16 Mar
2008
16 Mar
'08
3:39 p.m.
Tony Duell wrote:
This sounds as thought it might be slightly differnt
to my keyboard. I
only rememebr 2 contacts per key. On the other hand, when I ordered a
replacement keyswitch for my Model 3 (about 20 years ago), I did have to
specify the brand of the keyboard PCB (Radio shack apparently bought
these in). The keyboards in oth my M3 and M4 are ALPS brand, FWIW.
The reason I mention this is that dismantling the switches themselves
will vary between brands.
This is an ALPS keyboard. Somebody at Erik's site mentioned that it is
possible to coax a single keyswitch out of the unit by desoldering,
squeezing some tabs near the top, and then lifting through the metal
plate. As things stand now it looks like I need at least 30 key switch
mechanisms .. it might be more practical to construct a replacement
keyboard and hand wire it.
(I'm naively thinking some new Cherry switches, a sheet of plexiglass,
and a lot of wire. Not a pretty modification, but it gives me a new
keyboard with switches that I can replace. Has anybody done something
like this recently?)
I don;t know what drives you have (Tandon TM100s were
fairly standard),
but if you take them significantly apart, you'll need an alignment disk
and 'scope when you come to put them back together. Again, something that
doesn't worry me _at all_ now, but it might be a problem for you.
If you want to take the drives apart to clean them, let me (us?) know the
model number (or any markings on them). I can then give you an idea what
what you can take off without losing the alignment.
Texas Peripherals 10-5355-001. The inside of the case was fairly good,
thanks to all of the extreme shielding that Tandy put in. I cleaned the
drive head and rails, and lubricated the rails with a teflon impregnated
oil. They are quieter now.
I'm not going to go much further than that without a scope and alignment
disks. If these drives go bad I have double sided drives from the PC
family that I can use, or I will convert to use double density 720KB drives.
MIke