Cheap Alps Clone Board

[Polecat]

I recently bought two of these. ABS M1 board with Forward (Fuhua) black tactile Alps clones. One was like new, so I left it stock. The other had a rusty plate and a damaged cable, so it was fair game for some mods. I just wanted to see if I could make a usable keyboard from modern (read: cheap) parts. Yanked the Forward switches out, sanded and painted the plate, stuck in some clicky clone switches from another modern board, and put it back together. They're not real Alps, but it's a pretty decent keyboard for 20 bucks and change. ANSI layout, real USB (no converter), and no extra charge for the blue LEDs.

[thefarside]

Very nice! I didn’t realize this type of Alps keyboard existed. You can’t beat a modern layout in black either and it sounds like the price was right.

[Muirium]

The brand name is entirely appropriate!

[SK-8K]

Good job! Are those Tai-Hao APC Blue?

[Polecat]

Good job! Are those Tai-Hao APC Blue?

Yes, exactly. Scavenged from a broken Tai Hao keyboard that wasn't worth fixing. These are the lighter version, with a soft click, smooth and pleasant. The white slider version is a bit heavier, closer to white Alps. Only time will tell for reliability. The ABS and Tai Hao were two of the easiest boards ever to desolder, using my decades-old technique of adding some "real" solder to each pad first to dilute the crappy solder from the wave soldering machine. Not a single damaged pad or switch on either one; very high quality PC boards on both. I have another broken Tai Hao with the white switches, but I haven't decided where to use them yet. The Tai Haos had a cheap, plastic plate, but the ABS has a nice heavy steel one. Strangely the USB cables were the same on both, other than the strain relief. The ABS was supposedly built by Costar, at least that's what the wiki says.

[thefarside]

using my decades-old technique of adding some "real" solder to each pad first to dilute the crappy solder from the wave soldering machine.

I’ll be performing my first desoldering attempt on an old Focus FK-2001 with white alps clones and find your method interesting, as I was concerned about damaging the pads and if using the copper braid was better than the solder sucker. If you can elaborate I’d like to try this method out.

[Polecat]

using my decades-old technique of adding some "real" solder to each pad first to dilute the crappy solder from the wave soldering machine.

I’ll be performing my first desoldering attempt on an old Focus FK-2001 with white alps clones and find your method interesting, as I was concerned about damaging the pads and if using the copper braid was better than the solder sucker. If you can elaborate I’d like to try this method out.

I've rebuilt a couple Focus boards, and they're about average for difficulty. The worst part is the switches with their leads bent over. The leads on the clone switches are more fragile than real Alps. Here's the way I do it.

First, you need a good temp-regulated soldering iron of about 800 degrees. I use an old Weller soldering station, and the tip sets the temp on those, by its internal magnet. There's a 6, 7, or 8 on the back end of the tip, for 600, 700, or 800 degrees. A hotter iron lets you get in and out quickly, and that actually puts less heat into the board and switches than a cooler iron used for a longer time. I use an ancient spring-loaded solder sucker, the silly-looking blue one (Soldapullit? something like that...). Copper braid takes more heat and time, to me it's more likely to damage something. You'll need some real solder, for which I recommend Kester 44 60/40 rosin core. And for unbending leads a small, flat blade screwdriver, preferably stainless (solder doesn't stick to stainless).

First step is to heat the pad and add a bit of fresh solder. Remove the heat. It should look smooth and shiny. If the lead is bent over heat again and work the screwdriver under it and carefully bend it straight. Don't heat for more than a few seconds at a time. This part will take a bit of practice, to get the feel for bending the lead straight while the solder is melted without heating for too long. Now, with the solder sucker ready, heat again and as soon as the solder flows suck the pad clean. Wiggle the lead to see if it's free of the pad. If not, heat again and add a bit of fresh solder and suck it clean again. Repeat for the second lead and pull the switch from the PC board. Never apply heat for more than a few seconds at a time. That's the trick for preventing lifted pads or damaged switches. Clean the screwdriver after each bent lead, and keep the tip clean on the soldering iron with a wet sponge or cloth. Empty the solder sucker often, and make sure the tip stays clean and clear. That should do it, oh, be sure to wash your hands after handling solder containing lead.

[thefarside]

This is great thanks!

[Menuhin]

using my decades-old technique of adding some "real" solder to each pad first to dilute the crappy solder from the wave soldering machine.

I’ll be performing my first desoldering attempt on an old Focus FK-2001 with white alps clones and find your method interesting, as I was concerned about damaging the pads and if using the copper braid was better than the solder sucker. If you can elaborate I’d like to try this method out.

I've rebuilt a couple Focus boards, and they're about average for difficulty. The worst part is the switches with their leads bent over. The leads on the clone switches are more fragile than real Alps.

Spoiler:

Here's the way I do it.

