint keys in black. I noted some alternatives on the product page if you want to save cost, such as getting the normal set and reusing the GHB keys or ordering the pearl GHB dye sublimated keys from the Extra Keys page, just for those 3 keys.
Jesse9766 The current factory can do low volume Model F keys without issue, but your site may be something to consider for the MX beam spring keyboard key sets, especially for folks who may want a specific key set. Of course they probably can't do Model M keys since they don't have the mold or jig.
Everyone I will continue to consider low volume Model F dye sub key sets with a MOQ of 5 sets if you fill out an Inkscape template I can send you. Please email me for details. Also there are a few more key sets that were never created due to having no demand which may have some interest now: Belgian Azerty, Czech, Hungarian, Thai, and Turkish.
You can now order the trackpoint pad printed key set: https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/product ... f-key-set/
The factory will be pad printing the 15 sets I sent them years back in anticipation of pad printing. Strict limit of 2 sets per person. These might sell out quickly. I wanted to make more but sadly Unicomp no longer has stock of the unprinted GHB Trackpoint keys in black. I noted some alternatives on the product page if you want to save cost, such as getting the normal set and reusing the GHB keys or ordering the pearl GHB dye sublimated keys from the Extra Keys page, just for those 3 keys.
Jesse9766 The current factory can do low volume Model F keys without issue, but your site may be something to consider for the MX beam spring keyboard key sets, especially for folks who may want a specific key set. Of course they probably can't do Model M keys since they don't have the mold or jig.
Everyone I will continue to consider low volume Model F dye sub key sets with a MOQ of 5 sets if you fill out an Inkscape template I can send you. Please email me for details. Also there are a few more key sets that were never created due to having no demand which may have some interest now: Belgian Azerty, Czech, Hungarian, Thai, and Turkish.
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Rotti
- Location: Iowa, USA
- Main keyboard: Original Kishy
- Main mouse: Razer Naga Trinity
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring over PCB
- DT Pro Member: -
If someone could post the link the the side of the online QMK config website for the model F boards, that would be great. Been so long, I can't remember the page and forgot to bookmark.
Thank you.
Well, I was able to find the site, now to remember what to put in for a keycode on the configuration tool for solenoid controls for on/off and strength up and down.
Thank you.
Well, I was able to find the site, now to remember what to put in for a keycode on the configuration tool for solenoid controls for on/off and strength up and down.
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Rotti feel free to take a look at the manual on the Model F project website for all those specifics, but several years ago the project switched to Vial instead of using the beta QMK site, though that site is still used for pandrew's controllers and for the original xwhatsit controllers (again see the manual for the latest firmware downloads): http://35.164.28.200:5000/#/xwhatsit/ib ... ev4/LAYOUT
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
The first batch of pad printed keycaps was delivered today and they are gorgeous! They look great in person, despite a very slight fuzziness in the ink that was noted before. With the clear protective layer applied over the ink of each key, I'm hopeful that the ink outlasts the originals which had no protective layer.
These pad printed Model F / Model M keycaps were well worth the wait!
They can be ordered from here:
https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/product ... f-key-set/
These pad printed Model F / Model M keycaps were well worth the wait!
They can be ordered from here:
https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/product ... f-key-set/
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Here's a new F77 review on YouTube!
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
The new draft keyboard label design has been completed!
While the current keyboard label was based on the IBM 4704 keyboards, the new one is based on the 1984-1986 IBM Model F and Model M labels (now that the 4704's are no longer the main project boards), but with some changes to make the font slightly thicker, etc. Just like with the keycap characters, these characters were drawn based off the originals, but this time I made it into a font as needed for label creation. It is my understanding that the originals were made not with a dot matrix, laser, or offset printer as was likely the case with other IBM keyboard labels, but instead with some kind of line printer, impact printer, or chain printer which involved the striking of the metal key into the paper label through a ribbon (which is why many of the characters were missing sections of ink or slightly varied in their thickness and spacing). Some of my original IBM Model F122 labels even have typos, probably from a key striking twice (a date code of MAY844 instead of MAY84 for example). I can't find any records of the IBM line printers that could handle large printing of about 1/4" line height, so my guess is that another company's printers were used. The keyboard labels will be covered with a slightly oversized clear plastic label protector as IBM did for this series of labels.
