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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: RoflCopter4 on Sat, 13 December 2014, 16:28:34

Title: Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously hard to put stabilized keys back on?
Post by: RoflCopter4 on Sat, 13 December 2014, 16:28:34

I've just spent the past 30 minutes struggling in vain to put the space bar back on my Apple Extended Keyboard and I'm just about ready to break it in half over my knee and smash it to tiny little bits with my bare hands. Why is this so difficult? Am I retarded?

Title: Re: Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously hard to put stabilized keys back on?
Post by: jacobolus on Sat, 13 December 2014, 16:36:38

The AEK II at least (I can’t remember about the AEK) has a particularly difficult spacebar to put on. I recommend removing all the nearby keycaps (i.e. the whole bottom letter row and the two command keys) and if that’s still a challenge, maybe the case as well.

It definitely shouldn’t take a half hour though. :)

Title: Re: Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously hard to put stabilized keys back on?
Post by: kaotikb on Sat, 13 December 2014, 16:38:51

 I think it seems harder on some keyboard while others just go on easily. I also put stabilized keys on first and then do the rest.

Title: Re: Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously hard to put stabilized keys back on?
Post by: hwood34 on Sat, 13 December 2014, 16:40:19

Once you find the best way to do it, it certainly goes much quicker. For spacebars, I find it much easier to put on with the case taken off so nothing is impeding your view

Title: Re: Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously hard to put stabilized keys back on?
Post by: Hzza on Sat, 13 December 2014, 16:49:47

I spent about a half an hour trying to get the stabs back on my Apple Standard the first time, I can do it a bit quicker now but it's still super fiddly. I would definitely recommend doing it outside the case though.

Title: Re: Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously hard to put stabilized keys back on?
Post by: RoflCopter4 on Sat, 13 December 2014, 16:57:03

Wow, I can't believe I didn't think of that. I guess I thought it would be harder to remove the case but apparently it's just 4 phillips head screws. I took the case off and got the key on in a couple of minutes. Thanks all.

Incidently, do you guys prefer to snap the stabilizer bar into the board and try put it into the key or do you put it into the key and try to snap it into the board?

Title: Re: Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously hard to put stabilized keys back on?
Post by: jacobolus on Sat, 13 December 2014, 17:15:53

Definitely easier to snap the wire into the clips on the plate first.

Title: Re: Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously hard to put stabilized keys back on?
Post by: hwood34 on Sat, 13 December 2014, 18:56:35

Quote from: jacobolus on Sat, 13 December 2014, 17:15:53

Definitely easier to snap the wire into the clips on the plate first.

+1

Title: Re: Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously hard to put stabilized keys back on?
Post by: RoflCopter4 on Sat, 13 December 2014, 19:05:08

Huh. I would agree that it's easier to snap it onto the plate first the vast majority of the time, but I only finally got the stupid spacebar on by doing it the other way around.

Title: Re: Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously hard to put stabilized keys back on?
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 13 December 2014, 19:06:38

Quote from: RoflCopter4 on Sat, 13 December 2014, 16:57:03

prefer to snap the stabilizer bar into the board and try put it into the key or do you put it into the key and try to snap it into the board?

Depends on the clips and the board.

On something like an IBM, you have to attach the wire to the key and guide the wire into the clips as you push the stem down. And on the weird ones like the XT spacebar, you can get into weighted thread loops and such.

A very small flat head screwdriver can be very handy.

But, speaking theoretically, I really wish that wires would just go away completely.

Title: Re: Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously hard to put stabilized keys back on?
Post by: jacobolus on Sat, 13 December 2014, 19:13:57

Quote from: fohat.digs on Sat, 13 December 2014, 19:06:38

But, speaking theoretically, I really wish that wires would just go away completely.

If you give up on the stupid QWERTY/ANSI/IBM layout, you can live this dream! There’s no reason any keyboard key needs to be bigger than 1.5u.