How to Make a Functional Keyboard From One "broken"

by jfilipeff in Circuits > Computers

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How to Make a Functional Keyboard From One "broken"

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So if you are like me and have some old case with a keyboard from your old tablet, and you don't use it anymore, or you just have bought the wrong USB type, and you need a new keyboard for something else let's say a raspberry pi this is the best way to save some bucks

Gathering All Parts That You Gonna Need

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First you need to gather all the tools and materials you may need

List of things:
The case with keyboard
http://goo.gl/AOCm6C
Wood box
I get mine you a local supermarket
Soldering machine(30w or higher)
Solder
Sharp blade
Screw driver
Pliers
Old USB cable
Glue (don't use hot glue, wood glue it's perfect to this work)

Cutting the Old One the Right Way.

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On this step you to cut the case with a razor, but be careful to not cut the wire because you may need. But don't throw away the case because you nows if you aren't gonna need to something else later.
Tip: cut the with line only and you will be fine.

Soldering Stage

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On this step you will solder the new USB cable to the keyboard, use the USB schematics to do it the right way, take your time and do it right.
Tip: usually in the vcc, data+, data- and ground are identified on the keyboard controller,

Now You Gonna Need to Work on the Wood Case

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Now you gonna need to disassemble the wood case, but do it carefully because this wood is fragile, take your one time do be rush

It's Time to Take Some Measures, Cuts and Glowing

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After you have measured your keyboard, draw in the wood your idea like I did, I did actually wanted a frame around the keyboard, just to look cool.
After drawing, it's cutting time and sand the pieces of wood to get the "high-end" look.
At the time to glow everything, place the keyboard in the wood to see if everything is like it should be, and then first glue one of the sides, then put the keyboard on it again and glue the other side, just remember to don't glue the keyboard but before gluing cut the hole for the controller, if you did everything correctly, you can glue the top and bottom frame wood.

The Grand Finale

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To finish the work sand the edges and the wood it self, and if you want you can varnish the wood to look really cool, I didn't do that because, I didn't have varnish wood, I the proposal of doing all this was to make a new keyboard without spending a buck.
After the sand and the varnish work just connect everything and check if is everything working the way it should.
Tip:
If wen you press a button and the keyboard notes two letters you may have to re-weld the wires, in that case good work.