Yup! The shift keys, enter, and backspace can be rather troublesome. A good first troubleshooting step is to check if you have some broken rivets in that area, which is very likely considering the age. If that's not the case, pop the key out and look at the chimney area where the spring sits inside of the key. If there's some sharp edges you can lightly file them inwards. I usually clean the stabilizers with a q-tip and then spray some PTFE dri-film lubricant onto another q-tip and apply inside the stabilizer as well as the key's stabilizer "post". I've had really good luck so far with un-sticking keys, so I hope this helps! Also, I'm curious as to what kind of 'dry' lubricant you are using? (...and cleaning 'em up surely is gratifying! :D) Regards, -Maxx On 02/11/2014 08:16 AM, Jules Richardson wrote:

Hi Tony, Essentially that's what us keyboard geeks call the bolt-mod. Which is a bit of a misnomer since I haven't actually seen anyone use bolts yet... I do a screw mod, which is basically the same except I use flat headed screws coming in from the steel plate side, and no nuts. I like the spring trick you mentioned, but the only issue I take with that is the potential to distort the spring if not done carefully. I use scotch tape to remove all the spring/hammer assemblies row by row, which also makes re-installing them very simple. I made a time lapse video of the reconditioning process, and the tape trick is at 3:43. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JkO35gsIB8 On 02/12/2014 05:02 PM, Tony Duell wrote:

No, I took my Type M totally apart before drilling anything, and the only thing I drilled was the plastic key frame. The bolts I sued were small enough to go through the existing holes i nthe membrane and metal baseplate. One you hacv eit apaart you can easily flatten the plastic keyframe to drilll it. It was not difficult. Incidentally, you can cut the keyframe alogn the thin sections where it bends to get individual strip0s, one for each row of keys . You cna then assemble each row separately, there are enough bolts to hold each row on firmly. So don't worry if some of these sectiosn crack apart when you are clamping it up for drilling. -tony

On 02/13/2014 12:22 PM, Tony Duell wrote: To be fair, there are special screws for thermoplastics. They've got deeper threads and generally a 30 degree or so flank angle. The trick when forming bosses for them is to slightly relieve the top of the screw hole to allow space for the burr that always develops. A properly-installed screw should last for decades. The alternative is to incorporate a brass threaded insert into the boss, which I'm not wild about. FWIW --Chuck

On 02/14/2014 09:41 AM, geneb wrote: The name "plastite" pops up as a trade name, but that's only one manufacturer's brand. Google for "screws for plastic" and you'll get a bunch of hits. My concern is that using inserts in old, more brittle thermoplastics might not be very rewarding. But YMMV, as they say. --Chuck

Sure, and the thread they cut in said thermoplastics _still_ strip if you look at them wrongly. I do hate scres tapping into thermoplastics... Well, you can't do it in th Type M, there isn't room. But in general, if there is a way to use a metal insert, I much prefer it. It's a much nicer thread. -tony

I'm talking real actual bolts with hex heads, not screws. I've yet to see anyone use a hex head bolt, which is what comes to mind every time I hear bolt mod. :P I agree about the "self stripping" (I'm stealing that phrase, by the way) screws. I don't use them. I pre-drill and then thread the hole, and use M2x.4 stainless screws. I've spent a bit of time being paranoid about the longevity and durability of this, so I used one of my spare barrel plates as a test subject. I drilled and threaded the hole as usual, and then drove a screw into it with way more force than I would ever conceivably use. It didn't start stripping until it was embedded into the plastic. And then for kicks and grins I backed it out and tried to yank it with a pair of vice-grips. I had to pull really hard and ended up hurting my hand when it finally popped and the panel went flying. Since the small amount of force required to hold the plate together is spread out over 50+ screws, I claim it is impossible under any normal circumstances to have them strip/break/pop out. King Kong might be able to do it. Anyhoo - the plastics in these keyboards are significantly more durable than I had given them credit for at first. I guess I'll have to see how they hold up after a few more decades. :) Whoops - should have clarified a little bit. I have a custom work fixture for the plastic barrel plate that lets teh springs rest in their grooves without interference. That's still a clever little trick you have though!

This here shoes the tape. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JkO35gsIB8

[...] Thanks for the tip about the PTFE lubricant. Incidentally, later (?) model Ms use the same trick - the stabiliser spike that goes into a socket in the spare chimney - on the +, Enter and return keys. The socket is at an angle to compensate for the curve of the keyboard. I'm not sure how well these would cope with Tony's idea of separating the rows... Finally, my own tip for cleaning the keycaps (and the bodies, if necessary): take them all off; put them into a cotton carrier bag (such as German souvenir shops and similar places provide); tie the neck of the bag securely; put the bag, full of key caps, in the washing machine with your woollens / delicates. Brings them up a treat! Philip.

My personal keycap cleaning way is to wipe off surface dust then give them a bath over night in a mixture of hot water, cup of oxy clean and a tablespoon of dish soap or dishwasher soap, whichever you have around. Always seems to do the trick in my experience, even on IBM 3278 keyboard caps.

Well, there must be a dozen or more layouts of the Type M for different countries. One day you'll end up with a strange one :-) (like the HP-HIL keyboard I ahve that happens to be German layout...) More seriouly, standard PC keyboards are not much of a problem. But this is classccmp :-). I've pulled keycaps on some very odd machines for cleaning, and know to make a diagram first. Actually, to make a diagram before even startign to dismantle the keyboard (that was learnt by experience. I took the CPB off the keyboard of an HP9815 calcualtor, bot realising that the keys would then all fall out. Not 'might fall out' but certainly would). -tony