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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: phinix on Fri, 28 June 2019, 08:35:55
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I managed to brake a stabiliser stem inside a spacebar keycap stem/leg. :confused:
So basically stem left inside the cap.
What do you guys think I could do to pull it out? It broke off almost flash with the leg, so cannot grab it with anything.
Try a heated screw maybe? Like a really small one? Naah, that won't work...
It was that damn 3d printed topre to mx stems you can buy on Shapeways... Never again.. these are crap, very hard to push it in, then when breaks, you waste your cap... :'(
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I was able to get one out by drilling into the broken stem with a tiny drill bit and then using a metal pick in that hole to pry the piece out.
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I was able to get one out by drilling into the broken stem with a tiny drill bit and then using a metal pick in that hole to pry the piece out.
Sounds good. I just need a really small drill bit, will find one on ebay I guess.
How small should it be? Like...1mm?
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I was able to get one out by drilling into the broken stem with a tiny drill bit and then using a metal pick in that hole to pry the piece out.
Sounds good. I just need a really small drill bit, will find one on ebay I guess.
How small should it be? Like...1mm?
Yeah that would be perfect. Anything larger and you'll drill into the keycap.
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Never tried it, but you might be able to super glue something like a toothpick to the broken stem and once it's dried pull the toothpick (with attached stem) out of the keycap.
Probably would depend on how tight the cap is sitting on the stem.
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I'd avoid superglue - there's a risk that you'd glue the stem fragment in there.
Also avoid lubricants, trying to east it out - they might not wash off completely and you'd have a loose keycap.
I'd go with drilling a hole - search for pin vise - mine came with a few tiny drill bits.
If you can find a tiny screw too, you can screw that into the tiny hole that you drill, then use needle-nosed pliers to pull it all out.
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I ordered 1mm drill bit, as didn't have one at home.
Once comes in, I will try and drill through that thing...
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Result!
1mm drill bit came in (it was so small, that seller taped it to the invoice, I spent an hour looking for it in the envelope;) and I used it.
It went through the broken stem like knife through butter.
It crashed and came out in pieces, key cap is saved!!! :)
Thanks guys for support, I'm glad it is fixed now.
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Next time, xacto knife. With drills it could easily bite into things you don't want bitten into.
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Next time, xacto knife. With drills it could easily bite into things you don't want bitten into.
I don't know if knife could cut that out so easily. It was very tight, it broke because it was sitting so hard in it.
But maybe you're right. I need to buy this xacto crafting knife just to have it, as it is very handy.
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Result!
1mm drill bit came in (it was so small, that seller taped it to the invoice, I spent an hour looking for it in the envelope;) and I used it.
It went through the broken stem like knife through butter.
It crashed and came out in pieces, key cap is saved!!! :)
Thanks guys for support, I'm glad it is fixed now.
Great!
Thanks for providing a happy ending to the story :)
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thanks