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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: kaiserreich on Tue, 19 April 2011, 08:07:51

Title: Problems with recently acquired Model M
Post by: kaiserreich on Tue, 19 April 2011, 08:07:51

I found some issues with my Model M.

There is 1 key that registers but there is no ping or tactility in it.
And there is another key where I have to press it right in the middle for it to register a keypress.

How do i solve problems like this

Title: Problems with recently acquired Model M
Post by: Ascaii on Tue, 19 April 2011, 08:28:43

very easy. Send me your address and 2 euro to cover shipping and I send you a baggie with some new springs to switch with the two in the messed up switches.

You might also just have to reseat the spring on the hammer, sometimes they come loose. Pop off the keys, see if there is any visual damage on the key stem or the spring. if the spring falls out, you need to reseat it, it should be stuck on a small plastic tip on the hammer. And I wasnt joking about the springs, if you need some parts ill send them your way for the cost of shipping. Springs/stems arent a problem for me.

Title: Problems with recently acquired Model M
Post by: kaiserreich on Tue, 19 April 2011, 08:47:45

Before I do that, I'd better get a correct diagnose instead of just waiting for the springs to arrive, in case it is not due to the spring.

The springs do not come out even if i try to pull them.
Is it possible that i may have to open the keyboard out to remove the spring+stem component?

The other key that has all the normal pings to it is seems to suggest that the BS is alright but maybe it is due to membrane degradation? It appears that if i press this key normally and release, it does not register. However, if the key is bottomed out and held there, the key press is registered.

Title: Problems with recently acquired Model M
Post by: Ascaii on Tue, 19 April 2011, 09:46:44

It is possible to remove the springs with some gentle turning. The second key might be a membrane issue or the hammer might just be the problem. Open the board and see if there are any broken rivets near the keys that dont work. Sometimes missing rivets will allow the membrane to move a tiny bit, prohibiting correct contact. If that is the case you will need to go for the full bolt mod.

Title: Problems with recently acquired Model M
Post by: kaiserreich on Tue, 19 April 2011, 10:23:03

Well, there's your problem.
(http://i.imgur.com/boAH6.jpg)

I change this spring with the spring from the non-registering key, spring and it worked like a charm. Thank you
As to the bolt mod, I am going to have to think twice due to the lack of a dremel and the expertise in using it

Do you happen to have the key top of the ' - ' key on the numpad? I'd be happy to pay for it.

Title: Problems with recently acquired Model M
Post by: Ascaii on Wed, 20 April 2011, 00:25:29

neat, sounded like a busted spring to me^^.
As for the "-" key, I just my last one of those to the US two days ago. If there are any other keys you need let me know and ill check my two donor boards.

Title: Problems with recently acquired Model M
Post by: What is X? on Wed, 20 April 2011, 00:45:13

hmm... three of my keys on the numpad have no tactility and do not actuate (though one did for a time), nor do the keycaps come off. So you just replaced the springs and it worked perfectly?

Title: Problems with recently acquired Model M
Post by: Voixdelion on Wed, 20 April 2011, 06:53:29

I had similar issues with my first few M's that got drop kicked across the country by the post office.   For me, pivotal pointer I got here re the fix was replacing the keys that had become dislodged during travel by first turning the keyboard upside-down or tilted back with the front propped up so that the springs were sitting in the proper orientation rather than getting squshed like in the picture.  It was kind of a pain to get the springs situated on the pin if they were out - I had to use a skinny straw like device  to push through the center to make sure it was going on properly an use tweezers to push it on to the pin before removing the straw, but then it was right as rain afterward.  For temporary fixes, you can use springs from little used keys to fix major players that have gone awry until more springs are available.

Title: Problems with recently acquired Model M
Post by: ksd5 on Wed, 20 April 2011, 11:55:30

How exactly do you remove and reseat springs? One of the keys on my 42H1292 has a similar problem (the spring is bent.)

Title: Problems with recently acquired Model M
Post by: kaiserreich on Thu, 21 April 2011, 09:49:32

I reseated the crooked spring somewhere, and was trying to remove it.

But it got stuck instead the assembly. I guess there is no way to remove it now other than removing the rivets?

EDIT: On another note, off centered letters for Z C V keys
(http://i.imgur.com/KXyoR.jpg)

Title: Problems with recently acquired Model M
Post by: kaiserreich on Wed, 04 May 2011, 02:08:54

Today a new problem cropped up.

Pressing Left Shift + Y gives lowercase y
Pressing Right Shift + M gives lowercase M

It is only limited to this combination. Right Shift + Y gives uppercase Y as normal.
I've tried remapping the left shift to right shift but no help there.

Controller issue?