I've just been taking apart yet another gadget that looks like it has 4 big
screws securing the case, only it doesn't. The case is also held down by
the dreaded hidden plastic clips, the sort you need 15 flathead screwdrivers
to pry open and usually end up breaking some.

I'm sure there must be a better way. Sometimes I've used a cake slice for
trying to flip a row of clips at once... but it still damages the plastic.
They must do this sort of thing regularly at the factory... is there a
proper tool for it?

Cheers,
Theo

On 10/06/2011 21:05, Theo Markettos wrote:
I've just been taking apart yet another gadget that looks like it has 4 big
screws securing the case, only it doesn't. The case is also held down by
the dreaded hidden plastic clips, the sort you need 15 flathead screwdrivers
to pry open and usually end up breaking some.

I'm sure there must be a better way. Sometimes I've used a cake slice for
trying to flip a row of clips at once... but it still damages the plastic.
They must do this sort of thing regularly at the factory... is there a
proper tool for it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spudger

You'll probably still need 15 of them ...

--
Adrian C

On Fri, 10 Jun 2011 21:58:03 +0100, Theo Markettos wrote:

Adrian C wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spudger

Now I'd never have guessed that name...

You'll probably still need 15 of them ...

Particularly given the thing I want to open at the moment is about the
size of a loaf of white sliced, and made of fairly strong plastic. It's
not exactly an iPhone. Though an iPhone spudger or three might come in
handy for smaller jobs...

Various useful iPhone-ish tools at DealExtreme, at knockdown prices.

http://www.dealextreme.com

or more expensively at Amazon, among others.




--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

Theo Markettos wrote:

I've just been taking apart yet another gadget that looks like it has 4
big
screws securing the case, only it doesn't. The case is also held down by
the dreaded hidden plastic clips, the sort you need 15 flathead
screwdrivers to pry open and usually end up breaking some.

I'm sure there must be a better way. Sometimes I've used a cake slice for
trying to flip a row of clips at once... but it still damages the plastic.
They must do this sort of thing regularly at the factory... is there a
proper tool for it?

Cheers,
Theo

I use guitar plectrums, only a few pence each and you rarely need more then
two,to open most plastic casings like laptops.



-

En el artículo , Theo Markettos
escribió:

They must do this sort of thing regularly at the factory... is there a
proper tool for it?

Toshiba used to supply a tool to dealers called a T-wedge. It was a
plastic tool used for popping apart the hidden catches on laptops
without damaging the case plastic. It's essentially a T-shaped tool with
a bevelled curve on the upper part of the T. Can post a pic somewhere
if you want.

The key is to get the first catch open - once you've done that, you can
run a (strong) thumbnail or a piece of plastic around the join to pop
the other catches. An old credit card works.

--
(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

In article , Theo Markettos
writes
Mike Tomlinson wrote:
Toshiba used to supply a tool to dealers called a T-wedge. It was a
plastic tool used for popping apart the hidden catches on laptops
without damaging the case plastic. It's essentially a T-shaped tool with
a bevelled curve on the upper part of the T. Can post a pic somewhere
if you want.

Thanks, that would be useful to compare with a spudger.

The key is to get the first catch open - once you've done that, you can
run a (strong) thumbnail or a piece of plastic around the join to pop
the other catches. An old credit card works.

I'll give that a try, though they're sometimes too thick.

I've used car body filler mixing blades to good effect, no sharp edges
and slightly softer plastic than credit cards so even less likely to
mark the case. They usually have a tapered edge which helps too.
--
fred
FIVE TV's superbright logo - not the DOG's, it's ********

En el artículo , Theo Markettos
escribió:

Thanks, that would be useful to compare with a spudger.

http://jasper.org.uk/twedge1.jpg
http://jasper.org.uk/twedge2.jpg

The first pic shows the bevelled edge a bit better.

I'll give that a try, though they're sometimes too thick.

The T-wedges I have are about the thickness of a card. They need to be
stiff enough not to flex when used but soft enough not to scratch the
housing.

The trick is to get one catch undone by prying with the bevelled edge of
the T-wedge or similar tool (there will always be one catch that is
easier than the others), and once you have a gap, insert the card and
slide it gently from side to side instead of prying. Experiment with
angling the card up and down slightly as you go and you'll find a 'sweet
spot' angle at which the join pops apart so easily you won't believe it.

--
(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

Mike Tomlinson wrote:
En el artÃ*culo , Theo Markettos
escribió:

Thanks, that would be useful to compare with a spudger.

http://jasper.org.uk/twedge1.jpg
http://jasper.org.uk/twedge2.jpg

The first pic shows the bevelled edge a bit better.

Interesting. What are the length markings on it for? They don't appear to
be associated with the 'business' end of it...

Theo

En el artículo , Theo Markettos
escribió:

Interesting. What are the length markings on it for?

For measuring screws, so when a laptop is disassembled the right screws
can be put back in the right places. Get it wrong and you either
puncture a hole in the case, or worse, in some expensive internal
component.

Some laptops are marked with the screw lengths next to the screw holes
to aid in correct reassembly, some aren't.

--
(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

Mike Tomlinson wrote:
Some laptops are marked with the screw lengths next to the screw holes
to aid in correct reassembly, some aren't.

I always lay screws out in the positions they came out, but having lengths
marked sounds like a very good idea (and ideally threads too: you want to
know where the self tappers go).

Thanks for the pics: I might try whittling down a credit card to achieve the
bevelled edge...

Theo