Removing letters from your keyboard

Se7en · 12-September-04, 04:10 PM

Hi there, i havent been to the forums in a loooong time i used to carry the moinker RH9 but i cant seem to recall my password and dont know what email addy i put it under.

Anyway, ive been doing some work to my laptop, i just painted the top red, im going to get to the bottom when i have enough down time to do it. but i was wondering the best way to take the letters off my keys, not just paint over them but remove them, what solvent would work best etc. Sorry if this has been asked before i did a brief search but didnt turn up anything. Thank you

Iateronmly · 12-September-04, 04:18 PM

Try using a fine sandpaper.

HawkEye_Pierce · 12-September-04, 04:19 PM

They are silkscreened on, in other words, painted on.

Removing them intact is impossible. However you could mask them or get rub-on letters or something.

hernias · 12-September-04, 04:33 PM

If they're painted on you might want to try mineral spirits. Whenever I'm cleaning something and I know it's not too delicate that's the first thing I reach for.

Iateronmly · 12-September-04, 04:35 PM

2nd thought - let me have it for a year. On my 3 year old keyboard I've worn holes through the keys even. Those letters won't stand a chance against my typing

Se7en · 12-September-04, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iateronmly


	2nd thought - let me have it for a year. On my 3 year old keyboard I've worn holes through the keys even. Those letters won't stand a chance against my typing

thats very kind but i think ill try try the spirits approach first

Zer0s · 12-September-04, 04:47 PM

doubt your gonna get it off with mineral spirits....like hawkeye said its silkscreened on. if we coudl removed the lettering with just mineral spirits then all of the lettering on keyboards would have been long gone. they make sure that it will last. but good luck.

JessAlba452 · 12-September-04, 05:06 PM

1500 grit sandpaper works nicely, or you could always try paint thinner.

Zer0s · 12-September-04, 05:09 PM

sanding is an option but then you have to re-paint. unless thats what your getting at. then go for it.

godfoot · 12-September-04, 05:28 PM

I always thought it would be a great gag to use those water decals and put the Klingon alphabet over the letters on someone's keyboard. But maybe I'm just a geek like that.

hernias · 12-September-04, 05:33 PM

I'd be surprised if someone hasn't already tried that.

Water decals suck to put on, no matter how big they are or what you're adhering them to, they suck all the same... I can't imagine putting them on an entire keyboard.

NooDL3 · 12-September-04, 08:00 PM

Yeah or make like a 1337 speak one or a matrix script one

HappyCamper · 12-September-04, 08:16 PM

Very fine steel wool works well, too.

Se7en · 12-September-04, 10:58 PM

well just so you guys dont waste your time, i scrapped the idea, see the keys are on my laptop, and they have delicate prongs that attach them and when you take them off they take quite a bit of stress, im sure atleast a few of the keys would be gonners.

And my intent was to take all the letters off so the next time someone asked to check there email on my lappy and went to hunt and peck thed just give up when they noticed there were no letters

BigAkita · 12-September-04, 11:11 PM

Well, I know you said you weren't going to do it, but a light sanding would work. Then for the new letters you print them out on a clear, thin plastic, then get a fine brush and brush a thin coat of Gorilla Glue over the top of the plastic, making sure that the entire key surface is covered.

lokies_mom · 12-September-04, 11:29 PM

I just took some acetone and a on a cotton swab and my now I have a Ente botton. Took the t right off ! With the r.

Zer0s · 12-September-04, 11:34 PM

Quote:


	and my now I have a Ente botton. Took the t right off !

sorry lokies mom, i didnt understand that.

Iateronmly · 12-September-04, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zer0s


	sorry lokies mom, i didnt understand that.

Think she ment it took the R instead of T right off the end of enter.

lokies_mom · 12-September-04, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iateronmly


	Think she ment it took the R instead of T right off the end of enter.

DUH ! ! Yeah that's what I did . Thanks, later.

cpjlam · 30-September-04, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lokies_mom


	I just took some acetone and a on a cotton swab and my now I have a Ente botton. Took the t right off ! With the r.

