geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: HaaTa on Sat, 25 September 2010, 19:26:03
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So I built up the courage (and prepared my cleaning supplies :P), to dismantle my Displaywriter.
Keys on:
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TIp3ycIBCyI/AAAAAAAACFY/vkbsugXBFwQ/s800/2010-09-10%2013.59.08.jpg)
Keys off (this was a ***** to do):
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ55YomWVkI/AAAAAAAACUI/FqoppHNXdwI/s800/2010-09-25%2017.35.36.jpg)
Spacebar, just wouldn't come off...
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ55hDTRhKI/AAAAAAAACUI/S0glW4tj_dI/s800/2010-09-25%2017.36.08.jpg)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ55nGEAnWI/AAAAAAAACUI/PZ_AWU1otpY/s800/2010-09-25%2017.36.43.jpg)
Double shots!
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ55pPflHtI/AAAAAAAACUI/5sfrcO-kIlA/s800/2010-09-25%2017.36.53.jpg)
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ6MZ-C_01I/AAAAAAAACUU/TLMmX_OGp5Q/s800/2010-09-25%2019.56.14.jpg)
Speaker...
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ552GjYztI/AAAAAAAACUI/07hxz4h3JFk/s800/2010-09-25%2017.38.09.jpg)
Interesting pattern
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ554uD5IaI/AAAAAAAACUI/dM3819c8NMY/s800/2010-09-25%2017.38.35.jpg)
Some, believe it or not, not deteriorating foam, which is attached to a piece of plastic of all things...
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ558gbGJ8I/AAAAAAAACUI/V0Ogm284ei8/s800/2010-09-25%2017.39.10.jpg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57kFthdwI/AAAAAAAACUI/1-vCnV4468I/s800/2010-09-25%2018.29.41.jpg)
Disgusting close-up of the Caps-Lock mechanism (think typewriter like)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ56HswbgmI/AAAAAAAACUI/wsrwbn2OEMo/s800/2010-09-25%2017.40.51.jpg)
I actually thought the spacebar was made of a different material than the other keys, just due to the feel of the key when you press it. Turns out, same material, just thinner.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ56J8VDOpI/AAAAAAAACUI/NhbZrRnjwJU/s800/2010-09-25%2017.41.06.jpg)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ56L4uxdBI/AAAAAAAACUI/6RihCFJEIMg/s800/2010-09-25%2017.41.12.jpg)
Now doesn't this look familiar :D
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ56N4FzQYI/AAAAAAAACUI/m2eYhYGqslU/s800/2010-09-25%2017.44.51.jpg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ56nlujwwI/AAAAAAAACUI/wvzwFIKmWQE/s800/2010-09-25%2017.47.39.jpg)
Top side of the back plate:
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ56jHIuh7I/AAAAAAAACUI/ytdEzuCyuF4/s800/2010-09-25%2017.46.50.jpg)
Some sort of thick rubbery material used on the back of the capacitive board.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ56lheBNbI/AAAAAAAACUI/VHcV6C4o2Kg/s800/2010-09-25%2017.47.27.jpg)
Beam Springs!
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ560K6SUyI/AAAAAAAACUI/rqP2fR9_j10/s800/2010-09-25%2017.49.11.jpg)
Yes, the foam was that bad when I opened it up, already in pieces...
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ5649443GI/AAAAAAAACUI/LfzIBC7CeDI/s800/2010-09-25%2017.49.40.jpg)
The oddly, shaped insert there, is the capslock mechanism anchor.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ5680mEUkI/AAAAAAAACUI/cLYEEqA5itU/s800/2010-09-25%2017.50.16.jpg)
Beefy spacebar stabilizer anchors of doom! Um, plastic white thingies.
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ56_DmEQSI/AAAAAAAACUI/w9WWFac6qXI/s800/2010-09-25%2017.50.40.jpg)
Foamies...are gonna be a pain to clean up.
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57BZu3qhI/AAAAAAAACUI/2iId4GgO_j0/s800/2010-09-25%2017.51.04.jpg)
Now that's a spacebar stabilizer!
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57DeIm0LI/AAAAAAAACUI/ugOPN4y3Baw/s800/2010-09-25%2017.59.42.jpg)
Whoops...didn' do its, I swairs!
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57Jiy_iDI/AAAAAAAACUI/vzqUmC7_zIw/s800/2010-09-25%2018.00.12.jpg)
Uh oh, that can't good...
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57L0vkuDI/AAAAAAAACUI/qcC7CIVCO1k/s800/2010-09-25%2018.00.32.jpg)
Damn, that was a pain, and made a mess of my floor...
