reattaching a key onto T40p keyboard

[Tom]

I had the clever idea of cleaning my keyboard w/ a vacuum cleaner, and got what I deserved: slurped the "End" key right off the keyboard. I retrieved it from the innards of the vacuum, but cannot reattach: can't get the little plastic "saw horse" underneath the key itself to nest with the various slots on the housing. Black part at the top seems to click into place, but the two little feet of the other, white half of the "sawhorse" don't.

Is there a correct method here?

Many thanks,
Tom

[t41user]

I find it impossible to re-attach completely detached keys. However, several people on this forum report that they can do it and that it's not so hard to do. I join you in asking for detailed help on this matter. I have a key that I have been able to re-attach only partially.

[stgreek]

Make sure that the two little plastics create the letter X (from the side), but dont have them completely open. When you reattach it, they will slide into place and click. At least that how I remember it working out, every time I acidentaly remove a key when replacing keayboards and such. What I can assure you, is that it can be done.

Stavros

[awolfe63]

Gee - I just pushed and mine went back on. Maybe I was just lucky.

[t41user]

under my backspace key, for instance, there are three major things to re-attach: one wide metal wire that attaches just above the edge of the key, and two smaller pieces of plastic (connected to one another at the center with a joint or axis of sorts). the two smaller pieces of plastic each attach to the edges of the (underside of the) key. one of the two smaller pieces of plastic attaches just below or beneath the wider piece of metal. i can attach the wide piece of metal and one of the two smaller pieces of plastic but not the other smaller piece of plastic. i imagine that when other people succeed in re-attaching their keys, they succeed in connecting the aforementioned three pieces by pressing the key down on them. that does not work for me. i do not see how to attach individually these three pieces into the three slots under the key that they are supposed to fit into.

[runixd]

I have actually detached and reatached my entire keyboard while cleaning it (man, half my head was inside). It does consist of three bits under the keyboard and most of the time I succeeded in disconnecting the whole key, then its easier to reattach, but sometime the connection breaks. Its still fairly easy to put it back together, but is probably rather hard to explain, best thing is to detach another key and see how it comes together. I assure you, entire key can be fully detached, desassembled and then put together. It just takes some time and patience, just look at some other key.

[baertracks]

Take a look at this post
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=6748

The detailed description by javanaut helped me in relacing a key that had come completely unattached.

Actually, what finally worked for me was to take off the top portion of another key (like the PrtSc key). Then I could really see and understand how the "sawhorse" piece fit into place.

Regards,
FRANK

[goodgirl]

The same happened to me, a bit overenthusiastic with the vacuum cleaner .. I would like one of these USB vacuum cleaners especially for keyboards!

I had to get the Ctrl key out of the vacuum cleaner, but it couldn't have been easier to put it back on!

I just placed it into position and pushed it down evenly until it clicked into place, no trick involved ... that's on a T42p

First I honestly also checked how to get it back on with a more gentle approach, but finding that a bit too confusing, the pushing down on it worked just fine.

[Tom]

Many thanks to all folks who pitched in on this one -- I followed various pieces of advice (particularly javanaut's painstaking desc. and the notion of popping off another key to have a look under the hood, which I did w/ considerable trepidation), and eventually reached a happy outcome. Feel like my brain is fully operational again (such as it is).

Thanks again. This is a great resource.

Cheers,
Tom