HINTS-29

 CLEANING THE Z88 KEYBOARD

 1.Turn  over  the  machine.   On  the lower half of the back you have a)one
   screw near the centre - remove it  b) three screws on the left  -  remove
   the  bottom  two and slacken the top one  c) remove the two screws on the
   right.  The very bottom screws are under "feet" so these will have to be
   pulled off

 2.On  the  right-hand  side,  under the leg is another screw - slacken this
      one.

 3.Turn over again.  Ease up the front of the keyboard and draw it forward
   until you can get your fingers  on  the  two  connecting  strips  on  the
   right-hand side, from the keyboard to the "innards".

 4.Pull these two strips forward, out of their connecting boxes.

 5.Remove  the  keyboard.   Turn  it over and push out, carefully, the three
 rubber protrusions which hold the three elements of the keyboard  together.
 You now have the three parts - rubber, membrane and backing.

 6.The only "repair" you can carry out is to clean the top  surface  of  the
 membrane,  but  this  usually  is  enough.   Do this CAREFULLY with a clean
 lint-free cloth and a little solvent - surgical spirit, isopropyl alchohol,
 vodka,  or  whatever you would use to clean your HiFi tape heads.  Let this
 dry naturally. Brush the underside of the rubber keyboard, carefully.

 7.Now  you  have  the  only difficult part - getting the three rubber bungs
 back into place - and this YOU MUST DO.  Put the  membrane  to  the  rubber
 first,  the  correct  way  around of course - you'll see which way is right
 quite easily.

 8.Now   put  the  backing  plate  up  against  the  membrane,  making  sure
 that the slight cutaway on this plate is where the two strips come out from
 the  keyboard.   Get the three rubber bungs back through the backing plate,
 one at a time.  Push like hell with the thumb of one hand  while  you  pick
 away with your longest fingernail of the other hand until it pops through -
 not as difficult as some say - just be determined that you  will  get  them
 through, and you will succeed.

 9.Now  to  put  it  all  back.  Hold the keyboard in the left hand and with
 your right, put the right-hand strip flat on to the components in front  of
 its  connecting box,  Moisten your middle finger very slightly, place it on
 the strip and push.  Just remember that the bottom of the hole is not flush
 with the board on which the box sits; its a little over 1 mm up.

 10.Not  disturbing  that  one  (  easily  done  !  )  do  the same with the
 left  strip  and  then  replace  the  keyboard,  sliding  it  gently  under
 the screen surround.

 11.Before  securing  the  keyboard  again  just  give  it  a  small test to
 ensure  that  all  is  well.   Before  finally  tightening   all   of   the
 screws just ensure that the rubber surround of the keyboard is  tidy  -  no
 bulges anywhere !




      Jack Lawrie, 15 Sycamore Grove, Southam, Leamington Spa. CV33 0EY

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