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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Ranma13 on Mon, 15 March 2010, 14:24:28

Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: Ranma13 on Mon, 15 March 2010, 14:24:28: I accidentally spilled a small amount of coffee in my Topre keyboard and now the 9 and 0 key are sticky. What would be the best way of cleaning up this mess? I pulled the keys and wiped down as much as I could, but it seems like the coffee got inside the switch.
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: ch_123 on Mon, 15 March 2010, 16:28:21: From my understanding of the Topre mechanism, it's quite likely that any damage you've done is reversible. Read Ripster's disassembly articles and clean the gunk out.
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 15 March 2010, 16:31:47: Can you just drench it in alcohol, shake it out and let it dry?
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: didjamatic on Mon, 15 March 2010, 16:45:23: Quote from: ripster;164234
Alchohol and rubber is usually ok.

It works regularly for Millions of college students.
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: kriminal on Mon, 15 March 2010, 17:22:45: erm sell it to me at a reduced price, it isnt going to work anymore...
>_>
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 15 March 2010, 17:24:14: Well, if it's a bad idea, don't try it, especially since there are apparently detailed instructions out there already for doing it the right way.
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: EverythingIBM on Mon, 15 March 2010, 17:29:24: Quote from: Ranma13;164190
I accidentally spilled a small amount of coffee in my Topre keyboard and now the 9 and 0 key are sticky. What would be the best way of cleaning up this mess? I pulled the keys and wiped down as much as I could, but it seems like the coffee got inside the switch.

You should never have liquids or foods near expensive or vintage keyboards. Use a cheap one when dining.
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 15 March 2010, 17:31:39: Quote from: EverythingIBM;164251
You should never have liquids or foods near expensive or vintage keyboards. Use a cheap one when dining.

Or put one of those plastic covers on it, although some think that even that thin layer of material ruins the experience, on keyboards I mean, :smile:
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: EverythingIBM on Mon, 15 March 2010, 19:08:36: Quote from: ripster;164263
Don't feel bad. I spilled tea on my Topre about a week after getting it. Luckily I knew the drill for opening it up.

But yeah, I wouldn't douse a keyboard in a solvent. Someone here did that with an ALPS keyboard and kerosene. I don't think it ever worked right afterwards. Rubber dome keyboards it's no big deal - $10 down the drain if the keyboard warps or whatever. Topres you wanna do the minimum. Just clean the domes/sliders with distilled water and be sure to be patient about drying the whole thing before reassembling.

Are you sure it wasn't beer?

Some rubber domes are pricey. And I don't think it's a good idea to submerge a keyboard in any kind of liquid. I still frown at the whole "dishwasher" thing. It's best just to clean the whole thing by hand if you really want it to be clean.
Title: Re: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: HaaTa on Mon, 15 March 2010, 19:28:09: Yeah, beer isn't very keyboard friendly...
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 15 March 2010, 19:44:37: Quote from: ripster;164263
Don't feel bad. I spilled tea on my Topre about a week after getting it. Luckily I knew the drill for opening it up.

Drill? Ahh, I knew there had to be a trick...
(http://thumb15.shutterstock.com.edgesuite.net/photos/display_pic_with_logo/157027/157027,1242627688,1.jpg)
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 15 March 2010, 19:47:01: I accidentally spilled smores on my keyboard and now I want to eat it...

(http://www.geekologie.com/2009/06/29/smore%20keyboard.jpg)
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: EverythingIBM on Mon, 15 March 2010, 20:03:21: Quote from: TexasFlood;164302
I accidentally spilled smores on my keyboard and now I want to eat it...

Show Image
(http://www.geekologie.com/2009/06/29/smore%20keyboard.jpg)

Smores buckling spring hey? I guess the springs are made from twizzlers?

How about some gummy legos?
(http://thsportsguy.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/edible-gummy-lego-bricks-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: HaaTa on Mon, 15 March 2010, 20:09:15: Quote
How about some gummy legos?

Show Image
(http://thsportsguy.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/edible-gummy-lego-bricks-1.jpg)

Looks more like J-E-L-L-O to me :P
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 15 March 2010, 20:33:38: Quote from: EverythingIBM;164307
Smores buckling spring hey? I guess the springs are made from twizzlers?

How about some gummy legos?
Show Image
(http://thsportsguy.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/edible-gummy-lego-bricks-1.jpg)

Could use those to make a yummy version of this:

(http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1176/2885/1600/102_4967.jpg)
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: Ranma13 on Mon, 15 March 2010, 20:34:00: I managed to open it up and clean the mess, but now I'm having a hard time putting it back together. The rubber domes aren't secured by anything, they just stick onto the PCB. As a result, some of them moved when I opened up the keyboard and now I can't get them to be exactly underneath the keys. Any advice?
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: Ranma13 on Mon, 15 March 2010, 20:52:20: Is there any way to tell whether the spring is centered on the contact on the PCB? That's the issue I'm having. My pads look a bit different than the picture you posted as well. Instead of being connected to each other with a lot of gray rubber, they're instead just individual pads by themselves. I'm assuming they did that as a cost-cutting measure.
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: Ranma13 on Mon, 15 March 2010, 21:19:10: Thanks, I'll give it a try and report back my findings.
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: Ranma13 on Mon, 15 March 2010, 22:01:23: Well that was a complete bust. Not only did I not manage to put it back together, but I also somehow lost one of the springs. I could fret about it some more, but I think I'll just pick up a new one (and get a spill-resistant coffee container while I'm at it).

So if anybody wants it for spare parts or something, it's up for grabs. Just give me the reason why you want it, and I'll pick the best one and ship it to you for free.
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: MsKeyboard on Mon, 15 March 2010, 22:11:03: Don't give up! Walk away and do something else, come back tomorrow and give it another shot. This is one keyboard that is worth the extra effort.

Relax and let us know how it goes.............Later
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: Ranma13 on Mon, 15 March 2010, 22:16:01: I found the spring!

...Gonna try and put it back together now. However, since I already said I'd give it away, I might as well go good on my word and do so, even if I can put this thing back together.
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: Ranma13 on Mon, 15 March 2010, 23:14:04: Alright, I managed to put it back together and I tested all the keys and they all work.
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: ch_123 on Tue, 16 March 2010, 05:44:26: Yay!

Does it work as well as it did before the spill? Any stickiness or anything?
Title: Accidentally spilled coffee on my Topre, best way to clean?
Post by: hyperlinked on Tue, 16 March 2010, 07:38:03: Quote from: EverythingIBM;164307
How about some gummy legos?

BAH! Way too much effort. Try Giant Gummy on a Stick (http://www.vat19.com/dvds/giant-gummy-bear-on-a-stick.cfm) instead:

Honestly, I come close to retching each time I see the guy take a bite out of the gummy bear's head. I like gummy bears, but this is a bit much.