Help with removing the stem for a plate mounted MX switch

[Verrucosus]

HI,

 

I have a SteelSeries 7G keyboard (MX black, Plate mounted) that i bought second hand, about half a year ago.

 

A while back, the stem for the CTRL key broke (No idea how that happened) and i need to replace it, so far ive been using super glue to hold it in place.

 

I have a spare switch from which i can pull the stem from and replace it, but its pulling the top part of the switch off.

 

Ive read that the only way to completely remove the switch is to desolder it, but i'm not very confident with soldering, but i haven't seen anything about removing only the top part while still attached to the board.

 

What are my options? Is there an easy way to fix this?

 

Please look at the photo i have attached to get your bearings.

 

 

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[ShadowCaptain]

but i haven't seen anything about removing only the top part while still attached to the board.

 

 

Dont think its possible without disassembly and de-soldering sorry

[Verrucosus]

Hmmmmm, ok, i can potentially get someone with a bit more experience with soldering to do it for me, but thanks for the response anyway

[Robi_g]

You have no control over the situation.
But I think there are 4 pins you can push in on the top of Cherry switches that allow you to remove the top of the switch. You could then buy a new switch and put the top of that one on without any desoldering required.

 

But soldering isn't difficult, and you're unlikely to break anything if you're careful.

 

If niether of them sound like a good idea then you could drill out a small hole in the bit of the switch still remaining, then glue a cocktail stick into it and ghetto it up.

 

Last, last resort, cover everything in hot glue.

[Verrucosus]

I do have a completely new switch, are you saying that i should break the top part and snap the new one in place? with the stem?  

[STRMfrmXMN]

@TheProfosist you have been called

[TheProfosist]

Open up the board and desolder the switch. Make sure you get all of the solder out of the pad. There are clips on the top and bottom of the switch that you have to depress to pull the switch out once desolded. Any other suggestions @Charger ?

[Charger]

You have no control over the situation.

But I think there are 4 pins you can push in on the top of Cherry switches that allow you to remove the top of the switch. You could then buy a new switch and put the top of that one on without any desoldering required.

Doesn't work like that with plate mounted switches because the plate locks in on. The switch needs to be desoldered

Open up the board and desolder the switch. Make sure you get all of the solder out of the pad. There are clips on the top and bottom of the switch that you have to depress to pull the switch out once desolded. Any other suggestions @Charger ?

sounds about right all i can really add is a bad way to do it

I have removed a full keyboard is switches with just a soldering iron by pressing on the middle of the switch from the bottom and heating up both pins alternating between them with the iron. It works but you need to be careful doing it like that to not mess up the PCB and you would need to heat the pads back up when trying to get the new switch in with this method because the solder will stay on the pcb and add some more solder when the switch is in place

Its best to buy a cheap desolder pump(around $5 online) and use that in conjunction with a soldering iron and solder to do it correctly

[TheProfosist]

Doesn't work like that with plate mounted switches because the plate locks in on. The switch needs to be desoldered

sounds about right all i can really add is a bad way to do it

I have removed a full keyboard is switches with just a soldering iron by pressing on the middle of the switch from the bottom and heating up both pins alternating between them with the iron. It works but you need to be careful doing it like that to not mess up the PCB and you would need to heat the pads back up when trying to get the new switch in with this method because the solder will stay on the pcb and add some more solder when the switch is in place

Its best to buy a cheap desolder pump(around $5 online) and use that in conjunction with a soldering iron and solder to do it correctly

i cant reall recommend that since a desoldering bulb (cheap version of a pump for fully adequate) is a couple bucks a most. Also if your not getting temp controlled iron you want the lowest wattage one they sell.