let's take apart this Apple keyboard!
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model A1243. I don't really know their product line but... it's just a keyboard.
can't see any screws, maybe they're hidden under these rubber bumpers
it's... stuck together with adhesive. not quite VHB bit something very stubborn. 🤦♂️
ok that was a real pain in the butt and i think I bent the thin aluminum plate in a few spots. probably should have used a heat gun too.
these are all 0402 passives. can apple use anything larger? there's plenty of room, but maybe these parts are cheaper for them.
this seems to be the keyboard controller. there's also a usb hub chip and a power supply.
the keyboard membrane unplugs quite easily. so that's nice
I can't really take this apart any further without getting destructive. the aluminum backing plate is spot welded to the frame in a million different places. 🤦♂️
well, from the other side, at least I can pop a key off. the trick is to pry up on the left side otherwise you'll break off two tiny little hinges.
the mechanism reminds me of a scissor lift.
some of the wider keys have a stabilizer bar so you can push the key anywhere and it won't rock side to side.
starting some more mischief
the membrane from that key looks pretty cool.
here's a cross section of a scissor-style keyboard keyswitch.
These are no longer made (Apple doesn’t make wired keyboards anymore) so try not to destroy it, it has value
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