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Need to pop off a few more keys.

By radicalfaith360

Expert (89)

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21-07-2020, 02:36

Hi everyone. I made a post here more than a year ago on how to pop off MSX keys without breaking them. I got myself a key puller and was able to pull off most of the keys. I cleaned out the dust, washed the keys and everything looks nice, but there were still a few keys I couldn't pop off with the key puller:

the function keys on the top row, and the arrow keys on the lower-right corner. My key puller couldn't get underneath the keys to pull them due to their unusual shape, and I'd like to clean the supposed dust underneath them. Since the key puller won't pop the keys for me, does anyone have any suggestions for safely popping the remaining keys off? It's a 2+ WSX model.

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By meits

Scribe (6498)

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21-07-2020, 11:02

Why not disassemble the complete keyboard? You can give the membrane a wipe as well then while you can reach every key from below.
Just look out that you don't lose a spring Wink

By radicalfaith360

Expert (89)

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23-07-2020, 03:58

I don't trust myself to do that. I tried that before to get the keys off and was unsuccessful.

By sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3205)

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23-07-2020, 07:38

Well why not involve an external expert than? I would not start such a project myself either so I always ask someone to help me (and I compensate them for their work of course). If you live in the Netherlands I can recommend Bas and Omega (both also active on this forum).

By meits

Scribe (6498)

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23-07-2020, 11:10

It's more fiddling but way less risky than pulling them off with a tool.

By norakomi

Paragon (1123)

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23-07-2020, 12:16

this seems to do the trick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goMlLMMU39A&t=671s

By Grauw

Ascended (10577)

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23-07-2020, 12:36

Haha LOL!

By gdx

Enlighted (5478)

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23-07-2020, 12:52

I do not recommend cleaning the membrane. The tracks don't like it.

By meits

Scribe (6498)

meits's picture

23-07-2020, 17:07

it's perfectly save to blow the dust off of it. Just handle with care. (dis)connecting it to the mainboard is the most "dangerous" moment.

By radicalfaith360

Expert (89)

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28-07-2020, 05:35

sdsnatcher73 wrote:

Well why not involve an external expert than? I would not start such a project myself either so I always ask someone to help me (and I compensate them for their work of course). If you live in the Netherlands I can recommend Bas and Omega (both also active on this forum).

Nope I live in the US. It's really hard to find MSX help on my side of the world outside the internet. Only one or two games I own came from US sellers. Every other game I own came from Japan or Europe, usually Spain.

By sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3205)

sdsnatcher73's picture

28-07-2020, 08:26

radicalfaith360 wrote:
sdsnatcher73 wrote:

Well why not involve an external expert than? I would not start such a project myself either so I always ask someone to help me (and I compensate them for their work of course). If you live in the Netherlands I can recommend Bas and Omega (both also active on this forum).

Nope I live in the US. It's really hard to find MSX help on my side of the world outside the internet. Only one or two games I own came from US sellers. Every other game I own came from Japan or Europe, usually Spain.

I guess for this issue you do not necessarily need an MSX specialist. If you can find someone who has experience with e.g. Commodore 64/Amiga or Atari ST they should be able to help you clean that keyboard.