Source for "plastic" tools for IPOD?

[denton]

Provided Link: Laptop/IPOD tools (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270183098459&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017)


I'm looking for a source for plastic tools suitable for opening an IPOD (or my laptop) without gouging things up. They look like this ad on the 'Bay:

[Paul Carmody]

The price is reasonable.

Having taken apart more than my share of equipment--sometimes actually being paid to repair it, even--one thing I can tell you is that you CAN use a screwdriver, but you have to pry in the right spot, or the plastic will bend.

A few weeks ago, I did disassemble an iPod to show my students how they work. Didn't really have any sort of decent tools around, but a sharp knife really did the trick. No marring.

Hope that helps.

[denton]

> The price is reasonable.

The only other place I had seen such tools was in a kit that included an IPOD battery. However, I need to try to repair my son's laptop TOMORROW. (He attempted to see if it would bounce... )

Maybe I'll try Best Buy.

[Paul Carmody]

> Maybe I'll try Best Buy.

The last thing Best Buy wants you to do is open up your equipment.

I've taken a lot of laptops apart, and they've all survived. Here's what you can do:

0. See if you can find a manual on the internet for the laptop. It MAY show you which screws hold the unit together.
1. Use a tiny screwdriver and remove all the screws on the underside (most notably, the ones that have arrows next to them)
1.5. When the screws fall out, try to pay attention to which ones went where. Some will be longer than others. If you lose track, you'll just notice that certain ones are just too long, and you'll have to do some re-screwing.
2. Pull along the seam of the side of the machine. You will see that certain parts seem to almost open, whereas other parts won't budge--that is where you have to jam in a blade of a knife or screwdriver of some sort to push back the detent that's holding the case together. There may be a few of these along the sides of the case.

Well, that's it. Whatever you do after that is your responsibility. When you put the case back together, those parts you had to pry will snap back together.

Good luck.

Paul

[Max_Andrews]

A sharp knife has always worked fine for me with this kind of stuff, a razor blade would be even better. Typically, just undoing the screws and prying up one corner is sufficient. Just a tip, there's usually a screw hidden under the battery!

[jtaylor]

> The only other place I had seen such tools
> was in a kit that included an IPOD battery.
> However, I need to try to repair my son's
> laptop TOMORROW. (He attempted to see if it
> would bounce... )

> Maybe I'll try Best Buy.

There are a few Electronic products that don't like the bounce test at all, Lap Top Computers, and, Video Cam Corders. They seldom are repairable by the owner, or a repair center for much less than the price of a new product. I pray that you have good luck with your sons Lap Top.

It's such a shame that just one accident is capable of killing a Lap Top in the blink of an eye and the scream of the words, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDGGGGEE.

I wish you the best success in fixing your sons Lap Top. You will probably need a good Magnifying Glass to look for hairline cracks in the Printed Circuit Boards and Solder joints.

J. Taylor

[denton]

> I wish you the best success in fixing your
> sons Lap Top. You will probably need a good
> Magnifying Glass to look for hairline cracks
> in the Printed Circuit Boards and Solder
> joints.

> J. Taylor

You are certainly right! Fortunately, in this case he has only damaged the latching mechanism and hinges as well as busting the DVD drive that was in it. I 've already "dropped" another optical drive in it and purchased the plastic replacement parts. Those parts did not arrive today so we will wait a bit longer. But I am optimistic that this will be a successful repair. The laptop is still working without a hitch. Only time will tell.

[dw4]

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