Were all IBM WheelWriter keyboards buckling spring?

[psl]

Or was it just the early ones? Last week I picked up some WheelWriters, in varying degrees of distress. The oldest was a 2, the youngest a 1000 made by Lexmark.

It seemed to me that the board on the 1000 was "less clicky" than that on the 2, but I'm not sure whether that's just my imagination or not.

Can anybody enlighten me, please?

[green-squid]

Not sure about wheelwriters, but it was probably those goddamn rivets that come off M keyboards are what are causing less tactility.

[FXT]

Not sure about wheelwriters, but it was probably those goddamn rivets that come off M keyboards are what are causing less tactility.

I'm not convinced. I've had several Ms with varying amounts of rivets and they more or less all felt the same. I don't think the rivets matter to an extent, obviously if it's missing enough it won't work properly.

[DustGod]

I currently have two Model Ms (regular and 122) and a WheelWriter. Based on these and others, I believe that a high number of broken rivets slows down the return of some keys (they feel less springy). But the sound does not change.

[DustGod]

On a side note: I haven't took apart the WheelWriter yet, but the keys feel *a lot* springy, even though that typewriter has been typed on to shreds (the caps are extremely shiny, not a common sight for IBM keycaps, made of the densest PBT known). I believe this is due to the fact that the board is attached to a 10 kg printing element.

[2ter]

The wheelwriter keyboard i took apart didn't have a rubber sheet but o-rings instead . This made it louder/more clicky

[psl]

The rubber sheet vs o-rings thing sounds plausible. I shall have to have a closer look, as work and getting my taxes done permits...

[gianni]

$$trello-2105172099.jpg (1.83 MiB) Viewed 3619 times

https://trello.com/c/uYSx2zmT/7-ibm-whe ... -5-o-rings

Don't some reason there are these curious O-rings equipped onto the IBM Wheelwriter 5, the earliest typewriter equipped with Buckling Springs. They wrap around the barrel to provide a cushion for the keystem when it bottoms out.

These O-rings reduces the volume of the Wheelwriter 5 keyboard, by cushioning the keystem when it bottoms out. You'd imagine that the sound of the typewriter itself would definitely overshadow the meager noise of the actuation, but actually when the key bottoms out, it gives off a loud clang that you feel in your bones.

These are compatible with any IBM/Unicomp Buckling Spring barrel. However, in later buckling spring keyboards, such as the IBM Model M and Wheelwriter 3 or Wheelwriter 1000, the keyswitches are already quieter by design, despite the fact that it has no O-Rings.

In fact, when you add O-rings on this newer buckling spring design, it sounds only as loud as a ThinkPad rubber dome keyboard. So if you're thinking about bringing your Model M to work, try installing some O-Rings.
Measurements

Inside diameter: 12mm
Outside diameter: 16mm
Height: 2mm

12mm ID is not much smaller than 1/2" (inch); which is the size of Danco #10 o-rings. They are usually sold in 10 packs for ~$2 USD.

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=60043.0;wap2

[zrrion]

The wheelwriter keyboard i took apart didn't have a rubber sheet but o-rings instead . This made it louder/more clicky

I had this happen with an action writer. removing the mat when bold modding has a similar effect and I greatly prefer how it makes the M feel