geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: 1pq on Tue, 14 January 2014, 21:42:45

Title: Sad pandas
Post by: 1pq on Tue, 14 January 2014, 21:42:45: So backspace goes chatter chatter.

I try to fix backspace.

I fix backspace.

I put top of housing back on switch.

Housing doesn't go on. Uh oh.

I push a little harder. Even more uh oh.

Uh oh.

(http://i.imgur.com/fHL171F.jpg)

Sad pandas :(
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: 1pq on Tue, 14 January 2014, 21:46:25: Help/suggestions are very appreciated. Unfortunately, this means my favorite board is now out of commission for the moment.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: SpAmRaY on Tue, 14 January 2014, 21:52:09: I'm guessing you had the switch top backwards when you tried to pit it back on?
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 14 January 2014, 21:54:13: Perhaps a switch replacement is in order.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: 1pq on Tue, 14 January 2014, 21:55:58: Quote from: SpAmRaY on Tue, 14 January 2014, 21:52:09
I'm guessing you had the switch top backwards when you tried to pit it back on?

Could very well be; honestly I don't remember. Maybe I put it on at a bad angle or something. You're probably right though.

Quote from: rowdy on Tue, 14 January 2014, 21:54:13
Perhaps a switch replacement is in order.

Yeah, I think that's what it's going to have to be. I'd try to bend it back, but I think it's at the point of no return.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: Sai on Tue, 14 January 2014, 22:00:22: with some patience, you can turn it back to the way it was. the samething happened to me when i was changing spring in my poker.
all i can advise is bend it back so that the two leaves(?) can make contact with the stem and it should be working fine.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: 1pq on Tue, 14 January 2014, 22:06:40: Quote from: Sai on Tue, 14 January 2014, 22:00:22
with some patience, you can turn it back to the way it was. the samething happened to me when i was changing spring in my poker.
all i can advise is bend it back so that the two leaves(?) can make contact with the stem and it should be working fine.

Ooh, bacon of hope! Thank you sir!
What sort of tool did you use? Tweezers? I'm finding it pretty hard to do that with my fingers.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: Sai on Tue, 14 January 2014, 22:17:10: i think i used small screwdrivers with flat head. i can't remember what i did exactly though. :-X
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: ComradeSniper on Tue, 14 January 2014, 23:34:05: I've done this before, wasn't able to fix it and ended up soldering in a new switch. Hopefully you have better luck than I did.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 14 January 2014, 23:38:57: HAHAHAHAH....

1pq how far u from NJ.. I fix 4 u 4 free... cuz u rite funny story.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: Findecanor on Wed, 15 January 2014, 00:52:00: That has happened to me once. I would replace the switch.
A leaf spring that has been bent will make the switch chatter more.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: Oobly on Wed, 15 January 2014, 02:10:23: I did that to a switch while modding my board. Bent it back and made it functional, but it felt a little different from the others, so I replaced the switch in the end.

I believe you could get it functional, but suggest replacing it when you have a replacement switch available.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: tuxsavvy on Wed, 15 January 2014, 02:57:47: I have had similar experiences but never with Cherry MX switch. My case was with leaf springs in APC membrane, all it took were just tweezers and comparing against a normal leaf spring so that one can sort of bend it back the way it was.

Failing that I would just swap the faulty spring with a key that is not so heavily used. For me, the keys that I could play with were mostly right {Ctrl,Alt} along with Scroll Lock. That way I won't have to worry too much about hitting a faulty spring which causes undesired effects.

In my case with APC membrane, I had a few bent leaf springs (in various ways) so I decided to get handy with a pair to tweezers. Comparing one by one and bending them back into shape plus testing to make sure the keys do not stick or fails to rebounce (as the "fingers" on the leaf springs in my case gets caught in the helical spring). For the rest of the ones that were still faulty every now and then (even after trying to bend them back into shape only to see they do not work properly), I swapped them on hardly used keys.

