I did something really dumb...

[celebrian23]

Before I say it, I know what I did was really stupid, no need to make me feel any stupider than I already do

I had noticed lately my j and v keys were a little sticky, so I got a cue tip and stuck in under them (my macbook pro is currently off while I wait for a new power cord to come in) and I found it popped off. I thought I broke it at first but found I could snap it right back on...now of course why just clean one key when I could clean then all! I think you can guess where I'm going with this...

So all the key caps are off. When I get the brilliant idea why don't I take off the white hinges too! And that was my downfall. Now I have the entire bottom row + 4 keys on the three rows above hinges separated into two hinges and for the life of me I can't get the hinges back together.

And to make matters worse, one of the "nipples" fell off. I'm thinking at this point the only solution is to buy keys from ebay or a store online I found.

Is there any solution for the nipple-less key? Is there any way to get the hinges back together (this option is preferred since I live with my parents and they'll kill me when they find out though I am a legal adult).

*sigh* I must be the stupidest person to walk the earth.

 

[CashGap]

I can't help with the specifics but I will say this:

Good decisions come from experience.
Experience comes from bad decisions.

You'll probably have to buy some keys, etc., but better that this lesson be embedded now than ten years from now when you are working on a nuclear reactor or something.

Good luck, I suspect this will turn out OK.

 

[~~Hello~~]

Whats the problem?

I've had my keyboard apart before, and had some of the hinges off. Those nipple bits do tend to dettach themselves, but you don't have to replace them. Just put them down and press the key down. They don't move anywhere

 

[iToaster]

I remember hearing that Apple stores will give you new keys or something along those lines. Although, I'd need someone to verify this, I think they'll do it for you (though I dunno about $).

 

[bobcan]

Very Messy...

My friend has a DELL which a Key popped Off of.. He learned that the Only Time the Key Cap could be replaced was when the "hinges" were in the UP Position ie. that you could not just Push it back into place as the Key itself was Expanding the Hinges before it was in place to Lock/ Secure...

HE made a little "jig" ( paper clip I think) to keep the Hinges Up and then Slowly massaged/pushed Key Cap into place... BTW: He said it took about an Hour to get it (one key) Back in place.... OUCH!!

Good Luck out there!!

 

[119576]

I recently ripped the spacebar right off my PC keyboard.

I'm not going to bother putting it back on.

 

[e12a]

just go to the apple store, humbly ask about getting new keys.

 

[comebackdwn]

I remember hearing that Apple stores will give you new keys or something along those lines. Although, I'd need someone to verify this, I think they'll do it for you (though I dunno about $).

i had a key that was gone for good. took it to the geniuses. they took it to the back, came out and i had a new key in tact.

however, i dont know if they will do this with many keys.