HP 97 snapped key

[synthi]

Hello friends

I've just received a working hp97
but the key "SIGMA+" (Σ+) was snapped during the shipping

luckily the spring and the cap were still in the bag.

What's the correct procedure to reattach/glue it ?

thanks!
Antonio

[Hiwi]

Hi Antonio, that is a bit tricky.
I tried to glue it with CA, but it does not work very well.
I then made a new connection rod from a piece of Carbon and drilled a 1mm hole into the keycap and one into the rod that is still in the calculator.
The best way is to dismantle the calc and glue it on a table.
If you have no luck, i can send you a "new" E+ key from a donor HP97 free of any charge :-)
Ralf

[John Garza (3665)]

That must be some pretty rough treatment of the package to do that!

You can try Epoxy or Gorilla Glue.

-J

[teenix]

That happened to me as well.

I don't know if "Fragile" stickers on the parcels help, the cynic in me says probably not.

The key shafts have a 4 pole spline on them to make sure the key just goes up and down, not turn. This is molded slightly rotated from the key head for some reason, (I assume on all of them), so if you do glue it make sure both parts are lined up properly in all of the XYZ axis.

For me, it this was near impossible, as the break was split down the shaft at an angle, not just a clean snap, and I could never get the key to fit back into place without binding. I was lucky someone generous like Ralf offered a donor and saved the day.

cheers

Tony

[synthi]

Yesterday I've experimented like you did

failure

I noticed like you

- there is only one correct position for the shaft
- is slightly rotated (like 20º)
- the snapped part won't let me superglue correctly
- increasing the glue was ok, but too much glue don't let your key to go down on press

complete failure



Regarding the packaging: if only the seller should have added a couple of layers of plastic bubble of 1 cm (or just one layer of 2 cm)

Thanks

Antonio

(12-12-2023 10:37 PM)teenix Wrote:  That happened to me as well.

I don't know if "Fragile" stickers on the parcels help, the cynic in me says probably not.

The key shafts have a 4 pole spline on them to make sure the key just goes up and down, not turn. This is molded slightly rotated from the key head for some reason, (I assume on all of them), so if you do glue it make sure both parts are lined up properly in all of the XYZ axis.

For me, it this was near impossible, as the break was split down the shaft at an angle, not just a clean snap, and I could never get the key to fit back into place without binding. I was lucky someone generous like Ralf offered a donor and saved the day.

cheers

Tony

[synthi]

failure...

(check my other reply!)

-A

(12-12-2023 02:04 PM)John Garza (3665) Wrote:  That must be some pretty rough treatment of the package to do that!

You can try Epoxy or Gorilla Glue.

-J

[synthi]

(12-12-2023 01:58 PM)Hiwi Wrote:  Hi Antonio, that is a bit tricky.
I tried to glue it with CA, but it does not work very well.

no success for me, very very difficult
(check my other replies)

(12-12-2023 01:58 PM)Hiwi Wrote:  I then made a new connection rod from a piece of Carbon and drilled a 1mm hole into the keycap and one into the rod that is still in the calculator.
The best way is to dismantle the calc and glue it on a table.

dismantled completely, but no success...
(no rod, too difficult for me)

(12-12-2023 01:58 PM)Hiwi Wrote:  If you have no luck, i can send you a "new" E+ key from a donor HP97 free of any charge :-)
Ralf

I had no luck...

[John Garza (3665)]

superglue = CA
superglue != epoxy

You could try texturing the surfaces - dimples/etc. before gluing.

Also try heat - a few passes near a micro torch to get the plastic soft - then join them and some reshaping if needed.

-J

[Dreato]

I PM'ed you. I have a key to spare.

Regards,
Dave

[synthi]

Thank you!
But Ignazio already kindly sent me a "NEW/OLD stock" part!

thank you to everyone

(I'll let you know if I was able to "remount" the calculator correctly !)

Antonio

(12-16-2023 04:33 AM)Dreato Wrote:  I PM'ed you. I have a key to spare.

Regards,
Dave