Worst case scenario is to order some replacements, at least for Cherry MX they are still being manufactured. In my case with rare(r) springs I have to make do with whatever option seems to be the most viable.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Wed, 15 January 2014, 15:16:04: Strange it have chatter. It was brand new keyboard, and I didn't notice anything when I test it in aqua to see if everything was working when I tried to change lock led to in switch. If you are not confident to repair it properly I will do so if you want to send it back to me.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: Puddsy on Wed, 15 January 2014, 15:20:37: Is that platemount? That might be your problem.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: SpAmRaY on Wed, 15 January 2014, 15:22:14: Quote from: TacticalStache on Wed, 15 January 2014, 15:20:37
Is that platemount? That might be your problem.

its PCB mount
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: 1pq on Wed, 15 January 2014, 16:03:14: Quote from: TacticalStache on Wed, 15 January 2014, 15:20:37
Is that platemount? That might be your problem.

Nope, PCB

Quote from: IvanIvanovich on Wed, 15 January 2014, 15:16:04
Strange it have chatter. It was brand new keyboard, and I didn't notice anything when I test it in aqua to see if everything was working when I tried to change lock led to in switch. If you are not confident to repair it properly I will do so if you want to send it back to me.

That's very nice of you to offer! I've experienced chatter on three switches so far. It's not very consistent, but I've found that it's worse when I float around the actuation point (which will often spam letters). I've tested the other switches in the same way, which only actuate once, even when floating slowly in the middle. I'm not exactly sure of the best way to repair it--I just tried moving the leaf slightly out of position and back, and that seemed to work for the two switches I successfully repaired. Is there a better way of doing this, though?
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Thu, 16 January 2014, 12:03:23: I would just replace the switch entirely. If the contact leafs become deformed somehow, even if you managed to adjust the leaf it is likely to reoccur.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: 1pq on Thu, 16 January 2014, 14:21:41: Oh :(
There's nowhere I could buy just switch housings, then, right? I hope this doesn't end up getting expensive...
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 16 January 2014, 15:04:57: You only need one switch - if you ask nicely, someone might give you one :)
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: tp4tissue on Thu, 16 January 2014, 15:08:58: Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 16 January 2014, 15:04:57
You only need one switch - if you ask nicely, someone might give you one :)

go around begging for 1 keyswitch? that's being a bit tooooo-cheap...(http://www.emotasia.com/wp-content/uploads/totally-naughty-panda-emoticon-9.gif)
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 16 January 2014, 16:13:07: Quote from: tp4tissue on Thu, 16 January 2014, 15:08:58
Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 16 January 2014, 15:04:57
You only need one switch - if you ask nicely, someone might give you one :)

go around begging for 1 keyswitch? that's being a bit tooooo-cheap...
Show Image
(http://www.emotasia.com/wp-content/uploads/totally-naughty-panda-emoticon-9.gif)

Not begging, just asking.

Doesn't hurt to ask, there are some generous people here who might have a few spare switches.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: 1pq on Thu, 16 January 2014, 16:19:59: Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 16 January 2014, 15:04:57
You only need one switch - if you ask nicely, someone might give you one :)

Well, according to Ivan, I should replace all switches that were chattering, even the ones I "fixed," since the problem will probably reoccur. And if it was occurring in three of the switches, it will probably happen with a couple more...
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 16 January 2014, 17:04:03: Quote from: 1pq on Thu, 16 January 2014, 16:19:59
Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 16 January 2014, 15:04:57
You only need one switch - if you ask nicely, someone might give you one :)

Well, according to Ivan, I should replace all switches that were chattering, even the ones I "fixed," since the problem will probably reoccur. And if it was occurring in three of the switches, it will probably happen with a couple more...

Hmmm ... also I notice Ivan has offered to do it for you (most likely including supplying the switches).
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: 1pq on Thu, 16 January 2014, 19:56:20: Yeah, I just PM'd him. Thanks for everyone's thoughts, though.
Title: Re: Sad pandas
Post by: 1pq on Thu, 16 January 2014, 20:53:35: On second thought, ever since I'd switched to colemak, I'd wanted to try backspace on Caps Lock. This is my chance to switch, I guess :))