Please help deliver my Model M SSK from wine spill to clacky redemption

[Donk]

MY GF spilled white wine on my '87 Model M SSK. Not kicking her out, but not burying my SSK either. Not yet anyway. Fortunately I am typing this on my full-sized spare, a mildly yellowed but real solid Model M class of 1990. But I'd like to repair the SSK, for reasons implicit we should all understand.
After the spill, I lost about a half dozen keys that still work somewhat, if by working you mean generating garbage characters. The rest of the keys work just fine. So it would seem that some signal is getting through the drunken membrane.
Is there any hope downside to disassembling and soaking the key barrel/spring/membrane/steel plate assembly in pure alcohol (and then fully drying, of course.)
I'd like toavoid the rivet to screw -> multitest and conductively repaint the membrane circuits route.
It seems SSK replacement membranes are not an option (or are they?)
I'd hate to retire this keyboard permanently. If so, I'd prolly bury at sea... But how hard is it to execute this repair? The case isn't even yellowed at all.
I'm just bummed all the repair shops are gone (or are they?)
FWIW, it was a rather dry Sauvignon Blanc.

[fohat.digs]

The bolt mod is intimidating the first time you do it. The only hard part is drilling several dozen very small holes very precisely. If you have a Dremel and steady hands it is not too bad.

By peeling all of the layers apart, you can clean every single piece immaculately, and have a better keyboard in the end.

Otherwise, capillary action has soaked solvents and glues into closed tight spaces where thin metal traces are printed on plastic sheets .....

[E TwentyNine]

There's no downside to the isoprop alcohol bath.  I'd pour it through a few times, not let the assembly soak in a tub of it.  A few pours, let it dry, put the keys back on that were malfunctioning, see how it acts, repeat if necessary.

Then if it doesn't work only then would I go for the full bath.

Don't go stampeding toward a bolt mod.  That's overkill as an early step and is always an option is the simpler things fail.

[rowdy]

Phosphorglow is having a break.

Unicomp has a repair service: http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/Repair

[Donk]

Thanks for all your sage advice. I'm actually looking to buy a relic Model M and practice the bolt mod on that one first. Thats after I get my SSK working again. Its in pretty good shape I think. I can hear one broken off rivet-melt banging around inside the bottom of the case though.

[strafe]

I would at least disassemble and clean your ssk for now.  Wine is corrosive (acid and sugar aren't nice to metals). 

[Donk]

Unicomp won't service SSKs at all.
Phosphor Glow is offline, and perhaps OOB.
I'm loathe to learn how to disassemble on my own KB in otherwise very good condition.

Support at Unicom assertively advised against an alcohol bath will likely make the membrane probs worse.

[E TwentyNine]

Support at Unicom assertively advised against an alcohol bath will likely make the membrane probs worse.

What, is the keyboard going to explode?   It *could* spread the gunk elsewhere in the membrane, or it could flush it out.  If the latter you're set.  If the former and it's a problem, you're back to a bolt mod anyway, which is where you started.

[romevi]

Ha ha, talk about a vintage board.  )

[fohat.digs]

Support at Unicom assertively advised against an alcohol bath will likely make the membrane probs worse.

I don't know how metallic traces are printed on plastic sheets, but a solvent like alcohol can't be a good soak. I will admit that a quick wipe-down with an alcohol-soaked paper towel is my go-to cleaning procedure for a lot of things, including the printed membranes, but it is a quick wipe that evaporates in seconds. And, of course, they are separated so I can see clearly what needs to be done.

[Moistgun]

I vote for the bolt-mod option.

I can see his point about stampeding towards a bolt mod being overkill, but lets be honest, so is using a $200 25 year old SSK and talking about it on a forum with other weirdos.

The bolt mod will introduce you to the inner makings of your keyboard, allow you to give it the cleaning it deserves, and will become sturdier in the process.

Ha ha, talk about a vintage board.  )

God damn it, Shoo!

[thebeae]

RIP,

But as most people are suggesting bolt modding would probably be the best solution.

[mrhead]

I'm almost positive it can be repaired.  The bolt mod isn't difficult.  I did mine (Model M - full size) and only used a dozen nuts/bolts.  Where are you located?

[mike52787]

Bolt modding is easy. Ive done about 5 boards now. takes maybe 2 hours for me to do a bolt mod. Ive never done a ssk, but phosphorglow has a good guide on bolt modding.

[Donk]

I can pull off the screw job, its finding and  fixing the traces on the membrane that seem off-putting. Also, I think Phosphor_glow has taken his videos private. Whats the best guide available for this?

[fknraiden]

I can pull off the screw job, its finding and  fixing the traces on the membrane that seem off-putting. Also, I think Phosphor_glow has taken his videos private. Whats the best guide available for this?

umm, haven't tried it, but if its just the traces and not the contact pads, you could probably try some sort of copper paper? or one of those conductive pens and draw it back in.

