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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: geekcub on Wed, 11 September 2019, 12:44:49
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I purchased a G-Cord GC-MK104WI keyboard. While I'm not excited about the alien characters on the keys, I am ok with the keyboard. I am too old to learn new tricks so I carry it with me when I travel to use on my laptop. My fingers are too big to type on the keys of a laptop. Last week, I was removing the keyboard from my suitcase and caught the esc key on something. The key broke. On further review, it looks like there is a raised + on the keyboard itself and this is what broke. I know this is going to be a hard question to answer, especially in this time of throwaway items, but is there anywhere I can get the replacement key for this keyboard. I am reasonably good at soldering and would like to repair this board and not throw it away.
Thanks
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You need to desolder the switch and resolder a new one that is the same as what is in your keyboard. I think it uses Outemu switches. It's pretty simple to fix it's just trough hole soldering :)
Ps. You can find replacement switches on Aliexpress if you search for outemu switches
Edit: Didn't read all the way.
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Thank you! I just ordered it and it should be here in October. There are a lot of cheep stuff on Aliexpress. Just have to wait for it.
Thanks again.
Carroll
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BTW. There are lots of videos on Youtube on how to replace key switches... and on modding, repair and building mechanical keyboards in general. The community has grown pretty huge.
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I found a place in Tennessee that has the switches. I got them in the mail yesterday. 10 for $8.00. I will be putting them in tomorrow. Thanks again for the info.
Carroll
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So last night, I installed the switch. It was pretty easy although I had self imposed problems.
1) I ordered the brown switches instead of the white switches. With a little dremel work, I got switch to fit and it works fine.
2) When I took the screws from the keyboard and pulled the keyboard apart, I heard something hit the floor. After I got the keyboard put back together, I found out that it was the on/off switch on the back of the keyboard that I dropped. After 30 minutes of looking for it, I finaly found it. I had to take the keyboard apart again to get the switch in. It was about 2 hours of work (today, I could do it in 20 minutes) but the keyboard works fine now. '
Thanks again.
Carroll
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So last night, I installed the switch. It was pretty easy although I had self imposed problems.
1) I ordered the brown switches instead of the white switches. With a little dremel work, I got switch to fit and it works fine.
2) When I took the screws from the keyboard and pulled the keyboard apart, I heard something hit the floor. After I got the keyboard put back together, I found out that it was the on/off switch on the back of the keyboard that I dropped. After 30 minutes of looking for it, I finaly found it. I had to take the keyboard apart again to get the switch in. It was about 2 hours of work (today, I could do it in 20 minutes) but the keyboard works fine now. '
Thanks again.
Carroll
Glad it worked out for you and having a different switch on the esc isn't that bad at all anyway :)