1040STFM keyboard parts

[MacbthPSW]

I recently got my first Atari ST, a 1040STFM model. It works fine, but in transit the Help and Backspace keys got broken off.

 

The white plastic posts that the keys snap on to got broken, leaving the broken top of the posts stuck up into the two keys.

 

I've got the keyboard apart now. I guess my options are trying to glue the keys back onto the tops of the broken posts, but I'm concerned a bit of glue will get out to the side and cause the whole key to seize up. What about getting replacements for the posts? Is there any other kind of keyboard that uses the same shaped posts? Or are those very specific only to Atari STs? I have lots of spare computers (e.g. Amiga 500s, lots of different PS/2 and older AT style PC keyboards) that could be cannibalized, but no other STs. Thanks for any help.

[MacbthPSW]

Well, what if I was to steal posts from some other less-used keys? What keys are used very infrequently by ST software? Function keys? If so, are there any that are used more often than others by convention (e.g. in the Windows/DOS world, I use F1, F3, F4, F5 and F10 pretty frequently, the others much less so).

[tjlazer]

I have some old 520ST and 1040ST keyboards that I can try to get parts off for you. Do those posts come off?

[MacbthPSW]

I have some old 520ST and 1040ST keyboards that I can try to get parts off for you. Do those posts come off?

Yeah, the posts are individual white pieces that go between the grey springy rubber things that cover the contacts on the keyboard PCB and the keys themselves.

 

I ended up taking the good posts from the F9 and F10 keys for the Backspace and Help keys, and then carefully glued the function keys onto the top of the broken posts. The function keys get extra support from one another and the case because of their shape so hopefully it'll hold up.

 

But if we can figure out if the 1040STFM has the same keyboard parts as the 1040ST you have, I'd be interesting in buying a broken keyboard from you, or something. Thanks!

[Computolio]

The 520/1040/2080/4060STF/STFM/STE all use the exact same keyboard. Hell, the Falcon's keyboard is probably interchangeable as well even though it's a different color.

 

I also need some keyboard parts. I have here a 1040ST with missing Backspace, Help, Undo, ( and - keys. It also has 4 broken key posts.