Other than simply throwing them away, how can I dispose of two or three so that they might be useful to somebody?
You’ll probably have a better chance of getting a useful answer if you re-post this in General Questions. About This Message Board is mainly for technical questions connected with the Straight Dope Message Board, not “technical questions in general”.
Personally, I just always throw my old keyboards away. I’ve never heard any serious suggestions about what to do with them regarding possible recycling.
Moving to General Questions . . . incoming!
your humble TubaDiva
Administrator
who once took a particularly balky keyboard with her to target practice.
There’s two basic flavors of keyboards, AT and ATX. ATX 'boards use PS2 (smaller) connections while the AT uses a larger connection. A simple adaptor sometimes, but not always, completes the connection should you want to work cross-platform.
Lots of geeks, such as myself, like the old heavy spring-loaded action of early IBM-style keyboards. They kick ass for certain computer games, and generally try to reproduce the action of typewriters. There’s a good chance you’ll find someone willing to take those off of your hands. Most thrift stores and Salvation Army-type places are happy to get keyboards of any sort.
Nonono, don’t give them to thrift shops! I work for several of them & we don’t want anything like that. If they work fine, okay. Otherwise Give them to a school for the kids to play on.
I once put one in the fireplace though. Got to hot the sofa in the room started to smoke.
I have a friend who routinely puts his in the dishwasher with never an ill effect.
Some older IBM buckle switch keyboards (per Sofa King’s suggestion) are repairable (I’m typing on one now), however, most newer (read cheaper) keyboards are not feasible to economically or reliably repair with respect to the time involved for most users.
I have repaired IBM keyboards and MS "Natural KB’s among others, and while doable it’s often a PITA, because if the problem is intermittent or chip vs switch related you can waste 1-2 + hours and achieve nothing. Maybe I’m just getting older but I simply can’t recommend repairing modern keyboards unless it’s a rather expensive unit. Others may have more patience. I just throw them away.
I can pick up older IBMs and other good newer KB’s for
10.00 to 30.00 anyway. Between the kids and myself (they inherited my sure and graceful manner of handling things) as often as mine hit the floor (CLUNK!!..DOH!) I consider them to be a disposable commodity anyway.
With a sealed membrane unit this would actually be possible (though kind of stupid IMO re the long term effect of the heat and detergent on the seals). I am surprised the drying cycle and/or hot water doesn’t warp the plastic but if he top racks it this might not be an issue.
Drop them from a tall building. Watching them fly apart can be usefully entertaining to small boys.
I give them to little kids. Seriously. A keyboard is one of the favorite toys of most of my 12 neices, nephews, and friends’ kids.
Kids under, say, 4, love anything that has moving parts. Added bonuses: makes a decent fake piano, they get to pretend they’re mommy or daddy at the computer, they get to make those cool clicking noises, and if you get them young enough they’ll imprint on the keyboard and come to see themselves as computer hardware rather than human flesh!
How are you wearing out your keyboards?
I’m an active jazz piano player before and since electric piano keyboards became available – these are not computer keyboards
These are PIANO KEYBOARDS somebody might like to practice on
I didn’t make it clear that these are PIANO KEYBOARDS
Ouch. Serious bummer, dude. I suspect you’ll get better answers now that our membership sees that the articles you are giving away have some real value.
That said, you didn’t really have to clear things up four times. Our membership is pretty smart, and would have picked it up with just one response. The folks to whom you didn’t specifically respond would not have been insulted, I promise.
Just a posting tip from your friendly neighborhood moderator.