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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: retsteel on Sun, 01 April 2012, 15:42:11

Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: retsteel on Sun, 01 April 2012, 15:42:11
I have a model m gray label, it does not work, I would like to make it work. Some of the keys do work, but most do not. I do not know what else to post so I will shut up now.

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Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: 1391406 on Mon, 02 April 2012, 00:03:48
Unicomp will refurbish any Model M for a $30 flat fee.
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: Itxi on Wed, 04 April 2012, 03:47:49
Depends on how comfortable you are with soldering, how much electronic/mechanical knowledge and experience do you have?
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: Henry Allen Venture on Wed, 04 April 2012, 06:29:56
If you've got the right tool to open it up, I'd crack it open and give it a good clean.
I'd take the keys off and everything, spend a few hours giving the thing a really thorough, deep clean.

I just did that to mine and it works like a dream.
I did notice that when I put it all back together a lot of the keys either wouldn't work at all, or I had to stab really hard in the centre of the key to get it to register. I took all of those keys off and re-attached them a few times and eventually they all work. I think the springs might not have located properly under the keycap, but I'm not sure. I have no idea if this is a normal problem, or not. At any rate, it works fine now, so you should definitely try this to yours.

Failing that, do this:

Quote from: 1391406;564279
Unicomp will refurbish any Model M for a $30 flat fee.
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: fohat.digs on Wed, 04 April 2012, 07:26:51
It often takes re-seating the key stem over the spring a few times to get it right.

Rock the board back and forth to see how the springs flop around.

Sometimes I stand the board up on the front (spacebar) side when slipping the stem over the spring, and that works pretty well.
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: retsteel on Wed, 04 April 2012, 09:16:01
okay, I have taken it apart and cleaned it to a point, but I have not reseated the springs and stuff, there does appear to be some corrosion though, as for the soldering I am regrettably ignorant of your soldering ways, however my father has said many times that he will teach me, and he has all sorts of electronic experience, so maybe I could convince him to sacrifice a Saturday....
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: fossala on Wed, 04 April 2012, 09:22:46
Quote from: retsteel;566489
okay, I have taken it apart and cleaned it to a point, but I have not reseated the springs and stuff, there does appear to be some corrosion though, as for the soldering I am regrettably ignorant of your soldering ways, however my father has said many times that he will teach me, and he has all sorts of electronic experience, so maybe I could convince him to sacrifice a Saturday....

You shouldn't need to solder anything. Just get a dremel and some nuts and bolts.
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:6615
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: retsteel on Wed, 04 April 2012, 10:01:54
Quote from: fossala;566499
You shouldn't need to solder anything. Just get a dremel and some nuts and bolts.
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:6615
But that would fix my problem...?
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: fossala on Wed, 04 April 2012, 10:20:58
It would allow you to take it apart and look at it. Then you could work out what is wrong with it.
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: Itxi on Wed, 04 April 2012, 10:39:09
Even if you don't need to do any soldering learn how to, you won't regret it.
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: fossala on Wed, 04 April 2012, 10:44:16
Quote from: Itxi;566579
Even if you don't need to do any soldering learn how to, you won't regret it.

True, it never hurts to learn to solder.
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: retsteel on Wed, 04 April 2012, 11:07:27
I do want to learn to solder, what I was thinking about doing this this one actually was making this into the happy hacking buckling spring keyboard.
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: fossala on Wed, 04 April 2012, 11:09:06
That is a lot of work for someone that doesn't even know how to solder. You will need to re-do traces, mod the case and get a new programable controller and wire it up.
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: retsteel on Wed, 04 April 2012, 12:13:47
I know it would be a lot of work, but I think it would be insanely worth it, is there a guide or something to that or would I have to figure it all out?
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: REVENGE on Wed, 04 April 2012, 12:25:23
Quote from: retsteel;566671
I know it would be a lot of work, but I think it would be insanely worth it, is there a guide or something to that or would I have to figure it all out?

The extant mod guides will contain the know-how for different parts of your project. Did you get your idea from here: http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:29483 ? Check out other mod's like wcass's modification log, open source Teensy keyboard controller, etc.
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: retsteel on Wed, 04 April 2012, 12:27:43
you sir are a god, thank you.
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: mich on Wed, 04 April 2012, 12:35:59
Remove caps from affected keys and press the hammers directly with some thin stick. If a key registers this way the problem is mechanical, otherwise electrical.

If the working keys are arranged in (almost) even rows or columns, you are probably dealing with membrane or connector failure. Disconnect membranes from the PCB and make sure that all contacts are clean.

There are three connectors on the PCB - one for row lines, one for column lines and one for leds. Plug the keyboard and bridge random row lines with random column lines - this should produce keypresses (if it doesn't, either you have hit a meaningless column/row combo or something on the PCB is broken). Find a combination which produces one of nonfunctional keys and check with a multimeter if pressing this key bridges corresponding lines on the membranes.
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: REVENGE on Wed, 04 April 2012, 12:58:00
Quote from: retsteel;566682
you sir are a god, thank you.
Good luck man, it won't be easy, but you'll learn a lot!
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 04 April 2012, 13:18:48
Quote from: Henry Allen Venture;566426
If you've got the right tool to open it up, I'd crack it open and give it a good clean.
I'd take the keys off and everything, spend a few hours giving the thing a really thorough, deep clean.

I just did that to mine and it works like a dream.
I did notice that when I put it all back together a lot of the keys either wouldn't work at all, or I had to stab really hard in the centre of the key to get it to register. I took all of those keys off and re-attached them a few times and eventually they all work. I think the springs might not have located properly under the keycap, but I'm not sure. I have no idea if this is a normal problem, or not. At any rate, it works fine now, so you should definitely try this to yours.

Failing that, do this:


Drop the 30 bucks man,, the trouble,, the other men's semen,,, oh god,, the semen...
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 04 April 2012, 13:19:19
Quote from: REVENGE;566707
Good luck man, it won't be easy, but you'll learn a lot!

you forgot about the semen
Title: broken model m - please help me change that!
Post by: retsteel on Wed, 04 April 2012, 14:05:41
I am going to try all of the methods to get it working again, maybe with rubber gloves
Quote
you forgot about the semen

but I will be doing it myself, however I really do want to slice and dice it.