IBM m15 mods+ maintenance SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME

[RougeRambo]

okay, so i went to try and take my m15 apart to have a look at the internals, as i want to do a trackpoint mod and a detachable cable mod.

however i couldn't get it apart, and it just annoyed me...i really hope i have NOT industrially glued the opening mechanism, i thought i knew where it was and avoided it.

can someone please for the love of god show me how the fuck you open this thing.

oh and as i was putting the screws back in, i noticed pg up/down and the key next to it wernt clicking any more...so i took the key caps off and had a fiddle...now the spring for pg up has come off -__- FOR FUCKS SAKE!

so i need to replace that, sticking with my filco for now. but i figure when i get it open i may as well do a full spring replacement, so i need a model m2 to cannibalize (can i get springs else where) and perhaps a guide on how to replace springs too, would the spring go back in??? i have it still. oh and id need m2 keycaps to practice rit dying on too.

GUIDE AND HELP PLEASE, there is so little information out there.

[RougeRambo]

I took one apart until the parts separated, be aware there are screws under the rubber feet which you need to carefully pry off with a knife or something, but then it was still hold together by the wiring between top and bottom, which connectors are very difficult to reach in the tight space. I didn't force that and didn't try further. I'd just just Sandy's chopstick method to replace a spring, it's not very hard.

got pmed this, thought id add it. ty webwit

[webwit]

One additional tip, when messing with a buckling spring keyboard, leave the caps on. Even if you hold the keyboard just at an angle when the caps are off, the springs might wobble and get stuck on the housing because they slightly stick out. This on turn might damage these springs.

[RougeRambo]

awesome ty for the help in pms

[Halvar]

Nice ... but why would anyone hide helpful advice in PMs?

[webwit]

I answered to a PM. Saw the thread after that.

[RougeRambo]

guna post em up

a) The spring could be damaged, b) not properly seated in the housing/on its hammer, c) not properly seated in its keycap/slider. You've probably already tried to see if its c) by taking the cap off and putting it on a couple of times.

I haven't scientifically compared the springs, but they seem equal to other buckling springs. I replaced one spring on the Model M15 numpad with a fresh standard buckling spring supplied by Unicomp that way.

Chopstick method is easy but you need to get the hang of it. Just get some fresh springs from Unicomp and practice on an old Model M used for parts or something. They cost little, so you can easily loose a couple while trying to get the hang of it. Then you'll be much more confident than trying it unpracticed on your expensive M15. The trick is not too apply too much force but just enough to twist the spring on or off its hammer.

[RougeRambo]

also pics in bound, i got it apart. not guna use it till its got new springs in and ive got a game plan.

still need to work out how to take the cables off and the metal backplate

[RougeRambo]

M15 in her birthday suit.
full album:
http://imgur.com/a/jgRGr

[webwit]

Here's the pic I took when I opened mine.



Gotta love IBM's answer to the breaking rivet problem of Model Ms. Sticky tape.

[RougeRambo]

haha, i always thought it was brilliant!

i'm going to go try and get some springs for it now, may as well redo em all, then get on with the rest of the mods.

detachable cables+trackpoint are the most complex ones

i also want to RGB mod via ritdye and add a velcro on wrist rest

[webwit]

I think I might have remembered wrongly and the problem is not so much with the wires, but how to proceed with the metal plate. It's probably not very hard but I didn't proceed there out of lack of necessity.

[RougeRambo]

ah well, looks like im in uncharted territory, will see how i go.
on the +side, the case is very spacey for mods.