Restoring the Model F

Subtext: Neoprene sheets. Get ya hot fresh ready neoprene sheets.

A story in Pictures

Caution

The only thing you can really REALLY screw up here is breaking your spacebar if you remove it before disassembly. Be sure you understand how that is put together before prying it apart!

spacebar spring

keep it separate

pcb hole for screw thing

fits together like this

cleaning up

enamel

support ledge

using clamps

tabs aligned

evaporust for keys

install spacebar first

align plastic and pcb

wedge for spacebar

connectors

What’s the pinout for the weird cable?

So the idea is you install Teensy v 3.1/3.2 inside the case and plug it directly into the old controller. What’s the pin out?

Brown 5vdc
Red, Bare = Gnd (red? ground? Obviously!)
White = Data
Black = Clock

If you aren’t familiar with Teensy and the extensions for Teensy for The Arduino IDE, check this out:
https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_download.html
and specifically Teensy as a Keyboard (or other DIY input device)
https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_keyboard.html

It can emulate a keyboard. You just have to select that on the menu.

Then you can download the firmware for teesny that does the model F conversion, load it. As long as you wired it correctly, then that’s it. It’ll be an ordinary USB plug and play keyboard.

If you want to do custom keymaps, you can edit the Arduino sketch and map whatever you want however you want :smiley:

Where is the software?

This thread on deskthority:
https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?t=12597

Note I made a few tweaks and will share those if you want, but didn’t want to re-post the zip.

Awesome F Restorations I saw on the net

Check these out, they’re awesome:

https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?t=12597

I used these to sanity check my own work just to make sure.

If you have trouble getting yours to work, post pics and what you did.

11 Likes

This is awesome and about the only thing I can think of in the back of your pictures is “yes this is an engineers stockhouse/workshop”

xD everything is saved for reuse and some point.

This is so sweet though. I have not actually seen many people take the time.

2 Likes

Thanks Wendell, this was really helpful!

I picked up three Model Fs years ago that I’ve been meaning to refurbish, but replacing the deteriorated foam was a pain I didn’t want to deal with. Thanks for putting the spare foam up for sale.

To the project cave!

First of three complete. Thanks again Wendell.

2 Likes

my problem is my “new” model F and that one pang so satisfyingly that now I have to convert some M to F style flappers.

1 Like

That sounds like a fun project. If not for the layout an F would be my daily driver.

I’ll have do a Google and would also be very interested in whatever you come up with.

Brings to mind this full M-F conversion, huge project.

https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=13796

1 Like