My beloved Apple //E has suddenly got 2 faulty keyswitches. I am pretty sure one of them was unnoticed for a while as it was on a rarely used symbol and only once I got another more obvious failure and decided to test the keyboard did I pick it up.
I am in the UK and i would love to say it is slim pickings online as I cannot find anything. There is a gentleman selling a few of those keyswitches for over $160 and I knowe customs and postage will get that amount to over $200. Another seller is more realistic at $12 per switch but again there is a huge charge for postage to the UK.
Then I realised I had 2 different apple II/e keyswitches I can trade to anybody interested. I need 2 ALPS long (white) stem version and I have 2 SMK long (black) stem to trade. Can anybody help?
Many thanks!
If they suddenly got faulty, they are fine. You just need to clean them. My Apple IIe also has the ALPS long stem, and of all my Apple II machines they are the most reliable. When I first got this Apple IIe I also thought that it had a few dead keys, but it turns out they just needed cleaning.
Since you live in Europe, you need to get a hold of this: F-02 Flux Remover.
F-02.jpg
This is pure isopropyl alcohol in a spray and it evaporates completely leaving no spots behind. It has a brush, but you can remove it and put a straw in its place. It also does not conduct electricity, so you don’t need to wait for it to evaporate and you can do this with the machine on.
Simply remove the keycap and spray it at the base of the stem, so it gets inside the key enclosure. Then move the stem up and down a few times and at the same time apply side pressure in each direction as if you are trying to grind the walls. The problematic keys will be as good as new.
Dr. Buggie out in Gallup, NM usually is selling //e keyswitches on eBay... Last I remember he was asking around $8 per switch. But as you say, postage to the UK won't be cheap.