Fixing The Model F's (XT/AT) Spacebar Stabilizer Design Flaw
Posted: 11 Dec 2020, 02:06
I was reading through darkcruix's technical reference for the Model F, which is very well done, and I saw a discussion on the XT/AT's spacebar stabilizer. The guide recommends against the drilling holes method that avoids taking the entire Model F apart. (Something that is not fun, especially without the right tools.) I'd actually followed unxmaal's example for painting/foam replacement/reassembly. However, the technical reference definitely shows a better way of going about it.
Anyway, a couple years back, I restored my XT keyboard, and in the process of re-assembling I broke the flipper on the spacebar. (Thank you Ellipse for selling me some new flippers! And I'm glad I was finally able to purchase a full keyboard from you!) I ultimately decided that assembling this thing with the spacebar on it was not going to happen.
I read up on the whole drill some holes in it and fish it out with floss thing, but I really didn't like that. So ultimately, I ended up devising something that, in my opinion, is a whole lot more elegant. I simply re-shaped the part of the spacebar that holds the stabilizer bar on. I'd previously shared this info on /r/MK, but I hadn't actually joined DT until about a week ago now. So I think it's worth posting here as well in case it's able to save anyone down the road a myriad of headaches. Below are the two images I'd originally posted to /r/MK, which unfortunately aren't very good. And I don't really have a before picture to post sadly:
As well, here is a link to my original Reddit thread.
With these plastic bits reshaped as is, I am able to remove and replace the spacebar without complete disassembly. It does require a little torsion to do so, but not overly much so. The stabilizer is definitely not going to come off by itself, and I don't feel I've weakened the integrity of the plastic in an appreciable way. Ultimately, I see this as a major oversight in the design of the spacebar, and it's really not a hard one to fix.
Anyway, a couple years back, I restored my XT keyboard, and in the process of re-assembling I broke the flipper on the spacebar. (Thank you Ellipse for selling me some new flippers! And I'm glad I was finally able to purchase a full keyboard from you!) I ultimately decided that assembling this thing with the spacebar on it was not going to happen.
I read up on the whole drill some holes in it and fish it out with floss thing, but I really didn't like that. So ultimately, I ended up devising something that, in my opinion, is a whole lot more elegant. I simply re-shaped the part of the spacebar that holds the stabilizer bar on. I'd previously shared this info on /r/MK, but I hadn't actually joined DT until about a week ago now. So I think it's worth posting here as well in case it's able to save anyone down the road a myriad of headaches. Below are the two images I'd originally posted to /r/MK, which unfortunately aren't very good. And I don't really have a before picture to post sadly:
As well, here is a link to my original Reddit thread.
With these plastic bits reshaped as is, I am able to remove and replace the spacebar without complete disassembly. It does require a little torsion to do so, but not overly much so. The stabilizer is definitely not going to come off by itself, and I don't feel I've weakened the integrity of the plastic in an appreciable way. Ultimately, I see this as a major oversight in the design of the spacebar, and it's really not a hard one to fix.