FK-2001 Dust Cover

[ScottPaladin]

This feels like a dumb question, but this FK-2001 in shabby condition arrived in the mail today.



This thing is pretty filthy and about 15% of the switches don't work.


Alps clones. Not sure which type.

I'd like to start cleaning this thing, seeing what's salvagable but I've run into a snag.


How are these clips suppose to come off? I've pulled and levered on them a bit, but I can't quite see how they're being held in. I feel like they should just slide off the ends of the case (toward the camera for the one in the Camera). I'm sure I'm not the first one to have done this, so figured I'd ask.

[digital_matthew]

Hey there. You can slide those clips off by pulling them sideways away from the keyboard (towards the camera). Don't be afraid to use some elbow grease.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I'm more intrigued by the pale yellow switches. They're not the expected cream colour, nor the yellow colour you see sometimes. Since some don't work, we have greater odds of seeing what's inside of them.

[ScottPaladin]

Hey there. You can slide those clips off by pulling them sideways away from the keyboard (towards the camera). Don't be afraid to use some elbow grease.

OK, thanks. They weren't budging so I lotlst confidence before I really gave it a yank.

I'm more intrigued by the pale yellow switches. They're not the expected cream colour, nor the yellow colour you see sometimes. Since some don't work, we have greater odds of seeing what's inside of them.

Part of that is a color balance problem. I haven't got my nuetral reflectors in, so the light bounces off the yellow bottomside of the shelf above and gives things a yellowish cast. In real life it's a slightly milky off white, maybe eggshell. I'll be desoldering at least one of these as I go, so expect pics. Just gotta get it apart first.

[ScottPaladin]

While I was out for dinner, I bought a neutral reflector (ie white posterboard) and fixed the color balance problem. Here's some better shots.





That is much more accurate to their actual color.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I guess that's within expectation for those now.

[Chyros]

Focus used those clones a lot.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

It depends what you mean by "those clones", since there are a variety of clone types that look similar or identical. Focus is known for using OA2 and T1, yes — I just wasn't sure if these were T1 or not. They do seem to be.

[Chyros]

It depends what you mean by "those clones", since there are a variety of clone types that look similar or identical. Focus is known for using OA2 and T1, yes — I just wasn't sure if these were T1 or not. They do seem to be.

Yeah, of course you need to open them up to be sure, but from my experience Focus is very T1 and OA2-heavy as far as Alps clones go. Although they did use others as well.

[ScottPaladin]

Some dingus that owned this keyboard f-ing glued the brackets on. No wonder it took so much effort to get the off. I'm guessing it was cyanoacrylate. Once enough force was applied, they came off (taking a small chip of case plastic with one.)





Now I could disassemble the damn thing.


Ugh. Somebody had a pet but not a vacuum, it seems.

I desolderd the ESC key so I could pull it apart and investigate.



There looked to be a fair amount of corrosion on the contacts with the naked eye.


But they look a lot cleaner on camera.

Of course, the clicker fell on the carpet and hasn't been located yet. Grr.


There's some sort of residue in the base of the housing. Old lube?




If it is corroded contacts, I'm not sure what's the correct course of action. These are clones, could I substitute real alps switches from another board or china?

[Elrick]

Some dingus that owned this keyboard f-ing glued the brackets on. No wonder it took so much effort to get the off. I'm guessing it was cyanoacrylate. Once enough force was applied, they came off (taking a small chip of case plastic with one.)

Fact of Life when buying second hand keyboards off anybody. Unless you actually know the person and they have a decent rep of goods they sold in the past, you are basically taking a huge leap of faith with anyone.

If it is corroded contacts, I'm not sure what's the correct course of action. These are clones, could I substitute real alps switches from another board or china?

YES you can substitute REAL alps switches by removing all the older buggered clones.

[ScottPaladin]

Fact of Life when buying second hand keyboards off anybody. Unless you actually know the person and they have a decent rep of goods they sold in the past, you are basically taking a huge leap of faith with anyone.

Yeah, I can see why the seller accepted my low-ball offer. I wasn't expecting it to be clean, but some things cross the line.

YES you can substitute REAL alps switches by removing all the older buggered clones.

Luckily I find desoldering meditative. Time to keep an eye out for some whites or blacks that somebody doesn't need anymore.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I'd like some spare working switches if you get rid of them, I don't have a single T1 at all. So long as they're in good condition and not full of white goo anyway.

[ScottPaladin]

Whelp, after a few hours of solder sucking. I've got it broken down to it's component parts.





I probably won't be holding onto these, but I have no idea if they're worth disassembling to clean first.


Every switch I've tested has been functional once I pulled it from the board. So I think the solder joints had mostly gone bad. I need to test the bare PCB probably to make sure the problem doesn't lay there, though. I've got switches on order to replace these and I'd hate to get those soldered in only to find out a bunch of keys still don't work.

[ScottPaladin]

I'd like some spare working switches if you get rid of them, I don't have a single T1 at all. So long as they're in good condition and not full of white goo anyway.

You pay shipping and I'll send you a couple. PM me.