Display buttons bad

[loopyloo]

This is the quill vernier DRO for my milling machine.
It's the same as this only shorter :

It's only got 5 buttons and 3 of them aren't working. It is working at the moment but has lost some functionality.
I'd like to pull it apart to clean the button pads but......

Look what they've done. Rivets.
Is it their way of saying - if you pull it apart the display will no longer work ?

Screws go thought the rivets into the back plate holding it al together. I don't think it actually needs the rivets.
It's 200 bucks worth. Wadda ya reckon, should I drill em out ?

[VroomVroom]

before pulling it apart , just try flushing the guts of the switches with contact cleaner. might work

[hinekadon]

Drill em out and replace them ! the ones on eb are shit and dont last 12months the covers fall of with vibration and the batt falls out

[loopyloo]

before pulling it apart , just try flushing the guts of the switches with contact cleaner. might work

Nah that's not a good idea for this.
It's doubtful flushing will remove much dirt and instead can easily move it into places causing permanent damage.
The idea here is to clean the carbon layer on the board for the buttons and under the button caps with alcohol.

[loopyloo]

Drill em out and replace them ! the ones on eb are shit and dont last 12months the covers fall of with vibration and the batt falls out

I didn't wait for a reply. lol.
The rivets .... I mean eyelets, were drilled, the unit cleaned then the good portions of the eyelets were replaced so that their spacing job was continued.
After putting it all back together, it's working well.

[Skepticist]

If the pushbuttons are the type with a conductive surface coating that wears off (like most of them) then a new switch is the remedy. I've had temporary success with windscreen demister track repair compound but that ultimately cracks and leaves little pieces on the board causing all sorts of chaos after a while. It's worked on many a remote control for me but nothing's permanent.