Rescuing a Model M barrel plate from my botched screw mod
Posted: 16 Sep 2020, 20:34
First post, hi!
In my eagerness to complete a screw mod on my Model M SSK, I used entirely too large screws. As a result, well, it's perhaps easier to show you.
In case the photo isn't clear, the plate is bent upwards on either side of the screw holes, relative to how the keyboard would be when in use.
The end result is that I've got a few pairs of keys where the caps snag each other, making typing a nightmare and potentially causing both keys to press at once. I've contacted Unicomp and currently at least, they don't have any SSK barrel frames.
I've discussed it with my housemate and we've come up with a few possible solutions.
1. Drill extra holes into the dead space of the barrel plate and back plate and cut the mat and membranes to accommodate extra bolts to try and force the barrel plate back into shape. This seems like the trickiest approach, and was really just the first idea I had.
2. Cut away the damaged areas and fill them with some Humbrol model filler and clamp the barrel plate and back plate together whilst it dries, then redo the mod, possibly with bolts instead of screws.
3. Cut away the damaged areas and just use a bolt there instead of a screw. This really just occurred to me as I was typing the post and I'm not sure how much good it would even do.
4. Sand down the edges of the keycaps I've ordered from Unicomp to prevent the keys from snagging each other. This is almost certainly the easiest solution, but I'd much prefer to get the barrel plate closer to being straight, if possible.
I'm wondering what your opinions are? Anyone have any other suggestions or a similar experience?
And yeah, I know I'm a colossal idiot. Lessons learned and what have you.
In my eagerness to complete a screw mod on my Model M SSK, I used entirely too large screws. As a result, well, it's perhaps easier to show you.
In case the photo isn't clear, the plate is bent upwards on either side of the screw holes, relative to how the keyboard would be when in use.
The end result is that I've got a few pairs of keys where the caps snag each other, making typing a nightmare and potentially causing both keys to press at once. I've contacted Unicomp and currently at least, they don't have any SSK barrel frames.
I've discussed it with my housemate and we've come up with a few possible solutions.
1. Drill extra holes into the dead space of the barrel plate and back plate and cut the mat and membranes to accommodate extra bolts to try and force the barrel plate back into shape. This seems like the trickiest approach, and was really just the first idea I had.
2. Cut away the damaged areas and fill them with some Humbrol model filler and clamp the barrel plate and back plate together whilst it dries, then redo the mod, possibly with bolts instead of screws.
3. Cut away the damaged areas and just use a bolt there instead of a screw. This really just occurred to me as I was typing the post and I'm not sure how much good it would even do.
4. Sand down the edges of the keycaps I've ordered from Unicomp to prevent the keys from snagging each other. This is almost certainly the easiest solution, but I'd much prefer to get the barrel plate closer to being straight, if possible.
I'm wondering what your opinions are? Anyone have any other suggestions or a similar experience?
And yeah, I know I'm a colossal idiot. Lessons learned and what have you.
