Buckling spring users beware! Cockroaches may be your end.

Wingklip · 20 May 2017, 01:36

Woke up this morning to a planned glorious day of homework doings, but to my dismay, it appeared that my shift and control buttons were unusually sticky. To the horror of 20 cockroaches when I took apart the keyboard, I found the cause.

A bug. I squished not one, but three baby cockroaches beneath the paddle of a bucking spring, and then partially on the control key. This caused it to continuously register the shift key no matter how many times I slammed down on it just for it to stay stuck. And yes, I have found the answer to the age old question,

Cockroaches are indeed capacitive.

Not very pleasant when you need to spend another three hours trying to put it back together again.

I'm calling North Korea. Gonna need to go nuclear for this one. And yes, I do live in an apartment, and my mother does a horrible job of keeping the 'kitchen' tidy. I'm sure the FDA would have a fit if they came here. Any recommendations for a good pesticide? (no zyklon b pls)

Techno Trousers · 20 May 2017, 01:42

I just threw up a little in my mouth.

I lived in an apartment when I was just out of college, and my roommate and I kept that place spotless. But we still had an ongoing roach problem. I'm sure it was thanks to slovenly neighbors on either side and above. I can still feel the dread of turning the kitchen light on at night and seeing them scatter. shudder

Wingklip · 20 May 2017, 01:56

Techno Trousers wrote: ↑I just threw up a little in my mouth.

I lived in an apartment when I was just out of college, and my roommate and I kept that place spotless. But we still had an ongoing roach problem. I'm sure it was thanks to slovenly neighbors on either side and above. I can still feel the dread of turning the kitchen light on at night and seeing them scatter. shudder

They do like the warmth of a good xwhatsit controller, they tend to nest around there because of the heat given off by the atmega 32u2

whm1974 · 20 May 2017, 02:04

Just Great, now I'll have nightmares tonight about my computer being infested by damn cockroaches.

need · 20 May 2017, 03:19

Can we see some pictures please?

Wingklip · 20 May 2017, 06:42

need wrote: ↑Can we see some pictures please?

Cleaned it up unfortunately. Didn't think about taking pictures until I already cleared out the stain lmao

whm1974 · 20 May 2017, 09:36

Wingklip wrote: ↑
need wrote: ↑Can we see some pictures please?
Cleaned it up unfortunately. Didn't think about taking pictures until I already cleared out the stain lmao

Good thing since I will likely vomit hard if I saw the pictures.

seebart · 20 May 2017, 12:51

Nasty indeed. No, I don't want to see those pics.

: 88a5e27e38650ddd9346973013b8c8006cf1d37a1353e2fd9e5cc0d71cf31716.jpg (37.59 KiB) Viewed 5001 times

Wingklip · 20 May 2017, 15:30

seebart wrote: ↑Nasty indeed. No, I don't want to see those pics.

88a5e27e38650ddd9346973013b8c8006cf1d37a1353e2fd9e5cc0d71cf31716.jpg

Well, for science purposes I can conclude that
- Cockroaches when squished make really good adhesives and dampeners.
- Cockroaches are also very much capacitive and can actuate an IBM buckling spring PCB switch when squished.
- You could probably make paddles out of them but that might be bordering on the cruel side. Might be handy if you have a bit of broken foam and foil and a roach infestation at the same time.

rsbseb · 20 May 2017, 19:10

Not sure why I keep reading the updates on this thread. It's like a bad car wreck. I just have to pull over and find out if I'm going to see something I don't really want to see.

I have a good friend who owns a number of rental properties, occasionally I will give him a hand with "turnovers" and have seen my fair share of roaches in the process. They definitely like warmth. I have seen them pile out of TV's and computer equipment more than once.

Personally if I see so much as an ant in my home I'm ready to go nuclear. My home is my refuge from the southern Missouri creepy crawlies as far as I'm concerned.

seebart · 20 May 2017, 19:21

This is easily the most disturbing sentence I've seen at DT in a while:

Wingklip wrote: ↑- Cockroaches are also very much capacitive and can actuate an IBM buckling spring PCB switch when squished.

And we probably shouldn't bother to check this.

just_add_coffee · 20 May 2017, 19:29

I've had this exact fear buying keyboards off r/mechmarket and Ebay!

Wingklip ... For you, roaches might not be the worst thing you could find in a keyboard. For example, some of the most venomous spiders on the planet call your country "home."

whm1974 · 20 May 2017, 21:47

just_add_coffee wrote: ↑I've had this exact fear buying keyboards off r/mechmarket and Ebay!

Wingklip ... For you, roaches might not be the worst thing you could find in a keyboard. For example, some of the most venomous spiders on the planet call your country "home."

One of the reasons I'm not incline to buy used hardware online. Hell I will not buy used furniture at all for fear of roaches and bedbugs. I know some folks who have gotten begbugs doing that.

seebart · 20 May 2017, 22:04

Cannot confirm that, this is what I've bought (all used) and I've never had any bugs in any keyboards:

wiki/User:Seebart

fohat · 21 May 2017, 00:14

I have found a few small desiccated insect carcasses from time to time, but nothing to worry about.

The good thing about ancient IBM iron is that you can take it completely apart and thoroughly clean and sanitize every square mm of surface area.

tigpha · 21 May 2017, 10:20

Photos? Don't look Over here then! This might have dampened my collector enthusiasm from that moment on. And I have a bathroom to rebuild. Actually, it's the bathroom that has diverted me from keyboards. I will be back!

elecplus · 21 May 2017, 11:10

Borax mixed with powdered sugar will kill both ants and roaches. Borax can be found on the laundry soap aisle. Powdered sugar is also known as confectioner's sugar. Mix 1:1 and sprinkle under sinks, behind appliances, etc. WARNING; TOXIC TO PETS AND CHILDREN.

whm1974 · 22 May 2017, 16:54

Just how common are roach infested keyboards? Sounds like a good reason to quit eating at our computers...

rsbseb · 22 May 2017, 18:46

whm1974 wrote: ↑Just how common are roach infested keyboards? Sounds like a good reason to quit eating at our computers...

The only bugs I have ever found in my collection has been a couple of small dead spiders or spider parts.

Wingklip · 28 May 2017, 01:37

I think it's an inherent problem with the atmega 32u2 on Xwhatsit's controller running too hot. It was smothered in roach poop

MrDuul · 28 May 2017, 18:20

I am scared.

snoopy · 28 May 2017, 18:28

hmm. why did I even open this thread?

MrDuul · 28 May 2017, 18:50

They are always thinking. Ready to ruin our keyboard at anytime.

Wingklip · 29 May 2017, 08:56

I wouldn't mind if roaches would pick up food scraps after us, but this is annoying when they get squished or poop everywhere