If anybody tries the same thing, be careful to not be overzealous about using the acetone. Acetone will dissolve the keys if applied in too large a quantity or if left on too long.

12-September-04, 04:10 PM		#1 (permalink)
Se7en Apex Techie Lite	Removing letters from your keyboard Hi there, i havent been to the forums in a loooong time i used to carry the moinker RH9 but i cant seem to recall my password and dont know what email addy i put it under. Anyway, ive been doing some work to my laptop, i just painted the top red, im going to get to the bottom when i have enough down time to do it. but i was wondering the best way to take the letters off my keys, not just paint over them but remove them, what solvent would work best etc. Sorry if this has been asked before i did a brief search but didnt turn up anything. Thank you

12-September-04, 11:29 PM		#16 (permalink)
lokies_mom PCApex's Mom	I just took some acetone and a on a cotton swab and my now I have a Ente botton. Took the t right off ! With the r. Last edited by lokies_mom; 12-September-04 at 11:41 PM..

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12-September-04, 04:18 PM		#2 (permalink)
Iateronmly Smooth Operator	Try using a fine sandpaper.

12-September-04, 04:19 PM		#3 (permalink)
HawkEye_Pierce Ham Op-Hoe-rator	They are silkscreened on, in other words, painted on. Removing them intact is impossible. However you could mask them or get rub-on letters or something.

12-September-04, 04:33 PM		#4 (permalink)
hernias Apex Techie Lite	If they're painted on you might want to try mineral spirits. Whenever I'm cleaning something and I know it's not too delicate that's the first thing I reach for.

12-September-04, 04:35 PM		#5 (permalink)
Iateronmly Smooth Operator	2nd thought - let me have it for a year. On my 3 year old keyboard I've worn holes through the keys even. Those letters won't stand a chance against my typing

12-September-04, 04:47 PM		#7 (permalink)
Zer0s Apex Tech God	doubt your gonna get it off with mineral spirits....like hawkeye said its silkscreened on. if we coudl removed the lettering with just mineral spirits then all of the lettering on keyboards would have been long gone. they make sure that it will last. but good luck.

12-September-04, 05:06 PM		#8 (permalink)
JessAlba452 X5-452	1500 grit sandpaper works nicely, or you could always try paint thinner.

12-September-04, 05:09 PM		#9 (permalink)
Zer0s Apex Tech God	sanding is an option but then you have to re-paint. unless thats what your getting at. then go for it.

12-September-04, 05:28 PM		#10 (permalink)
godfoot A George Orwell fan...sorta	I always thought it would be a great gag to use those water decals and put the Klingon alphabet over the letters on someone's keyboard. But maybe I'm just a geek like that.

12-September-04, 05:33 PM		#11 (permalink)
hernias Apex Techie Lite	I'd be surprised if someone hasn't already tried that. Water decals suck to put on, no matter how big they are or what you're adhering them to, they suck all the same... I can't imagine putting them on an entire keyboard.

12-September-04, 08:00 PM		#12 (permalink)
NooDL3 Apex Techie Wannabe	Yeah or make like a 1337 speak one or a matrix script one

12-September-04, 08:16 PM		#13 (permalink)
HappyCamper Apex Elite Tech	Very fine steel wool works well, too.

12-September-04, 10:58 PM		#14 (permalink)
Se7en Apex Techie Lite	well just so you guys dont waste your time, i scrapped the idea, see the keys are on my laptop, and they have delicate prongs that attach them and when you take them off they take quite a bit of stress, im sure atleast a few of the keys would be gonners. And my intent was to take all the letters off so the next time someone asked to check there email on my lappy and went to hunt and peck thed just give up when they noticed there were no letters

12-September-04, 11:11 PM		#15 (permalink)
BigAkita n00b-ass reviewer	Well, I know you said you weren't going to do it, but a light sanding would work. Then for the new letters you print them out on a clear, thin plastic, then get a fine brush and brush a thin coat of Gorilla Glue over the top of the plastic, making sure that the entire key surface is covered.