From: nospam.Ed.Vance@f1.n770.z2432.fidonet.org   
      
   01-10-18 17:17 James Harris wrote to All about Commodore Pet keyboard re   
   Howdy! James,   
      
   I was wondering if the Keyboard Switches are called "Cherry Switches"?   
      
   A Cherry Switch (as I remember them being called) is a (almost) 3/4 Inch   
   Plastic Box with two contacts on the bottom.   
      
   I built a Netronics ASCII Keyboard kit and after I finished one of the   
   Keys didn't do anything when I pressed it.   
      
   A friend used a knife to cut the bottom plastic piece from the rest of   
   the Switch.   
      
   I can't remember what He did (probably bent the contacts a little bit),   
   and then glued the bottom part with plastic glue from a tube and then   
   soldered the assembled Switch back on the PC Board, put the Key Cap on   
   it and the Switch worked when pressed.   
      
   Hope this idea is of help.   
      
   If a NEW Cherry Switch is what You need they may still be available at   
   Digi-Key or JamesCo or other Parts Stores.   
      
      
    JH> @MSGID: <5A5689A0.2429.cbm@capitolcityonline.net>   
    JH> To my surprise, I find I have a Pet which works - all apart from the   
    JH> keyboard, that is. So I have a query about fixing it.   
      
    JH> So far, I have removed the keyboard and found that the PCB contacts   
    JH> work if shorted with something conductive. Therefore the problem is   
    JH> with the little black pads that a keystroke presses against the PCB. I   
    JH> have tried these things:   
      
    JH> * cleaning with isopropyl alcohol   
    JH> * cleaning with contact cleaner   
    JH> * abrading with a pen eraser   
      
    JH> The latter was not really effective as there is too much give in the   
    JH> part of the key which supports the pad so I would say that the   
    JH> operation failed to abrade the pad successfully.   
      
    JH> Where I am now is that a few pads work but most do not. I have tried   
    JH> putting two meter test prods on the pads to measure resistance and   
    JH> found that some only become conducive with significant pressure. I   
    JH> guess that the rubber of some of them has become too hard with age.   
      
    JH> So what can I do to fix them? Any ideas?   
      
      
    JH> One idea I've had so far is to apply some conductive matter to the   
    JH> pads. I have tried a product called Keypad Fix on a remote but found it   
    JH> dries to be too inflexible and crumbles on use, albeit that that was on   
    JH> larger contacts.   
      
    JH> Another option is conductive paint such as   
      
    JH> https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/solder-pastes/8352699/   
      
    JH> A further option is to cut tiny copper-film discs and stick them to the   
    JH> existing pads.   
      
    JH> Any of those good options? Other suggestions welcome.   
      
      
    JH> --   
    JH> James Harris   
      
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    JH> (3:770/3)   
      
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