Keytops

[Gregory Torres]

Willem,

I think the problem is the solvents in the 3M spray adhesive. It is a lot stronger
chemically than rubber cement, and it will eat into the plastic although you can
still use naphtha to clean it when it is still fresh. I had a similar experience.
I don't believe it is the keytops themselves because when I used the latex based
adhesives I have never had this problem.

And you can buff keytops if they are acrylic plastic. Only the white abs top from
Vagias can be buffed. The others (Vagias) are made of a softer plastic. The molded
tops from American Supply can also be buffed.
It is handy to be able to buff a scratch out especially when you happen to
accidentally scratch one when installing. JMHO

Regards,
Greg Torres

Wimblees wrote:

> In a message dated 98-05-21 11:21:37 EDT, you write:
>
> >1. What is the appropiate, or personally preferred, adhesive for Vagias tops?
> >2. Do they buff up well?
> >3. Is there a style that someone would recommend that I not use?
> >Thanks.
> >Jim Bryant (FL)
>
> Jim:
>
> For adheasive, I would recommend the same stuff you use for other keytops. I
> use 3M's spray adheasive. This stuff is rubber cement in a spray can.
>
> I have never heard of having to buff up plasitc keytops. It would seem to me
> that using a buffing machine might actually scratch, if not burn, the plastic.
> To get the rubber cement off the pastic keytops, I use naptha.
>
> I don't know about style, but I want to relate a problem I had with Vagias
> tops about 15 years ago. I used the ivory grain top. After about a year, the
> customer complained that the tops were splintering. Sure enough, when I got
> there, the material was breaking up, kind of like a piece of wood that has
> splinters in it.  I has the same thing happen to another cusyomer a couple of
> months later. I haven't used Vagias tops ever since.
>
> I have no idea why this happened. I speculate it had something to do with the
> chemical makeup of her body. Because the plastic is made up of different
> grades and colors, perhaps the "glue" that holds the different colors together
> was reacting to her body chemestry. Another theory is that her hand lotion was
> reacting to the plastic.
>
> Anyone out there with some other theories, or similar experiences?
>
> Willem Blees  RPT
> St. Louis