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How to fix broken HP key

 

Hi group,

I have a HP5343A frequency counter with a broken "5" key. It's just like a typical key on any HP 80s instrument. Please see attached pictures.

It looks like it's missing a metal piece that would make contact to the keypad on the PCB. I can't find a replacement key. I think I can glue it back on but how would I fix the contact? I can't find replacement part for it.?

Any idea how to fix it?

Regards,
Calvin

IMG_8168.HEIC
IMG_8169.HEIC
IMG_8170.HEIC

 

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Those look like Bill West switches to me.? They are very common in HP gear, particularly of the 70's and 80's vintage.? There was just a thread on here about them just in the last week or so. You should be able to salvage parts from an instrument keyboard of that vintage.? Where are you?

Daun


On 6/1/2021 2:37 PM, Calvin Guan via groups.io wrote:
Hi group,

I have a HP5343A frequency counter with a broken "5" key. It's just like a typical key on any HP 80s instrument. Please see attached pictures.

It looks like it's missing a metal piece that would make contact to the keypad on the PCB. I can't find a replacement key. I think I can glue it back on but how would I fix the contact? I can't find replacement part for it.?

Any idea how to fix it?

Regards,
Calvin

--
Daun E. Yeagley II, N8ASB
 

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Without having to install another perhaps malware laden program, what is a .HEIC file?? Is there a decoder in Win 10 pro?

?

--jeff
 

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I just met the same issue - it seems to be an Apple invented image format - like the world needs yet another? - that allows extra data to be embedded in the file and a Windows 10 download will 'enhance' the Windows photo app to allow it to be opened, err....no thanks! Sending images as png or jpeg would be better?
Adrian

On 01/06/2021 20:06, J. chang wrote:

Without having to install another perhaps malware laden program, what is a .HEIC file?? Is there a decoder in Win 10 pro?

?

--jeff
 

Hi Jeff,

When I Airdrop them from my phone to my Mac, it uses HEIC format by default -- my bad.

I converted them to JPEG.

Thanks,
Calvin

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, 12:08:10 PM PDT, J. chang <felix1063@...> wrote:


Without having to install another perhaps malware laden program, what is a .HEIC file?? Is there a decoder in Win 10 pro?

?

--jeff

IMG_8168.jpg
IMG_8169.jpg
IMG_8170.jpg

 

Hi Daun,

Thank you for the quick reply. I'm in Orange County, California. I will search the message.?

14:46 at the video shows the missing finger piece that I supposed to have. Looks like I will look for some parts unit from eBay.






Regards,
Calvin

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, 11:59:18 AM PDT, Daun Yeagley <daun@...> wrote:


Those look like Bill West switches to me.? They are very common in HP gear, particularly of the 70's and 80's vintage.? There was just a thread on here about them just in the last week or so. You should be able to salvage parts from an instrument keyboard of that vintage.? Where are you?

Daun


On 6/1/2021 2:37 PM, Calvin Guan via groups.io wrote:
Hi group,

I have a HP5343A frequency counter with a broken "5" key. It's just like a typical key on any HP 80s instrument. Please see attached pictures.

It looks like it's missing a metal piece that would make contact to the keypad on the PCB. I can't find a replacement key. I think I can glue it back on but how would I fix the contact? I can't find replacement part for it.?

Any idea how to fix it?

Regards,
Calvin

--
Daun E. Yeagley II, N8ASB
 

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Ah, now I can see it - thanks! Silly question, are you sure it isn't skulking inside the instrument somewhere? The spring is the usual part that goes walkabout and I've generally recovered them from nooks and crannies within the chassis!

Adrian

On 01/06/2021 20:27, Calvin Guan via groups.io wrote:

Hi Jeff,

When I Airdrop them from my phone to my Mac, it uses HEIC format by default -- my bad.

I converted them to JPEG.

Thanks,
Calvin

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, 12:08:10 PM PDT, J. chang <felix1063@...> wrote:


Without having to install another perhaps malware laden program, what is a .HEIC file?? Is there a decoder in Win 10 pro?

?

--jeff
 

This is a HP5343A 26.5 Ghz counter. I got it from ebay as non-working unit, as CPU won't reset. I took it apart and fixed it.?

I didn't see the missing piece while I was working on it. Now I know what the finger piece looks like. I will take it apart again and try to find the missing piece...

Thanks,
Calvin

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, 12:44:53 PM PDT, Adrian <adrian@...> wrote:


Ah, now I can see it - thanks! Silly question, are you sure it isn't skulking inside the instrument somewhere? The spring is the usual part that goes walkabout and I've generally recovered them from nooks and crannies within the chassis!

Adrian

On 01/06/2021 20:27, Calvin Guan via groups.io wrote:
Hi Jeff,

When I Airdrop them from my phone to my Mac, it uses HEIC format by default -- my bad.

I converted them to JPEG.