First, you need a good temp-regulated soldering iron of about 800 degrees. I use an old Weller soldering station, and the tip sets the temp on those, by its internal magnet. There's a 6, 7, or 8 on the back end of the tip, for 600, 700, or 800 degrees. A hotter iron lets you get in and out quickly, and that actually puts less heat into the board and switches than a cooler iron used for a longer time. I use an ancient spring-loaded solder sucker, the silly-looking blue one (Soldapullit? something like that...). Copper braid takes more heat and time, to me it's more likely to damage something. You'll need some real solder, for which I recommend Kester 44 60/40 rosin core. And for unbending leads a small, flat blade screwdriver, preferably stainless (solder doesn't stick to stainless).

First step is to heat the pad and add a bit of fresh solder. Remove the heat. It should look smooth and shiny. If the lead is bent over heat again and work the screwdriver under it and carefully bend it straight. Don't heat for more than a few seconds at a time. This part will take a bit of practice, to get the feel for bending the lead straight while the solder is melted without heating for too long. Now, with the solder sucker ready, heat again and as soon as the solder flows suck the pad clean. Wiggle the lead to see if it's free of the pad. If not, heat again and add a bit of fresh solder and suck it clean again. Repeat for the second lead and pull the switch from the PC board. Never apply heat for more than a few seconds at a time. That's the trick for preventing lifted pads or damaged switches. Clean the screwdriver after each bent lead, and keep the tip clean on the soldering iron with a wet sponge or cloth. Empty the solder sucker often, and make sure the tip stays clean and clear. That should do it, oh, be sure to wash your hands after handling solder containing lead.

How long did it take you on average to rebuilt an Alps (or Alps-like) board like that?

[Polecat]

How long did it take you on average to rebuilt an Alps (or Alps-like) board like that?

This one went pretty quickly. Best guesses:

Removing keycaps - 10-15 minutes
Unsoldering switches - 1 hour
Sanding and painting plate - 30 minutes
Soldering switches - 30 minutes
Installing keycaps - 10-15 minutes

So...about 2 1/2 hours as a guess, not counting the drying time for the paint on the plate. Add another hour for desoldering the donor switches. Bent leads on the switches would probably double the desoldering time, depending on how many.

[raoulduke-esq]

Don’t forget disassembly, boiling, waxing, reassembly, and testing of the switches…

[Polecat]

Don’t forget disassembly, boiling, waxing, reassembly, and testing of the switches…

True, but I don't mess with switches, unless it's one or two in a set that need attention. I don't have the patience for finicky stuff like that, and I have enough good switches in donor boards to last me several lifetimes. This one was unusual for me, because the ABS and the Tai Hao switch donor were both recent purchases of "modern" keyboards.

[thefarside]

using my decades-old technique of adding some "real" solder to each pad first to dilute the crappy solder from the wave soldering machine.

I’ll be performing my first desoldering attempt on an old Focus FK-2001 with white alps clones and find your method interesting, as I was concerned about damaging the pads and if using the copper braid was better than the solder sucker. If you can elaborate I’d like to try this method out.

I've rebuilt a couple Focus boards, and they're about average for difficulty. The worst part is the switches with their leads bent over. The leads on the clone switches are more fragile than real Alps. Here's the way I do it.

First, you need a good temp-regulated soldering iron of about 800 degrees. I use an old Weller soldering station, and the tip sets the temp on those, by its internal magnet. There's a 6, 7, or 8 on the back end of the tip, for 600, 700, or 800 degrees. A hotter iron lets you get in and out quickly, and that actually puts less heat into the board and switches than a cooler iron used for a longer time. I use an ancient spring-loaded solder sucker, the silly-looking blue one (Soldapullit? something like that...). Copper braid takes more heat and time, to me it's more likely to damage something. You'll need some real solder, for which I recommend Kester 44 60/40 rosin core. And for unbending leads a small, flat blade screwdriver, preferably stainless (solder doesn't stick to stainless).

First step is to heat the pad and add a bit of fresh solder. Remove the heat. It should look smooth and shiny. If the lead is bent over heat again and work the screwdriver under it and carefully bend it straight. Don't heat for more than a few seconds at a time. This part will take a bit of practice, to get the feel for bending the lead straight while the solder is melted without heating for too long. Now, with the solder sucker ready, heat again and as soon as the solder flows suck the pad clean. Wiggle the lead to see if it's free of the pad. If not, heat again and add a bit of fresh solder and suck it clean again. Repeat for the second lead and pull the switch from the PC board. Never apply heat for more than a few seconds at a time. That's the trick for preventing lifted pads or damaged switches. Clean the screwdriver after each bent lead, and keep the tip clean on the soldering iron with a wet sponge or cloth. Empty the solder sucker often, and make sure the tip stays clean and clear. That should do it, oh, be sure to wash your hands after handling solder containing lead.

I tried your method and it seems to be working out well. This is my first time desoldering and my first attempt wasn’t good - I thought I burned the pad. I also had a hard time getting the solder sucker to suck until I figured out you need to suck the solder at an angle leaving a gap for the air to go through. Attached are some pictures for reference.

Stupid question. After the switches are desoldered can they be gently pried off the switch plate?

4C274FB0-940F-446D-8133-A45E2DDD17A8.jpeg (2.29 MiB) Viewed 7148 times

AC0C621E-64C5-4885-9FEA-733A1D9E03B3.jpeg (1.95 MiB) Viewed 7148 times