Series 80 keyboard cleaning

[Paul Berger (Canada)]

(02-20-2016 07:29 AM)gferluga Wrote:  Definitely there are some square tube not in nice shape.
About TI-99, that's good news as I have half dozen of that machines.
I can try that way, too.

One more question: Can I swap keyboards between the same model series? Ie 86A with 86B or 87A with 87XM?

I would expect you can as I believe the 86A and 86B have the same layout, and even the 87s may have the same layout, but I only have a 86B so I cannot compare them.

The square tube are easily swapped, they have clips on the bottom that hold them in and you take them out by pulling straight up on them. There is apparently an official tool for doing this, but I use pliers to grip them. There is a spring under them, so watch it does not go flying off into a corner under you workbench. When putting them back in make sure the bar that separates the contacts is oriented correctly. The contacts are pretty easy to replace too, desolder on the bottom of the board and pull them out through the top.

Paul.