[SOLVED] Replacing a keyboard that is heat staked in

Jan 12, 2020
3
0
20
The keyboard in this laptop is heat staked to the housing, to remove the old one I am gonna have to cut the steaks the question is how to attach the new one. The off the top of my head methods would be to attempt to re stake it with a soldering iron, or perhaps adhering it in with an epoxy. I am unsure what the correct methodology should be.
 
Solution
What I did here was pretty simple, when I cut the heat steaks out I didn't cut them flush I left enough of a lip I had to force the r/f shield and old keyboard out.

Putting it back in I simply forced the shield over the remaining heat steak nubs and that holds it together well enough you don't notice a difference.
Your mileage may vary if you want it in real good you might want to epoxy it down carefully.
This was a C720 chromebook but should be relevant to most computers assembled similarly, so yeah $6 keyboard rather than a $20 replacement bottom shell not too bad...

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Make and model laptop?

Have you ever done such a thing before or otherwise have soldering skills?

Does not matter if the laptop is expendable and you are just trying to salvage it. I.e., nothing to lose except some time and effort perhaps.

If soldered, the new keyboard should be soldered in. The solder is needed for conductivity as well as adherence.

Just my thoughts on the matter.
 
Jan 12, 2020
3
0
20
What I did here was pretty simple, when I cut the heat steaks out I didn't cut them flush I left enough of a lip I had to force the r/f shield and old keyboard out.

Putting it back in I simply forced the shield over the remaining heat steak nubs and that holds it together well enough you don't notice a difference.
Your mileage may vary if you want it in real good you might want to epoxy it down carefully.
This was a C720 chromebook but should be relevant to most computers assembled similarly, so yeah $6 keyboard rather than a $20 replacement bottom shell not too bad...
 
Solution