Suggestions for WP-34s overlay installation

[BobVA]

Just got my "beta" WP-34s overlay from Eric. A couple of observations if you haven't installed yours:

Keys: Use tweezers, or the tip of an X-acto knife, to install the key stickers. Holding the sticker by the bottom right corner worked best for me. It was easier to align and place the top part, then smooth down the bottom/face section.

Overlay: What worked for me was flipping the calculator so the LCD was at the bottom, then applying the label "bottom-to-top" (i.e. starting at the top key row and working towards the bottom). Carefully monitor the space between the overlay and the top of the keys - test each row of keys as stick down the label above the row (i.e. before you completely surround the key). If any don't "click" reset the overlay until it does.

I did the key stickers first, but it might have been better to do the overlay. I flexed the overlay a lot picking off the key labels, so perhaps peeling that off would save a little wear on it, and a make the key labels easier to pick up. Downside may be accidentally picking up some of the key stickers, though. Please post if you try this and it works better.

The overlay is a HUGE improvement - thank you Eric. Looks and works great. (And I'm no longer hitting the wrong arrow key when going through the function catalog!)

Bob

Edited: 10 June 2011, 5:38 a.m. after one or more responses were posted

[Paul Dale]

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The overlay is a HUGE improvement - thank you Eric. Looks and works great. (And I'm no longer hitting the wrong arrow key when going through the function catalog!)

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:-) An overlay really does make a huge difference and it puts to rest the calls to move the arrows up one position to match.

Have fun.

- Pauli

[Marcus von Cube, Germany]

Bob, can you post photos?

[Walter B]

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An overlay really does make a huge difference

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It helps a lot if you see what you do. Trivial but true.

Walter

[BobVA]

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Bob, can you post photos?

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Yes - I'll try to get that done this evening.

Regards,
Bob

[Eric Rechlin]

Definitely use a tweezers for the key stickers.

When I mount the overlay (I have done this a bunch of times already) I always put on the overlay first, before the keys. It peels right up without removing the keys, so you won't have the problem with worrying about damaging the overlay when pulling up the keys. Also, it makes it so that if you don't align it right you don't damage the key labels with the adhesive from the overlay.

You can easily remove the key stickers from the backing by bending the overlay sheet, which makes them start to peel up on their own, giving you something to grip with the tweezers.

Also, I start applying it in the middle and gradually work my way to the top and bottom. I sometimes stretch it a bit when installing it to make sure it aligns with the keys properly, because if you don't do it just right (which is very hard to do) some of the keys will bind as Bob noted.

I will probably make the holes for the keys slightly larger, at Bob's suggestion.

Right now, other than fitment, my biggest unknown is durability. I've been keeping my 34s loose in my backpack, and I've been playing with it every day, in order to see how durable the overlay is. I have had zero problems with the key labels coming off (at least not with the stronger adhesive I have been using in my latest test prints), but I do worry about the ink wearing off the vinyl. If that is a problem I can spray a clearcoat over it, but that makes it shinier (I prefer the dull appearance of it without the clearcoat) and it is not yet known how much that will help durability.

Thanks to all those who are the first to test this.

Eric

[Cristian Arezzini]

Bob, could you tell me if the overlay is "re-positionable"? I mean, if I start placing it and it goes on not perfectly straight - can I "peel it off" without damaging it and try again? Or will it "rip" like a paper sticker?

Thanks,
Cristian

[Eric Rechlin]

If it's only partially adhered you can remove it if you pull very very very slowly, but unless you are careful it will rip. Also, once it's been on there a few days it's pretty much impossible to remove without destroying it.

Eric

[BobVA]

I re-did mine three times because I wasn't happy with the key action until I hit on applying it with the calculator upside down so I could stretch/fit it as I installed it. But I hadn't really pressed it down hard, and it did this immediately.

As Eric noted you have to be careful (and if you look at the photo above you can see it got a little scuffed up), but it came off in one piece. It's pretty durable considering how little actual material there is in the lower keyboard section.

Bob

Edited: 10 June 2011, 5:53 p.m.

[BobVA]

Here's how mine came out. Note that I removed and re-applied the overlay a couple of times until I was happy with the key action, so it got a little wear on it.

The photo shows a lot of scuffing I don't see in "real life" The color is a very deep black in person.

Edited: 10 June 2011, 11:09 p.m.

[Walter B]

Hey Bob,

that's the very first photographically documented sighting of a wp34s 2.0, isn't it? Congratulations! Now we're waiting for pictures showing it in it's natural habitat :-)

Walter