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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: bachamn on Thu, 26 October 2017, 14:24:45

Title: Model M Cleaning - "Tape Trick"
Post by: bachamn on Thu, 26 October 2017, 14:24:45
As I've been looking around the boards regarding cleaning up/modding a Model M, I've seen a particular post referenced in a few places:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54190.0

However the video in this thread has been removed, and I noticed a few people talking about how "brilliant the tape trick" is.

I was able to deduce it's something to do with taping the hammers together before removing to save time, but was curious if anyone is familiar and could provide some clarification.
Title: Re: Model M Cleaning - "Tape Trick"
Post by: E TwentyNine on Thu, 26 October 2017, 14:37:57
When you're bolt modding an M, after you've pulled all the keys off and removed all the rivets and are about to pull the backplate off the barrel plate...

You put the assembly face down and remove the backplate and membanes.   With the hammers exposed, you run a long piece of scotch tape along each row and pull out the hammer/spring assemblies all at once per row.  You'll end up with a string of them on the tape.

Makes putting it back together simpler supposedly, but it's pretty quick to put them back in individually anyway.
Title: Re: Model M Cleaning - "Tape Trick"
Post by: 0100010 on Fri, 27 October 2017, 23:01:14
(https://i.imgur.com/0AziHmy.jpg)
Title: Re: Model M Cleaning - "Tape Trick"
Post by: Snowdog993 on Sat, 28 October 2017, 00:07:29
When you're bolt modding an M, after you've pulled all the keys off and removed all the rivets and are about to pull the backplate off the barrel plate...

You put the assembly face down and remove the backplate and membanes.   With the hammers exposed, you run a long piece of scotch tape along each row and pull out the hammer/spring assemblies all at once per row.  You'll end up with a string of them on the tape.

Makes putting it back together simpler supposedly, but it's pretty quick to put them back in individually anyway.
+1 Definitely. On point.
Title: Re: Model M Cleaning - "Tape Trick"
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 28 October 2017, 08:10:43
Furthermore, when they are separated, you can inspect, clean, and adjust each one. The "tape trick" always seemed pointless to me.
Title: Re: Model M Cleaning - "Tape Trick"
Post by: E TwentyNine on Sat, 28 October 2017, 08:38:25
Furthermore, when they are separated, you can inspect, clean, and adjust each one. The "tape trick" always seemed pointless to me.

Not just pointless, but possibly negative.  If a little tape residue ended up on the hammer, after you button everything up it could stick (permanently or intermittently).
Title: Re: Model M Cleaning - "Tape Trick"
Post by: bachamn on Thu, 09 November 2017, 16:07:16
Cheers for the replies guys, when I was doing my mod I opened the thing without flipping it over first, so all the hammers fell all over the place anyway  ;D

But yeah I'd have to agree that inspecting and putting them back individually isn't a bad idea, especially if it's the first time it's been taken apart since leaving the factory.
Title: Re: Model M Cleaning - "Tape Trick"
Post by: rowdy on Wed, 03 January 2018, 00:39:36
I'm in the middle of a bolt and ANSI mod of my M122.

At the appropriate stage I did consider the tape trick (I have seen that video), but given how awkward I am at things like that, it was easier, if more time-consuming, to remove and replace the paddles one by one.

Well, remove was just a case of turning the keyboard upside down and watching them all fall out.