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Author Topic: Dell AT101  (Read 2141 times)

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Offline NAVIWORLDINC

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 81
Dell AT101
« on: Sun, 24 October 2010, 23:34:38 »
Hi everyone, I am new so give me a break, and yes I have searched topics, yet need further assistance...

About a year ago, I purchased a rare old logo dell at101, that I believe has pink alps switches. FCC ID: GYID3PVAT101 Made in USA serial number 00028689 (I became luckly and bought it for a $1 USD at a rummage sale.) For the past year I have been using this keyboard. Although I have tried my best to keep it clean, the condition it came in was less than great. Broken F5 switch with missing key, and now the spacebar sometimes gets stuck, as I believe the spacebar switch is becoming slightly worn out and has a little trouble popping the key back up, though this happens rarely. (Maybe once a week?) I have been tempted in buying a Filco with Blue Cherries, or a Unicomp Customizer 104, yet I think I wouldn't be as happy with it as I was with my AT101. :|

I was hoping someone could point me in the proper direction of where I could find replacement keys and switches for this pink alps board. I was also curious if someone could point me in the proper direction of how to take apart and clean up the switches themselves. I know this baby is worth some $$$ and I would like to restore it and keep it that way if I could.

I have attached pictures of this keyboard for reference purposes. You may notice that they backboard/metal plate is dirty (if you are looking through the keys)... No it's rusty, I would like to learn how to remove all the switches so I could grind/sand the dirt off the plate as well.

Please help. If you have any other advice for a mechanical noob, feel free to let me know. Thank you.

~NAVI
« Last Edit: Sun, 24 October 2010, 23:49:42 by NAVIWORLDINC »
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Offline Daniel Beaver

  • Posts: 504
Dell AT101
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 25 October 2010, 00:50:25 »
My own ALPS boards have proven very restorable. I think your best bet would be to open up every keyswitch individually and put a tiny bit of lubricant on the sliders. You don't have to de-solder them or anything - I just use a couple of precision screwdrives to pop them open. Check out the ALPS entry in the wiki for more info about them. Very labor intensive, for sure, but you can bring absolutely trashed boards back from the dead.

That spacebar keyswitch is probably just dirty. Worst-case scenario, you could just swap the spring with another key on the board (sroll lock being a good choice).
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Offline KillerBee

  • Posts: 251
  • Location: Miami, FL
Dell AT101
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 25 October 2010, 01:27:30 »
Wow thats a very nice and unique dell keyboard you have there!

Welcome to GH!
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Offline NAVIWORLDINC

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 81
Dell AT101
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 25 October 2010, 09:12:47 »
Quote from: Daniel Beaver;238258
My own ALPS boards have proven very restorable. I think your best bet would be to open up every keyswitch individually and put a tiny bit of lubricant on the sliders. You don't have to de-solder them or anything - I just use a couple of precision screwdrives to pop them open. Check out the ALPS entry in the wiki for more info about them. Very labor intensive, for sure, but you can bring absolutely trashed boards back from the dead.

That spacebar keyswitch is probably just dirty. Worst-case scenario, you could just swap the spring with another key on the board (sroll lock being a good choice).

Nice thinking and I appreciate your help. Looks like I may be trying to take these switches apart over the weekend, god I hope I don't break any of them. Do you (or anyone else on the forum) have any ideas of how to replace an F5 key that I never owned?

Thanks again

~NAVI
« Last Edit: Mon, 25 October 2010, 09:18:02 by NAVIWORLDINC »
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Offline Daniel Beaver

  • Posts: 504
Dell AT101
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 25 October 2010, 10:56:10 »
Someone here could probably send you a replacement, though it wouldn't look quite the same. You can generally mix and match ALPS keys.
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Offline NAVIWORLDINC

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 81
Dell AT101
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 25 October 2010, 12:05:43 »
Quote from: Daniel Beaver;238419
Someone here could probably send you a replacement, though it wouldn't look quite the same. You can generally mix and match ALPS keys.


Alright then. Thanks. If anyone who comes by this Thread and has a AT101, if you have a spare F5 key I could buy from you, I would be happy to send you some money for your key, shipping and your time.

Thanks,

~NAVI
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