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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: wellington1869 on Tue, 09 December 2008, 16:17:59
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hey guys,
So I want to open up the alps switch on this smk85 so I can take macro pics of its guts... but since I'm also returning this board for an exchange, I have to be super careful. So I need really explicit instructions.
The guy in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKnoJui9Z7I)makes it seem easy; he opens his alps switch in about 3 seconds using a screwdriver. However its nearly impossible to see what the hell he did. I'll need a lot more direction than that to make sure I dont scratch or wreck anything.
I know there are detailed instructions on how to open up cherry switches (http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmy3c.com%2FD5%2Fviewthread.php%3Ftid%3D4625%26extra%3D%26page%3D1&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=zh-CN&tl=en), but I havent seen anything similar for alps switches...
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He is kind of ass in the comments section, too. Someone asks him exactly how he did it, and he tells them:
don't i show how i get the top off in the vid though? i only use a tiny flathead screwdriver to bend the plastic bit adjacent to the head component outwardly and apply an upward force with the other hand holding the sizes. pretty intuitive, i think.
Well, no, ****, your f*cking hand is in the way of Mr. Blurrycam.
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lol! ya he wasnt very helpful ;)
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I just unhooked each side with a screw driver then prised them apart.
I tried with my nail and it hurt.
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I just unhooked each side with a screw driver then prised them apart.
I tried with my nail and it hurt.
hey lam --
"each side" -- you mean north-south or east-west?
"unhooked" -- you mean pulled a tab away from the casing? or was it anything fancier than that?
thanks!
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Ok so looking at the switch from the top of the keyboard there are two tabs. One on the front of the switch and one on the back. The tabs are part of the lower casing so need to be unclipped from the top. You can do it with your nail but I would recommend a small flat head screw driver.
It will be easy if you have two screwdrivers.
Push one in from the top of the switch at the front and the other from the top at the back.
They are fairly straight forward.
Im guessing you are the cautious type who does not like to risk breaking things.
I tend to just mess with stuff until I work it out.
I would take some pics if it was not the middle of the night.
Good luck mate.
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awesome, thanks dude. I think I understand.
(Normally I would just dive in but I dont want to mess this board up since I'm sending it back as an exchange)
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awesome, thanks dude. I think I understand.
(Normally I would just dive in but I dont want to mess this board up since I'm sending it back as an exchange)
Yeah no worries. I have paid for my curiosity more than once. Just have to open everything and see how it works. Been like it since I was a child.
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yeah i was the guy who asked a ton of questions in that thread... ~ i really appreciate the fact that he took time out to answer my questions but I think he thought I was an idiot for not being able to do it as easily as he did :(
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yeah i was the guy who asked a ton of questions in that thread... ~ i really appreciate the fact that he took time out to answer my questions but I think he thought I was an idiot for not being able to do it as easily as he did :(
lol! too funny ;)
I dont think he was helpful at all :)
I got my alps switches out, I'm posting macro pics and instructions in the mods section in about 10 mins...
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I know there are detailed instructions on how to open up cherry switches (http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmy3c.com%2FD5%2Fviewthread.php%3Ftid%3D4625%26extra%3D%26page%3D1&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=zh-CN&tl=en), but I havent seen anything similar for alps switches...
This fork is too much. Maybe you need that for older switches, I don't know. I just use small screwdrivers.