Thanks,
Calvin

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, 12:08:10 PM PDT, J. chang <felix1063@...> wrote:


Without having to install another perhaps malware laden program, what is a .HEIC file?? Is there a decoder in Win 10 pro?

?

--jeff
 

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That's another reason I don't care for Apple...? They always have to do it "their way".?? Plus, you have to use a special viewer, which is featureless.? Don't get me started.

Daun



On 6/1/2021 3:27 PM, Calvin Guan via groups.io wrote:
Hi Jeff,

When I Airdrop them from my phone to my Mac, it uses HEIC format by default -- my bad.

I converted them to JPEG.

Thanks,
Calvin

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, 12:08:10 PM PDT, J. chang <felix1063@...> wrote:


Without having to install another perhaps malware laden program, what is a .HEIC file?? Is there a decoder in Win 10 pro?

?

--jeff


--
Daun E. Yeagley II, N8ASB
 

The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) also supports HEIF/HEIC in
recent versions.

On Tue, 1 Jun 2021 at 17:50, Daun Yeagley <daun@...> wrote:

That's another reason I don't care for Apple... They always have to do it "their way". Plus, you have to use a special viewer, which is featureless. Don't get me started.

Daun



On 6/1/2021 3:27 PM, Calvin Guan via groups.io wrote:

Hi Jeff,

When I Airdrop them from my phone to my Mac, it uses HEIC format by default -- my bad.

I converted them to JPEG.

Thanks,
Calvin

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, 12:08:10 PM PDT, J. chang <felix1063@...> wrote:


Without having to install another perhaps malware laden program, what is a .HEIC file? Is there a decoder in Win 10 pro?



--jeff


--
Daun E. Yeagley II, N8ASB
Sandra Carroll
 

You can go to settings/camera/format and change to compatible and it will save in jpg/h264 format instead except for things like 60fps video. Details are there in the settings.

Sandra

Sent from my iPhone 7 Plus

On Jun 1, 2021, at 9:59 PM, Bryce Schroeder <bryce.schroeder@...> wrote:

?The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) also supports HEIF/HEIC in
recent versions.

On Tue, 1 Jun 2021 at 17:50, Daun Yeagley <daun@...> wrote:

That's another reason I don't care for Apple... They always have to do it "their way". Plus, you have to use a special viewer, which is featureless. Don't get me started.

Daun



On 6/1/2021 3:27 PM, Calvin Guan via groups.io wrote:

Hi Jeff,

When I Airdrop them from my phone to my Mac, it uses HEIC format by default -- my bad.

I converted them to JPEG.

Thanks,
Calvin

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, 12:08:10 PM PDT, J. chang <felix1063@...> wrote:


Without having to install another perhaps malware laden program, what is a .HEIC file? Is there a decoder in Win 10 pro?



--jeff


--
Daun E. Yeagley II, N8ASB
 

Before you go gluing stuff together, let me tell you, do NOT use glue.
Figure out what plastic is being used, and use a PLASTIC WELDING
COMPOUND. It consists of a solvent (which quickly evaporates) that
softens the plastic, possibly some plastic stock dissolved in it, and
some surface preparation chemicals. Every plastic has a different
plastic welding compound. In the end you're working with something
that has the consistency of putty. If you get those tiny metal
spatulas, like used for ceramics and pottery, they are perfect for
shaping that stuff. You can easily rebuild the missing plastic part
this way. You can also get a piece of the same plastic that's the same
shape as the missing "finger", and use that as part of the
reconstruction.

On Tue, Jun 1, 2021 at 9:29 PM Calvin Guan via groups.io
<guancalvin@...> wrote:

Hi Jeff,

When I Airdrop them from my phone to my Mac, it uses HEIC format by default -- my bad.

I converted them to JPEG.

Thanks,
Calvin

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, 12:08:10 PM PDT, J. chang <felix1063@...> wrote:


Without having to install another perhaps malware laden program, what is a .HEIC file? Is there a decoder in Win 10 pro?



--jeff
 

On Tue, Jun 1, 2021 at 08:59 PM, Daun Yeagley wrote:
Those look like Bill West switches to me.? They are very common in HP gear, particularly of the 70's and 80's vintage.? There was just a thread on here about them just in the last week or so. You should be able to salvage parts from an instrument keyboard of that vintage.? Where are you?
In case you go looking for a key switch parts donor, a (broken) HP 3437A would be a very good (and undervalued) candidate. They are offered regularly at acceptable prices and the Bill West keys in them are not heat-staked to the PCB but only held by a screw-attached bracket, so very convenient for use as replacement parts.

Raymond
 

Has anyone tried 3D printing those switches?
 

Most people can't 3d print metal :-)

Calvin,
If no one in the USA can give you one, I can put a contact in the post if you PM me your address.

