Surplus Stores

One of the most valuable resources in my experience was a certain wealthy scrapyard far off in the fields.

And unlike many scrapyards, they even allow customers to look at the pallets right off the scrap floor.

Finds

30 Flexview ThinkPads

One of the greatest finds of my life has to be the stack of 30 Flexview ThinkPads, mostly T42/T43, but some T60s, and even a limited edition steel Z60t. All these screens are extremely high resolution SXGA+ IPS displays.

Typewriter Finds

While the days where you could find piles of IBM Model M keyboards are long gone, nowadays legal firms are throwing out their typewriters for some reason or another.

IBM Wheelwriter 1000

My first Wheelwriter. The moment I touched these keys: I knew that they were the same buckling-spring keyswitches from the Model M.

IBM Personal Wheelwriter 2

The printwheel on this typewriter is totally broken, but I was particularly interested in the keyboard. Would it be possible to wire it up to an Arduino and use it as a USB keyboard? I mean, it's just a button matrix, right?

There were many people on Deskthority who thought the exact same thing, and even built an Arduino keyboard controller. Unfortunately, they never documented the process very well, so I took up the challenge and put it together at IBM Model M USB Controller. This was the project that trained me how to solder.

I was also interested in the very high-quality plastic case that the keyboard is embedded in. It is large enough to fit an entire gaming rig inside: and since the typewriter keyboard is NKRO, it's better than the Model M for gaming (though the buckling springs might be hell to work with for WASD). I am using it for the Accurate Emulation Arcade.

IBM Wheelwriter 1500

Out of total serendipity, I managed to find a Wheelwriter 1500 only a month after getting the Wheelwriter 1000. This is in near mint condition, pure white and nice and clean. It adds form filling and envelope printing functions. As a result, I sold off the IBM Wheelwriter 1000 to Batchelor Business Machines for a $60 profit (shipping is horrifically expensive).

I also purchased a rare PC Printer Option, to research the possibility of using it as a DOS daisywheel printer, or even as a Teletype. One day, I will probably try and make an Arduino alternative that connects via USB.

IBM Wheelwriter 30 + LCD

Another interesting Wheelwriter. It has a small LCD screen for menu options and to preview what you wrote, and it can even store reprinting documents.

(Broken) IBM Wheelwriter

This one was in bad condition and had already been tossed. The top casing was badly cracked, so I couldn't do much with that. I scrapped the logic board and keyboard right off of it (some nerd had taken the Code key! screw you man, now I have to buy another key).

I then put together a keyboard controller

IBM Wheelwriter 6

The oldest Wheelwriter around. Although it works perfectly for the most part, it is unable to turn the gear that increments the ribbon, which makes it essentially useless. The motor that controls it seems to be connected perfectly, but it simply refuses to work.

On the other hand, what if I replaced it with the one I scrapped from the Personal Wheelwriter 2? That motor worked perfectly. But will it be the right one?