[sdiy] cleaning squishy rubber buttons

[Bob Weigel]

On 1/7/2012 7:06 PM, Robin Whittle wrote:
> I once used alcohol (ethyl as "methylated spirits" or isopropyl alcohol,
> I don't remember which) to clean the conductive rubber discs.  This
> caused them to become less conductive or non-conductive.  While I think
> this is probably not the usual behavior, I never did this again.
>
> For the rubber contacts, I use a fresh piece of wet-and-dry black
> silicon carbide abrasive paper.  240 grit is probably a good choice.  I
> lightly abrade away the polished surface to create a fresh conductive
> rubber surface.
>
> For black-coated PCB inter-digitated contact fingers, I have just used
> isopropyl alcohol.  Likewise for gold plated contact fingers, but I have
> occasionally been tempted to very lightly roughen them with some
> abrasive paper, probably with a finer grit, say 400, than what I used
> for the rubber contacts.
>
>    - Robin          http://www.firstpr.com.au/rwi/dfish/
>
>
>
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>
>    
I always just put on one of the superior 'contact disks' to resurface 
the old contact.  They have better characteristics than the original 
material and so far haven't had any fall off :-).  Quick, and easy to 
replace if anything does go wrong like a bent while installing that can 
happen if you aren't careful.

We have a lot of 'track record' on these now and so far nothing but 
great feedback from people.  I think I'm the only one that's had any 
keyboard where I've replaced one contact a couple times and it STILL 
screws up now and then on a Prophet 600!  lol.  Cant' figure that one...

But they are great for buttons OR key contacts of the rubber impregnated 
with carbon type.

http://sounddoctorin.com/synthtec/parts/key.htm#polycontacts

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