Already glad I chose the apartment with laminate instead of carpet :D
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57UQxZN8I/AAAAAAAACUI/9yldENjZvys/s800/2010-09-25%2018.27.57.jpg)
Anchors
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57YeIdj0I/AAAAAAAACUI/klnv6U19LR4/s800/2010-09-25%2018.28.16.jpg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57ajZzeaI/AAAAAAAACUI/6yRSfA3Tv4w/s800/2010-09-25%2018.28.32.jpg)
Dismantled, capslock mechanism
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57cuMUSsI/AAAAAAAACUI/GkZr4NtJn-M/s800/2010-09-25%2018.28.50.jpg)
Switch unit (all of them need a really good cleaning, the foam has turned into this gooey stuff...)
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57eS1BmhI/AAAAAAAACUI/xEMn5Eq25Cg/s800/2010-09-25%2018.29.08.jpg)
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57gOwrCpI/AAAAAAAACUI/0I7KbqSchFM/s800/2010-09-25%2018.29.19.jpg)
Switch cover (will probably disintegrate if I try to assemble the keyboard with it).
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57mWtsjMI/AAAAAAAACUI/sT75t-4g1Hk/s800/2010-09-25%2018.29.59.jpg)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57txgxzPI/AAAAAAAACUI/Zhx9GOfZ7Mo/s800/2010-09-25%2018.30.58.jpg)
Switch cover kept this part fairly clean...
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57qbfQv6I/AAAAAAAACUI/IXT_HPM_QJ4/s800/2010-09-25%2018.30.23.jpg)
Can't say the same for the foam...now goo'd onto the plate (ended up destroying a brand new BBQ sponge cleaning it off...)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57sIFId2I/AAAAAAAACUI/DGcsfL7SaJQ/s800/2010-09-25%2018.30.38.jpg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57v1nee3I/AAAAAAAACUI/qM41RicKOzo/s800/2010-09-25%2018.31.19.jpg)
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57x9sc2kI/AAAAAAAACUI/fJeIDaEcLuM/s800/2010-09-25%2018.31.28.jpg)
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57zhuMOSI/AAAAAAAACUI/42po-UvC-tI/s800/2010-09-25%2018.31.38.jpg)
For the entire album, take a look at picasa (http://picasaweb.google.ca/TrIpLeHaaTa/DisplayWriterKeyboard1982?feat=directlink).
Tomorrow, I'll probably clean the individual switch units.
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You're my hero! I started this on mine but ran out of time that day and never revisited it.
Great pics too!
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Some notes to whoever wants to disassemble a Displaywriter:
- Taking the spacebar off, takes a bit of magic, pull up until the key is removed from the switch, then push to the side to release the mechanism (you may need to take the top plate off...)
- To take the keycaps off, try rocking them forward and backwards, or if your careful, try to pry them off with a flathead screwdriver, using the top plate as leverage
- The capslock mechanism just pulls out, except for the one screw and bolt on the left
- Becareful not to lose any pieces when you separate the back plate from the top plate
- There is some tape with foam between the top plate and bottom plate, which should look fine when you take the two pieces apart. Unfortunately, once the foam from the keyboard gets on it, becomes gross, and impossible to clean...so you'll probably have to take it off.
- Each individual switch just clips into the top plate, very easy to install and remove, just be careful not to lose any switch components...
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(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6WOoTO_7VuQ/TJ57L0vkuDI/AAAAAAAACUI/qcC7CIVCO1k/s800/2010-09-25%2018.00.32.jpg)
I really hope those aren't what I think they are...
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I'm sure those are some broken beams.
I wonder how they did break - excessive wear, corrosion or a combination of both?
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They have an expected lifetime of 100 million presses, so they should be relatively durable.
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Since my camera sucks, I can't get a decent close-up.
However, I can confirm they are broken beams...
Now to figure out what they are made out of, so I can replace/repair them.
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"Expectancy" is the wrong word. The patent says that they tested a switch over 100 million times and it still worked.
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Unfortunately for me, all of the keys appeared to be working before I took the board apart...
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Unfortunately for me, all of the keys appeared to be working before I took the board apart...
Same thing has just happened to me. I took off the PCB from my Displaywriter keyboard to see whether it would work with xwhatsit's USB controller (the pictures above being too small for me to make out the traces) and ended up with 5 broken switches. My guess is that removing the PCB and freeing the plates to move further than they normally can is too much for weakened springs.