WP31s: is the 20B keyboard really that bad?

[MarkHaysHarris777]

(02-03-2015 01:21 AM)BarryMead Wrote:  

(02-02-2015 06:03 PM)MarkHaysHarris777 Wrote:  I am living with missed keystrokes and double keystrokes on my 34s

Eric Rechlin has noticed that a few of the HP-30B's that he modifies have bad keys. He tests every key on the calculator for reliable operation before he converts them into WP-34S calculators. One of the three that I converted has a problematic key. In my case it is the number "4" key that misses keystrokes on occasion.
The issue has something to do with bent over pressure nubs on the back side of the key. There are some articles about fixing the keys in older forum postings. Eric has a box of bad HP-30B's that he has accumulated over the years. In my case if you have one with a "GOOD" keyboard, it always performs perfectly.

Well, I repurposed my third 30b tonight (crystal & caps) with calc_xtal_full.bin on [34S 3.3T 3742] and have been putting it through its paces... noticing that the keyboard is clicking away flawlessly (could not ask for better). My son's unit is working well, or at least well enough that he hasn't complained about it. I wish that the team in China had opted to assemble the unit(s) with small screws, as in the 35s. If I thought I could pop all the plastic rivets on my unit with bad keyboard and somehow get it snapped back together with a solid-but-not-sticky keyboard I think i'd try it... on the other hand, its already broke, right? How much worse could I screw it up (ok, I'll give it a try tomorrow... er, I mean later today).

marcus