Robert G8RPI (Cambridge UK)
 

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Shapeways can

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Robert G8RPI via groups.io
Sent: 02 June 2021 18:14
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment] How to fix broken HP key

?

Most people can't 3d print metal :-)

Calvin,
If no one in the USA can give you one, I can put a contact in the post if you PM me your address.

Robert G8RPI (Cambridge UK)

 

isn't the part that breaks out of plastic anyways?

On Wed, Jun 2, 2021 at 10:08 PM David C. Partridge
<david.partridge@...> wrote:

Shapeways can



From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Robert G8RPI via groups.io
Sent: 02 June 2021 18:14
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment] How to fix broken HP key



Most people can't 3d print metal :-)

Calvin,
If no one in the USA can give you one, I can put a contact in the post if you PM me your address.

Robert G8RPI (Cambridge UK)
 

This comes up often enough that it would be useful for someone to actually measure one of those pieces with a micrometer. McMaster-Carr sells individual feeler gauge 12" strips in almost any thickness. I just happen to have some .002" feeler stock that I've already cut up for another purpose, in case that's what is needed, but I suspect what's needed here is thicker.

Is this spring part of the electrical path? If not, spring steel, often called "blue steel" would be a good choice. This is also available from M-C in lots of thicknesses.

If someone would measure and share the L, W, & T, replacement springs should be easy to make. Thin stock can be cut with scissors.
 

The spring is called a buckle spring.

In its actual use, it is "L" shaped with the top of the
"L" restrained by a notch in the button shaft, and the
right end of the "L" restrained by a notch in the key
switch frame.

Its purpose is to sit in an "L" shape, holding the button
in the full up position, until the button is pressed hard
enough, compressing the top of the "L" until it causes its
bottom of the "L" to buckle.

When the spring buckles, the button quickly drops down, and
causes an internal contact to make.

Another way to visualize it pressing on the button causes:

L -> h

It is not a contact, just a spring. It is 0.0022" thick,
measured with a Starrett ten thousandths micrometer.

It is made of spring steel... just like a feeler gauge.

There have been dozens of posts on the subject on this
group... some of them even by me. Try searching.

-Chuck Harris


On Thu, 03 Jun 2021 08:33:22 -0700 "Jim Adney" <jadney@...>
wrote:
This comes up often enough that it would be useful for someone to
actually measure one of those pieces with a micrometer. McMaster-Carr
sells individual feeler gauge 12" strips in almost any thickness. I
just happen to have some .002" feeler stock that I've already cut up
for another purpose, in case that's what is needed, but I suspect
what's needed here is thicker.

Is this spring part of the electrical path? If not, spring steel,
often called "blue steel" would be a good choice. This is also
available from M-C in lots of thicknesses.

If someone would measure and share the L, W, & T, replacement springs
should be easy to make. Thin stock can be cut with scissors.
 

As Chuck points out there are many threads on this.... however to get the overall dimensions I just clamped one in the 1/2" jaws of an engineers parallel clamp to prevent the afore-mentioned buckling and measured it using these new-fangled mm units with a Mitutoyo 0.001mm micrometer and got:

L=14.12mm? W= 3.65mm and T=0.055mm

which, in good old-fashioned units would translate to:

L=0.556" W=0.144" and (as Chuck says) T=0.00216"

I have found that 2 thou (AKA mil) feeler gauge (gage) stock cut with small tinsnips works just fine.

Adrian

On 03/06/2021 17:20, Chuck Harris wrote:
The spring is called a buckle spring.

In its actual use, it is "L" shaped with the top of the
"L" restrained by a notch in the button shaft, and the
right end of the "L" restrained by a notch in the key
switch frame.

Its purpose is to sit in an "L" shape, holding the button
in the full up position, until the button is pressed hard
enough, compressing the top of the "L" until it causes its
bottom of the "L" to buckle.

When the spring buckles, the button quickly drops down, and
causes an internal contact to make.

Another way to visualize it pressing on the button causes:

L -> h

It is not a contact, just a spring. It is 0.0022" thick,
measured with a Starrett ten thousandths micrometer.

It is made of spring steel... just like a feeler gauge.

There have been dozens of posts on the subject on this
group... some of them even by me. Try searching.

-Chuck Harris


On Thu, 03 Jun 2021 08:33:22 -0700 "Jim Adney" <jadney@...>
wrote:
This comes up often enough that it would be useful for someone to
actually measure one of those pieces with a micrometer. McMaster-Carr
sells individual feeler gauge 12" strips in almost any thickness. I
just happen to have some .002" feeler stock that I've already cut up
for another purpose, in case that's what is needed, but I suspect
what's needed here is thicker.

Is this spring part of the electrical path? If not, spring steel,
often called "blue steel" would be a good choice. This is also
available from M-C in lots of thicknesses.

If someone would measure and share the L, W, & T, replacement springs
should be easy to make. Thin stock can be cut with scissors.

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