PowerBook 500 Series Keyboard

[jmacz]

I have had three PowerBook 500 series machines, a 540c and two 540s. On all of them, the keyboards have been stiff. What do I meant by stiff? The key action isn't forgiving and so unless you hit it right in the middle and go vertically down, there's resistance. So if I catch it at a slight angle or catch a corner, the key is reluctant to depress resulting in a very unenjoyable typing experience. Again, I'm 3 for 3 on this sadness.

Now I just picked up a banged up PowerBook 160. The keyboard works and is SO much more enjoyable. Very forgiving. Key action is very nice and very enjoyable.

Question: have I just been unlucky with my 500 series and gotten worn or stiff keyboards? Or were these keyboards just not as good as the older 100 series PowerBooks? Is it just a matter of taking this keyboard apart and re-lube-ing the switches or?

Just blown away by the niceness of the 160 keyboard vs what I have been dealing with on my PB540c.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

They go stiff with age but it isn't consistent. My PB540's keyboard is better than my 540c's. What's interesting is that the 100 series, 500 series, 5300 series, and 3400 series all use what are generally the same key switches. However, the 100 Series keyboards don't go stiff. I think they must have switched the type of plastic that one of the parts is. You can find a good one though. Through several keyboards my 5300ce and 3400c both have keyboards that don't have this problem (yet). The 100 Series keyboard is still better feeling though. I think they have more travel.

 

[jmacz]

Yes, my 5300c keyboard is also very nice. It's just these 500s where I guess I haven't had luck in seeing a good one yet.

Curious whether these can be taken apart for cleaning and whether that even helps?

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

You can try adding a very small amount of lithium grease to the white plastic key plungers and see if that helps. Don't use too much, I'm not sure it would damage the keyboard membrane over time.

The keyboard my 5300ce originally came with was awful, the stiffest of any of the ones I've had so far. Thankfully I've since gotten a much better replacement.

 

[imactheknife]

I have 3 500 series machines and dont have that issue. I keep a running tab of my projects / purchases on my 540 in word. I do love typing on that keyboard. Interesting though.

 

[croissantking]

I haven’t really analysed the keyboards on my 500 series machines, but I do not like their keyboards very much. The key action is one thing but the whole keyboard flexes when you type as it’s not secured down well.

 

[MacUp72]

when I restored my 540c I also noticed bad action on some keys, but they can be disassembled and cleaned..there was a lot of fluff underneath

 

[Powerbook27364]

For what its worth, I have restored several types of keyboards (100 series, 200 series, 500 series, IIc hairspring, ADB Keyboard II) with silicone grease and it works amazingly. A good cleaning to them also helps, but the grease makes it nice and smooth. It can also quiet down the keys a little, especially on the stabilizer bars of certain keys.

 

[jmacz]

Nice, thanks all of you. Looks like I have a project for this weekend.

 

[MacUp72]

I found it to be easiest/secure to unhook the two key's side latches with a fine tool like a tweezer first to unpop it from the base..
interestingly I havent broken off any of these, maybe these are made from a different kind of plastics than the ABS case..

 

[jmacz]

Ok, I ended up taking it all apart and lubing each key.



I got this lube from Amazon (G-Lube) which had good ratings and is safe on plastic and metal. Placed a light coat around the two stems (pictured with red arrows below).







Afterwards it's definitely much better. Each key depresses much more easily and evenly. I would say it's a big improvement. But still not as great the keyboard from this PowerBook 160. I think @3lectr1cPPC was right that the 100 series' keys seem to have more travel which is probably why I like them better. But still, the lube was worth doing.

 

[croissantking]

Hard work - hope it’s a long lasting fix.

 

[jmacz]

Yeah hope so too.

 

[jmacz]

Follow up a year later. The lubrication lasts and keys still feel good.

 

[MacPlus2300]

Follow up a year later. The lubrication lasts and keys still feel good.

Thats Great. I actually kept spare 500 series and 5300 keyboards, and they seem pretty good still. Definitely will have to keep this in mind if anything happens