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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Chaoticmass on Fri, 29 July 2011, 00:18:15
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I have two Model Ms. My oldest one was used heavily back when I used to live with my parents, who both smoked in the house. Over the years their cigarette smoke would ruin everything, even my Model M it seems. Compared to my like new Model M, which had only been used with a form fitting cover on it before I got it, the old cigarette smoke ruined board is almost unbearable to type on. The key switches are gummed up. They're harder to press than they should be. It's awful. It's weird to think I used to type on the gummed up smoked out board every day and didn't think anything was wrong with it until I got a board in better condition.
I'd like to bring the old smoked out board back up to spec. Anyone have any experience with cleaning the key switches that have been gummed up with years of cigarette smoke?
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Pictures of the keyboards and close-up of the buckling spring please.
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That's repulsive and I wouldn't doubt it for a second. Walked into a neighbors house one day and the walls were tan colored after countless years of heavy smoking, no joke. Needless to say, the walls used to be white. Have you considered selling it on eBay and state it was in a smoking household, cut you loses to buy another M? By all means, you could always completely disassemble and attempt to clean everything with a strong solvent such as <90% alcohol. Not sure if alcohol would phase cigarette muck though.
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Sounds like a really good test case for the denture cleaner treatment posted here. I don't know if the cylinders on the board the keys run in would require a different form of cleaning, to make it all work. CC
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Denture tabs for the plastics, you might try Purple Power degreaser for the internals, follows by alcohol to remove any residue left. Then let it dry out 48hrs. I got a bunch of computers from an old call center that apparently allowed employees to smoke all day. The insides of the computer were coated with the usual greasy yellow orange nicotines residue. Use a toothbrush for the stubborn spots.
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If you're ambitious and don't mind buying tools, spending a lot of time, and maybe trashing the board ... why not bolt mod it? There's a howto in my sig.
That gives you the opportunity to clean the barrel plate and any other internal component.
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I've been having the urge to mod a Model M so this board may be my first. Maybe disassemble, clean, bolt-mod, paint and custom keycaps. Pictures will be shared of course if/when I decide to undertake the project.
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Older ones were stiffer than newer ones, this could be at least some of what you are experiencing.
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Older ones were stiffer than newer ones, this could be at least some of what you are experiencing.
I should clarify, the smoked up one is 1990, my good one is 1989. The 1990 has been in my possession and in use longer. The stiff keys are the ones that are not as frequently used and they even rebound more slowly after you release a key.
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Yeah, you really need to fully disassemble it and bolt mod it. You can get new springs from Unicomp to replace the gross ones, or you can try to clean them, but they might be beyond saving.
Bolt modding is pretty easy, especially if you follow jpc's guide. That's where I learned to do it, and I've done several dozen all told now. Just be patient, pay attention to the details, and make sure everything is dry before you put it all back together.
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Man, if cigarette second-hand smoke can foul up buckling springs, imagine what first-hand smoke does to the lungs. YUCK!
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I'd find it hard to believe that much residue would get into the internal assembly, it's pretty well sealed up.
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The springs themselves are likely the problem, though. And those are not well sealed, after all. Of course, you could swap the springs without a bolt mod, but I can't believe it would be any easier.
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If it feels like excessive friction, thoroughly clean all keys and the cylinders in which they move. Sometimes this really makes wonders.