ALPS lubing guide - GeekHack version

[kilogeek]

I've seen things on D.A., other things on youtube, now, after having done this job with my black ALPS keyboard, here is a full guide :
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• Here is a "complicated black ALPS switch :
  
  
• You will find on youtube how to remove the cover : http://youtu.be/ezLy_M_qu2k
  but you can do this with only one screwdriver : release one side, hold strongly the cover with your fingers, close to the released side, than release the other side and pull the cover, it becomes very easy after 2 or 3 tries
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• Once removed you will see that :
  
  
  
  You need to remove the spring and the small metal flat spring (bottom)
  
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• Then you get here the most important parts : the "button", this small black part (2) and the cover (1)
  
  
  
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• I personnaly used LOUISE Diff Oil 7000 which works great, but RO-59 shall be better, never tried.
  Put some silicone grease in a small cup.
  Put your 2 fingers in the cup.
  You are going to lub all small parts (2) using your fingers, try not to lub the top of the part.
  
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• Springs need no lubbing
  
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• But you are going to lub the spring base (small dome) with a small brush, this will make easier
  reassembling cause the springs will stick better on their bases.
  
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• The 2 longest sides inside the cover, one is flat, one not, lub the inner flat one with a brush
  
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• At this point, your ALPS is lubbed, now you need to reassembly, this is tricky because cover is not symetric
  so you should memorize on the 1st disassembled cover on which side is the flat inner plan and as the "button"
  is not either symetric, memorize or take pics to know exactly how to replace all of them
  
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• You are now going to put all springs on their base, this can be done with fingers and the spring (light) will stick
  on the silicone you covered its base with.
  
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• You are now going to put all the plate spring "in the box" and like on this pic, you will make them bend towards
  the spring :
  
  
  
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• Now put buttons back in the covers (side is very important, use your pics or your memory^^
  and holding both parts by the top of the button with your fingers, you are gently going
  to place them on the base parts, all parts (spring and plate spring should take place
  as long as you move vertically
  
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• While pushing back the cover, you can push a bit on the "button" to see if it seems to fit well
  and you must already feel the tactile movement, push until it's fully locked on the base, click on
  the button to ensure all parts are in the good position, YOU ARE DONE
  
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• If typing on the switch send you a weird feedback, seems to lock or to be hard, this means
  you failed somewhere and that parts are not at their right place, don't force, remove the cover
  and try again untill you get how to reassemble.
  
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Don't hesitate to ask questions or send remarks if what I explained is not clear enough.

Hope this will help you, as lubbed black ALPS gives a much better typing feeling and will live much longer than not lubbed ones !

[jdcarpe]

Hey, thanks for this! I know it will come in handy later.

[remdell]

Nice guide, but you could probably save more lube and avoid further mess by applying the lube on small parts with a medium brush as opposed to your fingers.  You can put down each piece on a plate.

[ebacho]

Alternatively, you can use a toothpick if you feel up for it; I've used one for lubing MX stuff and its worked fairly well for me.

[kilogeek]

Nice guide, but you could probably save more lube and avoid further mess by applying the lube on small parts with a medium brush as opposed to your fingers.  You can put down each piece on a plate.

it's much faster with fingers and you have more fun doing it so^^ you don't waste more lube IMO, the lube stays on your finger for a while lol

[nuclearsandwich]

Should this be safe to do on clicky white alps? I just got a Siig and Ortek that are both a bit sticky to reset.

[jacobolus]

Should this be safe to do on clicky white alps? I just got a Siig and Ortek that are both a bit sticky to reset.

It should be. There are definitely folks who lube clicky Alps switches, though maybe not the same way as the OP here.

Alps switches click because of the click leaf snapping back into the housing, so adding some lube to the slider side of the leaf shouldn’t harm the click.

Or maybe try it on one switch, and report back?

I also got one of the Originative thick lube kits, and plan to try lubing some Alps clicky switches in the next few days sometime. I can tell you how it goes.

[nuclearsandwich]

Should this be safe to do on clicky white alps? I just got a Siig and Ortek that are both a bit sticky to reset.

It should be. There are definitely folks who lube clicky Alps switches, though maybe not the same way as the OP here.

Alps switches click because of the click leaf snapping back into the housing, so adding some lube to the slider side of the leaf shouldn’t harm the click.

Or maybe try it on one switch, and report back?

I also got one of the Originative thick lube kits, and plan to try lubing some Alps clicky switches in the next few days sometime. I can tell you how it goes.

That would be aces! Thanks!

[ClickityClock]

So I did a search for RO-59 and DuPont Silicone with teflon shows up. The image looks different than what I have seen posted. All of the various posts about lubing show a photo that looks like an Elmers glue bottle but only the 4oz DuPont comes in that bottle. All other DuPont comes with sprays.

Does it matter if it's a spray? I watched a YouTube video where someone used a ziplock bag and shook the sliders around to lube them.

What the spray be OK if its not a more solid like what comes out of the Elmers bottle? All the sprays are the same formula as the Elmers bottle.

[ClickityClock]

So I did a search for RO-59 and DuPont Silicone with teflon shows up. The image looks different than what I have seen posted. All of the various posts about lubing show a photo that looks like an Elmers glue bottle but only the 4oz DuPont comes in that bottle. All other DuPont comes with sprays.

Does it matter if it's a spray? I watched a YouTube video where someone used a ziplock bag and shook the sliders around to lube them.

What the spray be OK if its not a more solid like what comes out of the Elmers bottle? All the sprays are the same formula as the Elmers bottle.

[ClickityClock]

So I did a search for RO-59 and DuPont Silicone with teflon shows up. The image looks different than what I have seen posted. All of the various posts about lubing show a photo that looks like an Elmers glue bottle but only the 4oz DuPont comes in that bottle. All other DuPont comes with sprays.

Does it matter if it's a spray? I watched a YouTube video where someone used a ziplock bag and shook the sliders around to lube them.

What the spray be OK if its not a more solid like what comes out of the Elmers bottle? All the sprays are the same formula as the Elmers bottle.

[stoic-lemon]

Doing the bag lube method isn't one that a lot of people would recommend. I dare say it's controversial This is an area where it's difficult to get a consensus as most of the threads are really old (like this one), and the products mentioned are hard to find.

[just_add_coffee]

I've used Krytox GPL206, applied with a small brush such as an artist's paint brush, for Alps as well as other switches, including IBM stems and beamsprings, and I absolutely love the stuff.  It has to be applied VERY thinly for the IBM products, but it makes a tremendous difference and is well worth the time and effort.

[stoic-lemon]

And that's only on the side of the sliders and nowhere else?