i dun messd up now son

[Rainbow_]

Okay, so I was removing a switch from my keyboard, and the pad came with the solder. Is there any way to repair it?

[Melvang]

Okay, so I was removing a switch from my keyboard, and the pad came with the solder. Is there any way to repair it?

You have two fairly easy choices depending on a couple things.

If it is a single sided PCB just scratch some of the solder mask off on the trace connecting to the pad and lay a clipped diode leg or something along that lines and solder that in to connect the pin on the switch to the trace.  Or you can solder a wire from that pin to the next solder pad on the trace.  I have done both and can confirm both work.

The third I have not done personally but have heard of it working.  If it is a double sided PCB and there is not actual trace to follow on the top, just heat the pin and start shoving solder in the hole.  If you get enough in the hole it can flow to the other side and make the connection.

[hwood34]

Yeah, this just happened to me to. Do you have a picture to show any of these? Sorry, I'm kind of mod-disabled right now

[Melvang]

Yeah, this just happened to me to. Do you have a picture to show any of these? Sorry, I'm kind of mod-disabled right now

Let me do some digging.

[Rainbow_]

Okay, so I was removing a switch from my keyboard, and the pad came with the solder. Is there any way to repair it?

You have two fairly easy choices depending on a couple things.

If it is a single sided PCB just scratch some of the solder mask off on the trace connecting to the pad and lay a clipped diode leg or something along that lines and solder that in to connect the pin on the switch to the trace.  Or you can solder a wire from that pin to the next solder pad on the trace.  I have done both and can confirm both work.

The third I have not done personally but have heard of it working.  If it is a double sided PCB and there is not actual trace to follow on the top, just heat the pin and start shoving solder in the hole.  If you get enough in the hole it can flow to the other side and make the connection.

The third seems like the easiest, since I am a total n00b. I'll get back to you on that. Otherwise, I'll need some pics on the first two, since I am a visual learner.

edit: not sure if there is anything on the top; this is a plate mounted, and I just needed to replace one switch, so I'd rather not remove them all...

[dorkvader]

#3 can be somewhat difficult, though it's easy when it sometimes "just works". You risk damaging the part and the PCB with heat if you do too much. I recommend #2 as pretty easy even for a beginner and very workable.

#2 being the "just use a bit of wire and solder to a nearby joint. Post a picture of the area and I can follow the trace and tell which one (most likely).

edit:

edit: not sure if there is anything on the top; this is a plate mounted, and I just needed to replace one switch, so I'd rather not remove them all...

is this a QFR or something? if it's a single sided PCB it's not too hard to trace it out. double sided plate mount PCB can be tricky with traces on the top.

[Rainbow_]

#3 can be somewhat difficult, though it's easy when it sometimes "just works". You risk damaging the part and the PCB with heat if you do too much. I recommend #2 as pretty easy even for a beginner and very workable.

#2 being the "just use a bit of wire and solder to a nearby joint. Post a picture of the area and I can follow the trace and tell which one (most likely).

edit:

edit: not sure if there is anything on the top; this is a plate mounted, and I just needed to replace one switch, so I'd rather not remove them all...

is this a QFR or something? if it's a single sided PCB it's not too hard to trace it out. double sided plate mount PCB can be tricky with traces on the top.

GON a87. I am almost positive it is double sided. Here's what happened, I did method 3, it worked when I tested, then it didn't work when I reassembled -.-
I think it's taunting me

[berserkfan]

#3 can be somewhat difficult, though it's easy when it sometimes "just works". You risk damaging the part and the PCB with heat if you do too much. I recommend #2 as pretty easy even for a beginner and very workable.

#2 being the "just use a bit of wire and solder to a nearby joint. Post a picture of the area and I can follow the trace and tell which one (most likely).

edit:

edit: not sure if there is anything on the top; this is a plate mounted, and I just needed to replace one switch, so I'd rather not remove them all...

is this a QFR or something? if it's a single sided PCB it's not too hard to trace it out. double sided plate mount PCB can be tricky with traces on the top.

GON a87. I am almost positive it is double sided. Here's what happened, I did method 3, it worked when I tested, then it didn't work when I reassembled -.-
I think it's taunting me

 

YOu will find that #2 is actually easier and more reliable.

[PointyFox]

The third I have not done personally but have heard of it working.  If it is a double sided PCB and there is not actual trace to follow on the top, just heat the pin and start shoving solder in the hole.  If you get enough in the hole it can flow to the other side and make the connection.

I've gotten this to work with a Poker 2.

[Rainbow_]

YOu will find that #2 is actually easier and more reliable.

I need some pics of this one

I've gotten this to work with a Poker 2.

