Ordinarily, I wouldn't weigh in here but... ...For those with otherwise
irresolvable keyboard problems, you'll want to use silicone spray lubricant
with a small pipe nozzle to aim spray and dispense it very sparingly onto a
Q-tip to then swab the key pocket, actuators and underlying membrane. The
idea of using silicone grease is still OK (IMO viscosity is too high) but
using adhesives, caulking, gasket or other "sticky" silicone compounds
designed to set solid is absolutely crazy. The automotive interior
restoration product "Armor-All" might be another suitable (slippery)
alternative for this otherwise innovative approach. It is also not
destructive to plastics and works in high-temp environments.
(For the lazier person in a hurry, a quick and dirty approach will be just
to pop off the central of 9 keys in an alternating pattern and spray
(judiciously) into the adjoining crevices). Terribly clogged or soft
drink/beer ruined "terminal" keyboards can possibly/probably be first
resurrected by a distilled water bath and then a thorough drying over
several days. I require all drinks be kept 1 meter from keyboards.
Fortunately, never had a problem (yet).
> Why couldn't you use silicone grease instead like is used on automotive plug
> wires to keep out moisture?
OK, better, but grease is too thick and silicone "waterproofing" material
for plug wires still dries to a solid film.
>> on 10/10/00 9:00 PM, Greg at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>>> I used a trick I learned some time ago for making plastic surfaces
>>> slick. I used a Q-tip to apply a small amount of Silicone caulk or
>>> silicone glue to the key post and also to the inside of the hole it
>>> slides in. I immediately used another Q-tip to remove the smeared-on
>>> silicon as best as possible. Apply the silicone very sparingly and wipe
>>> it thoroughly. Pop the key back into its hole and it's smooth as silk.
>>> I realize that using silicone ''adhesive'' sounds wrong but it just
>>> ain't so! Try this... apply some silicone caulk or adhesive to some
>>> plastic item then wipe it off with a rag, thoroughly. You will notice
>>> that the plastic item stays slick even after wiping it off. It does not
>>> get sticky.
Good idea on silicone but very wrong on the choice of compounds!!!
>> Crap. I tried this method but thank God I stopped after the first row of
>> keys! I applied too much silicone and now the keys work, but they take a
>> while to pop back up after being depressed. I guess I'm going to try it
>> again with the rest of the keys, but this time, I'll wipe off ALL the
>> silicone...
I'm not surprised--sounds like a good way to ruin a keyboard. But solid
silicone can be scraped/pulled off if not already dried for a long time.
Sidney Ho
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