[E TwentyNine]

Copper tape does work, but is $$$ last I checked. The conductive pens suck.

I've used foil tape (the kind used in HVAC) with success, and have also used a combination of foil tape and thin copper wire (from a stranded wire) to rewire an M membrane for use in my homemade SSK.  Ain't pretty, but typing on it at the moment.

In this situation the traces aren't damaged, just bridged.  Cleaning them (whether by alcohol flush or opening it up) will fix the problem.

[Mattr567]

I recently did the bolt mod on my Model M as a first timer, its a bit intimidating like a few others have said but its not that bad when you get the hang of it. Ripster (dont kill me) has a good guide with pics

The wine probably got in between the membranes etc, causing them to malfunction. When you get everything apart clean with isopropyl alcohol and you can just wash the case by hand. DONT use hot water or the dish washer or anything like that. That is how you ruin cases.
RIP

[QuincyJones]

But... but... this guy seems SOOOO cool AND intelligent! He can't be doing with chinese pieces OF SHIIIITT. He types 90 ****ING THOUSAND words per minute. He's not lying, right?

Also, alcohol decays traces on membranes. Check the traces.

I recently did the bolt mod on my Model M as a first timer, its a bit intimidating like a few others have said but its not that bad when you get the hang of it. Ripster (dont kill me) has a good guide with pics

The wine probably got in between the membranes etc, causing them to malfunction. When you get everything apart clean with isopropyl alcohol and you can just wash the case by hand. DONT use hot water or the dish washer or anything like that. That is how you ruin cases.
RIP

Show Image

[mike52787]

I recently did the bolt mod on my Model M as a first timer, its a bit intimidating like a few others have said but its not that bad when you get the hang of it. Ripster (dont kill me) has a good guide with pics

The wine probably got in between the membranes etc, causing them to malfunction. When you get everything apart clean with isopropyl alcohol and you can just wash the case by hand. DONT use hot water or the dish washer or anything like that. That is how you ruin cases.
RIP

Show Image

Atleast the displaywriter caps survived.

[mrhead]

I recently did the bolt mod on my Model M as a first timer, its a bit intimidating like a few others have said but its not that bad when you get the hang of it. Ripster (dont kill me) has a good guide with pics

The wine probably got in between the membranes etc, causing them to malfunction. When you get everything apart clean with isopropyl alcohol and you can just wash the case by hand. DONT use hot water or the dish washer or anything like that. That is how you ruin cases.
RIP

Show Image

Did YOU do this?

[Mattr567]

But... but... this guy seems SOOOO cool AND intelligent! He can't be doing with chinese pieces OF SHIIIITT. He types 90 ****ING THOUSAND words per minute. He's not lying, right?

Also, alcohol decays traces on membranes. Check the traces.

I recently did the bolt mod on my Model M as a first timer, its a bit intimidating like a few others have said but its not that bad when you get the hang of it. Ripster (dont kill me) has a good guide with pics

The wine probably got in between the membranes etc, causing them to malfunction. When you get everything apart clean with isopropyl alcohol and you can just wash the case by hand. DONT use hot water or the dish washer or anything like that. That is how you ruin cases.
RIP

Show Image

Oh, didnt know that. Important to know! If they are covered in wine then you can gently run water over them I guess.

I recently did the bolt mod on my Model M as a first timer, its a bit intimidating like a few others have said but its not that bad when you get the hang of it. Ripster (dont kill me) has a good guide with pics

The wine probably got in between the membranes etc, causing them to malfunction. When you get everything apart clean with isopropyl alcohol and you can just wash the case by hand. DONT use hot water or the dish washer or anything like that. That is how you ruin cases.
RIP

Show Image

Did YOU do this?

Hell no!  I just remembered it from a really old thread and found it.

[E TwentyNine]

Hell no!  I just remembered it from a really old thread and found it.

I don't know what that person had their hot water set at, but I've run model M cases and barrel plates through the dishwasher without issue.

[Mattr567]

Hell no!  I just remembered it from a really old thread and found it.

I don't know what that person had their hot water set at, but I've run model M cases and barrel plates through the dishwasher without issue.

Apparently he put it in boiling water and then dried it with a hairdryer Still better safe than sorry though. Hot water is unnecessary anyway.

[gameaholic]

If you tilt it maybe you can still drink the wine.  😉

[kingpilcrow]

This thread is full of winers.

[rowdy]

This thread is full of winers.

A pun.

Ahaha.

[QuincyJones]

This thread is a barrel of laughs.

[rowdy]

This thread is a barrel of laughs.

Like a Model M with funny springs?

[romevi]

This thread is a barrel of laughs.

 

[mrhead]

Any updates OP?  If not, I politely request that you mail the keyboard in question to my residence.