^{Pointy! <3 I got your caps for my boyfriend and he loved them, thanks}
Can you give me any pointers (heh) on this one?

[tp4tissue]

take some damn pictures..

[Rainbow_]

By some Jesus-tier miracle, I got the key working. Thank you very much!

[Puddsy]

Which method did you use?

[Rainbow_]

Which method did you use?

I used the third, shoving solder down and melting it.

[HPE1000]

Which method did you use?

I used the third, shoving solder down and melting it.

This worked for me too. I messed up my MJ2 when desoldering it and I just filled the hole as much as I could and it worked luckily, no problems and going strong for months.

Nice to see you got it working 

[Rainbow_]

Which method did you use?

I used the third, shoving solder down and melting it.

This worked for me too. I messed up my MJ2 when desoldering it and I just filled the hole as much as I could and it worked luckily, no problems and going strong for months.

Nice to see you got it working 

Thanks. My only thing is that I want to swap out the switches for clears now. So let's just home Jesus can descend upon keyboard land when I do that tomorrow

[Puddsy]

If it doesn't work, just do the 2nd method. I'm worried you might screw up your PCB if you try it again.

[Rainbow_]

If it doesn't work, just do the 2nd method. I'm worried you might screw up your PCB if you try it again.

I don't know how many times I need to ask for pictures of thid

[Puddsy]

If it doesn't work, just do the 2nd method. I'm worried you might screw up your PCB if you try it again.

I don't know how many times I need to ask for pictures of thid

While you don't necessarily need to go as far as this guy did, you can get the idea from looking at this picture.



You can usually do it with the next pad over.

More

Image from http://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/1heqv1/modificationwell_i_am_pretty_sure_i_have_the/

[berserkfan]

Which method did you use?

I used the third, shoving solder down and melting it.

This worked for me too. I messed up my MJ2 when desoldering it and I just filled the hole as much as I could and it worked luckily, no problems and going strong for months.

Nice to see you got it working 

The more I read about this the more I understand that I am by no means the most incompetent modder on Geekhack. Massive overapplication of solder is never a good idea because
1) you heat the pad longer than you should
2) too much solder runs the risk of bridging contacts and causing shorts

In any case it's moot now. Good that you restored your kb to working condition!

[HPE1000]

Which method did you use?

I used the third, shoving solder down and melting it.

This worked for me too. I messed up my MJ2 when desoldering it and I just filled the hole as much as I could and it worked luckily, no problems and going strong for months.

Nice to see you got it working 

The more I read about this the more I understand that I am by no means the most incompetent modder on Geekhack. Massive overapplication of solder is never a good idea because
1) you heat the pad longer than you should
2) too much solder runs the risk of bridging contacts and causing shorts

In any case it's moot now. Good that you restored your kb to working condition!

It's not like there was solder just flowing everywhere, I took the solder, pushed it all the way down into the hole and then heated it up. Didn't take any longer than it normally would and it fixed the problem

[dorkvader]

#3 can be somewhat difficult, though it's easy when it sometimes "just works". You risk damaging the part and the PCB with heat if you do too much. I recommend #2 as pretty easy even for a beginner and very workable.

#2 being the "just use a bit of wire and solder to a nearby joint. Post a picture of the area and I can follow the trace and tell which one (most likely).

edit:

edit: not sure if there is anything on the top; this is a plate mounted, and I just needed to replace one switch, so I'd rather not remove them all...

is this a QFR or something? if it's a single sided PCB it's not too hard to trace it out. double sided plate mount PCB can be tricky with traces on the top.

GON a87. I am almost positive it is double sided. Here's what happened, I did method 3, it worked when I tested, then it didn't work when I reassembled -.-
I think it's taunting me

I have an a.87 right here. It's not yet soldered so I can tell you where to put the new/replacement wire.

Which method did you use?

I used the third, shoving solder down and melting it.

Good to hear! As I said, when it works, it "just works".

The more I read about this the more I understand that I am by no means the most incompetent modder on Geekhack.

I told you. You need to give yourself more credit.

[Rainbow_]

I have an a.87 right here. It's not yet soldered so I can tell you where to put the new/replacement wire.

That'd be great. It's the C key, if I haven't already mentioned. Thanks

[dorkvader]

I have an a.87 right here. It's not yet soldered so I can tell you where to put the new/replacement wire.

That'd be great. It's the C key, if I haven't already mentioned. Thanks

row (lower) connects to the diode of course. Since it supports in switch diodes as well as on-pcb "in front of switch" diodes there has to be an unused pad there
column (upper pin) connects to C D E 3 F2 F3 F4

Let me know if you need more and I can take a picture.