You can't request the new label, replace your existing label, or check to see which label you are getting; there are still many old labels that are already printed and will be used first. For simplicity sake the new designs will also be used with the F62/F77 boards. The box labels will stay with the same design.
While the current keyboard label was based on the IBM 4704 keyboards, the new one is based on the 1984-1986 IBM Model F and Model M labels (now that the 4704's are no longer the main project boards), but with some changes to make the font slightly thicker, etc. Just like with the keycap characters, these characters were drawn based off the originals, but this time I made it into a font as needed for label creation. It is my understanding that the originals were made not with a dot matrix, laser, or offset printer as was likely the case with other IBM keyboard labels, but instead with some kind of line printer, impact printer, or chain printer which involved the striking of the metal key into the paper label through a ribbon (which is why many of the characters were missing sections of ink or slightly varied in their thickness and spacing). Some of my original IBM Model F122 labels even have typos, probably from a key striking twice (a date code of MAY844 instead of MAY84 for example). I can't find any records of the IBM line printers that could handle large printing of about 1/4" line height, so my guess is that another company's printers were used. The keyboard labels will be covered with a slightly oversized clear plastic label protector as IBM did for this series of labels.
You can't request the new label, replace your existing label, or check to see which label you are getting; there are still many old labels that are already printed and will be used first. For simplicity sake the new designs will also be used with the F62/F77 boards. The box labels will stay with the same design.
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
A follow up from wcass's successful combination of the regular and split right shift PCBs into one, so that the PCB can be used by both options (this was done several years ago and is used on all of the current production boards):
Now I am thinking of combining them for the top inner assembly, as there have been requests for flexibility between HHKB style and non-HHKB style split right shift.
I've attached a combination of the two barrel positions for each of the two split right shift area keys, one showing the overlap and one the finished result with the intersecting area removed. The board could be made as shown in Untitled2.jpg, with the overlapping cuts removed and left as part of the hole for the barrels. Since a majority of the hole has borders for each of the two keys that will contact the barrel and hold it in place, I'd guess that there would be little movement possible in the North/South/East/West direction. For the non-HHKB shift position, since the locking tabs would not be present, there would be a risk of rotation, but the barrels surrounding these keys should minimize rotation. For further risk avoidance, maybe a small plastic rectangle can be placed between the two shift barrels (not sure if needed or recommended since the barrels should be held in place with the surrounding barrels). Additionally, the shift key itself connecting both barrels might restrict movement to avoid issues during operation in normal right shift.
What do you think? Can wcass's idea be added to the top inner assembly plate?
Now I am thinking of combining them for the top inner assembly, as there have been requests for flexibility between HHKB style and non-HHKB style split right shift.
I've attached a combination of the two barrel positions for each of the two split right shift area keys, one showing the overlap and one the finished result with the intersecting area removed. The board could be made as shown in Untitled2.jpg, with the overlapping cuts removed and left as part of the hole for the barrels. Since a majority of the hole has borders for each of the two keys that will contact the barrel and hold it in place, I'd guess that there would be little movement possible in the North/South/East/West direction. For the non-HHKB shift position, since the locking tabs would not be present, there would be a risk of rotation, but the barrels surrounding these keys should minimize rotation. For further risk avoidance, maybe a small plastic rectangle can be placed between the two shift barrels (not sure if needed or recommended since the barrels should be held in place with the surrounding barrels). Additionally, the shift key itself connecting both barrels might restrict movement to avoid issues during operation in normal right shift.
What do you think? Can wcass's idea be added to the top inner assembly plate?
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Ellipse
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Brand New Model F Keyboards
- DT Pro Member: -
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The first photo of a (partial) pad printed blue set is below! The factory continues testing and optimizing as they prepare for mass production. The pad printing process is not 100% successful all the time; what the factory does is make some extra sets to take keys from, to replace bad keys.
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