My P key doesn't work!

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Jeff-20
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My P key doesn't work!

Post by Jeff-20 »

I finally got a good idea for the 20 line contest... (I am not going to talk about carlsson's 25 line entry... sure, everyone can make a great game in 25 lines, but can one do it in 20 :lol: )

But there's a problem. My P key is extremely sticky! I can't figure out how to clean it. Do you realize how important that key is to programming?!
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Post by vic user »

I have a vic with a wonky '2' key, and i know what you mean about the importance of one key sometimes.

this guy may have an article on cleaning commodore keyboards:

Ray Carlsen's Home Page

http://personalpages.tds.net/~rcarlsen/

Chris
aneurysm
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Post by aneurysm »

I have a commodore graveyard... it's pretty simple to swap keyboards.
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Jeff-20
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Post by Jeff-20 »

Does anyone know if it is possible to swap the keyboard of a 64C with a VIC? I'd pick one up from the local thrift store, but I don't know if they connections are the same. Can anyone crack a 64c open and check?
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Post by vic user »

it is 100% possible, and easy as sin to do.

i have every single vic 20 i own, with a 64c keyboard, and thus every single 64c i own has a chocolate keyboard :)

in my opinion, a vic 20 with a white keyboard looks wicked!

do it! :)

chris
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Jeff-20
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Post by Jeff-20 »

word
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carlsson
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Post by carlsson »

Only remember in which direction the connector should be fastened, as I think it lacks "spacing" to only go one way.

Otherwise it should be possible to restore a C= keyboard - I asked a while ago in comp.sys.cbm and got some good responses, although I haven't tried it myself:
CAREFULLY pry off the keycaps with a small screwdriver. You might want to do each key individually, but you can take all the keycaps off at once if you have a place to hold the ketcaps and the springs. Be careful not to break the plastic stems or lose the springs which tend to jump off and roll away.

Now carefully spread the springs just a *little* bit. This will give them a bit of "springiness" they lost over years of use and abuse. replace the springs and keycaps. VOILA!

While your at it, you should also clean the key contacts.

Remove the cover of the computer to get access to rear of keyboard.

Unsolder the shift-lock key. (If a C-128, unsolder the wires from the other locking keys). Next, unscrew all the tiny screws and remove the rear (PC board) of the keyboard Use a lint-free cloth moistened with alcohol (isopropanol) and wipe the contact side of the keyboard clean, then carefully clean each of the little rubber contacts on the keys. Reassemble, and resolder the shift-lock key.

If cleaning doesn't help you might have to renew the conducting graphite layer on the rubber plunger or even the PCB. I'm using "Kontakt Chemie Graphit 33" (a spray, applied with a small brush) for that.

These techniques have saved many keyboards over the decades. Many inexpensive computers, calcs and other input devices use carbon-impregnated rubber feet type keys with printed circuit board contacts and a good cleaning once per decade (or when your 7-yr-old son spills Kool-Aid in it) works wonders!
Anders Carlsson

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Leeeeee
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Post by Leeeeee »

If cleaning doesn't help you might have to renew the conducting graphite layer on the rubber plunger or even the PCB. I'm using "Kontakt Chemie Graphit 33" (a spray, applied with a small brush) for that.
A 6B pencil works just as well, if not better, as there's little chance of getting it anywhere you don't want to.

Any half way decent stationary shop will stock them.

Lee.
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Post by Boray »

carlsson wrote: Unsolder the shift-lock key. (If a C-128, unsolder the wires from the other locking keys). Next, unscrew all the tiny screws and remove the rear (PC board) of the keyboard Use a lint-free cloth moistened with alcohol (isopropanol) and wipe the contact side of the keyboard clean, then carefully clean each of the little rubber contacts on the keys. Reassemble, and resolder the shift-lock key.
I just did this (without reading this first) with the two vic20s I got from Schlowski, and those keyboards are now working. But there was two different types of keyboards. One with springs, and one with only rubber things inside (that came loose). The spring type keyboard was both easier to clean and feels a lot better to use... The "only rubber" type is probably another cost reduction step and feels pretty bad to type with...

/Anders
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