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Powerbook case got a bit, well click and see. Help please.

L

lordmac

macrumors regular
Original poster
So I dropped my 12 inch rev. a powerbook, well it only fell like a foot or so and i caught it before it fully hit the ground which was good. BUt any way now part of the case is sorta of pulled off a little (I am not to sure how to describe it in words). 🙁 Here are some pics of the damage, any ideas about how to go about fixing it. Also the computer it self still works just fine 😀 and I am planing to bring it to the apple store as soon as i have a chance, but when that chance might be I am not sure, so any input would be great from you guys. 🙂




Sorry about the crappy quality pics it because i took them with a very high quality camera and i have had to go through like 3 programs to get the dame file size below 100 kb. By the way how come when i tell graphic converter to reduce file to 100 kb it only reduces to like 300 kb, preview dose that same thing. 😕
 

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On second thought the pics don't look as bad as I thought they would just kinda small, 🙂
 
Case parts are expensive, and so is an Apple repair for cosmetic repairs.

Good percentage of the cost of a new machine, the bottom case alone is over $225 for a single part.

Which is why a lot of people are told to look at the iBook, if they are klutzes.
 
probably not the smartest idea, but that happened to my brother, and he just gently tok a hammer to it 😱
don't blame me if it doesn't work though 😀
 
poor sod ,bet you well upset ! as long as it still works ok thats the main thing.

give you a good excuss to buy a new one ?
 
Sun Baked said:
Case parts are expensive, and so is an Apple repair for cosmetic repairs.

Good percentage of the cost of a new machine, the bottom case alone is over $225 for a single part.

Which is why a lot of people are told to look at the iBook, if they are klutzes.
Click to expand...

Wow that a lot dam, but is there any way of repairing rather replacing parts i wonder? Also I got the powerbook because i needed the extra power and at the time the ibooks weren't even g4's so.
 
liketom said:
poor sod ,bet you well upset ! as long as it still works ok thats the main thing.

give you a good excuss to buy a new one ?
Click to expand...

this is true I have been thinking about a new one though i was hooping to sweat it out till the g5 powerbook or at least till the next rev. ( yes I know that could be long ass time form now). But this machine is a good machine and fast enough to still do most things. LoL i like the hammer idea but i think i would use a mallet if it comes to that ( i hope not). 🙂
 
i wouldn't worry about it, my book has gone through some rough times, i've dropeed it a couple timees and it looks a lot wose ehtn urs
 
I'm going to cry

The strap on my bag just broke and my bag fell to the ground. I have the same problem except it happened right over the CD drive.

I'm assuming you're all saying unless you buy a bottom casing or bang it into place, there's nothing that can be done. How easily does the bottom case come off? Are there any tutorials out there? I have the 1ghz 12 inch powerbook.

I want to cry. I frigging baby this thing to the point that everyone makes fun of me and this fricking bag just broke on me 🙁
 
I'm going to cry

The strap on my bag just broke and my bag fell to the ground. I have the same problem except it happened right over the CD drive (so i can't put any CDs in).

I'm assuming you're all saying unless you buy a bottom casing or bang it into place, there's nothing that can be done. How easily does the bottom case come off? Are there any tutorials out there? I have the 1ghz 12 inch powerbook.

I want to cry. I frigging baby this thing to the point that everyone makes fun of me and this fricking bag just broke on me 🙁
 
I'm going to cry

The strap on my bag just broke and my bag fell to the ground. I have the same problem except it happened right over the CD drive (so i can't put any CDs in).

I'm assuming you're all saying unless you buy a bottom casing or bang it into place, there's nothing that can be done. How easily does the bottom case come off? Are there any tutorials out there? I have the 1ghz 12 inch powerbook.

I want to cry. I frigging baby this thing to the point that everyone makes fun of me and this fricking bag just broke on me 🙁
 
lordmac said:
this is true I have been thinking about a new one though i was hooping to sweat it out till the g5 powerbook or at least till the next rev. ( yes I know that could be long ass time form now). But this machine is a good machine and fast enough to still do most things. LoL i like the hammer idea but i think i would use a mallet if it comes to that ( i hope not). 🙂
Click to expand...
Yes, use a mallet, or you could get a block of wood to put against it and hit the block with the hammer.
 
I would find instructions on how to take that bottom shell off, then take a rubber mallet to it.

If that doesn't work, look on eBay for a new shell. I am sure you can find one.
 
Same story

My dad just dropped his 12" pb and it got dinged on the drive as well. I'll let you know in a day or two how much the repair costs because he recently took it in. The ibook case is really a lot tougher then aluminum pb case. Now only if I could a 17" ibook. I used to own a 17" and my only complaint was that it did get dinged very easily. I don't have to worry about that anymore now that I have a <$800 ibook.
 
I've got a 3-week old 17" Powerbook, and today I just noticed something similar to this, but on a much smaller scale. It's on the left hand side, and sticks out less than a millimetre; it's about 1.5cm long.

I can only assume it came like this and that I didn't notice it, as the Powerbook hasn't even been out of my room, let alone been dropped. (90% of the time it's been on a desk, the rest it's either been on my lap or bed)

The plastic trim over the dvd drive is also slightly down, less than a millimetre, but this was the case on my old machine too.

While it does annoy me, I just have to accept that no matter how expensive the machine (it's a maxed out 17" from Apple) you'll always get flaws.
 
OMG! what'd you do, catch it with that wall of the battery bay!?!
I would reccomend checking out your options @ the store, but as an alternative, take a MALLET (not hammer–lett pointed (bigger) and not metal. most often rubber) to GENTLY reform it into place. Metal's malleable, nad Al's no exception. Go for it. can it hurt (GENTLY!)?
 
Yes, a rubber mallet will do the trick nicely. That damage will take about 40 seconds to fix. Make sure to use a block of wood (not more than about 2" thick) that is at least as long as the bend (a piece of a 2x4 would be fine), and tap gently at the center/peak of the bend. Gently and slowly move outward from the center until the aluminum flattens. It might be best to do this upside-down (with the machine OFF, not asleep, and the battery removed of course) so that you can monitor the rolled edge for buckling. It's important to go lightly and increase strength slightly until you move the aluminum a little bit at a time (to avoid any stretching or compression damage to the sheet metal). Once you get the form flattened, you can remove the block of wood and tap lightly and squarely at the bases of the curved edge to work out any small problems.

On a closer look, though, it seems that the battery has the curved edge and doesn't seem damaged. That makes everything even easier!
 
Well.. since you've considered going the buying Brand New route...

Sell it!

Try selling how much you can sell it for.. and if you can't sell it for anywhere the going price or the market price... then repair it and sell it.
I'm sure if the price is right... someone will buy it.. given that there is nothing wrong with it.

I sold my 15" Al Powerbook with minor cosmetic damage ... dings and scratches on the exterior case... and someone bought it.. cause the price was right and the person did not case whether or not the exterior was damaged.. only the interior mattered since your always looking at it the most.

Good luck
 
Same thing happened to me just that the damage is not that bad. Problem is since then it seems like my battery has also gone wonkers. I'm thinking of sending it to Applecare after my exams, anyone knows what kind of help I'll get, or whether they'd just tell me to go get a new battery?

My hard drive's acting funny too, that's why I'm sending it in.
 
liketom said:
poor sod ,bet you well upset ! as long as it still works ok thats the main thing.

give you a good excuss to buy a new one ?
Click to expand...

Yeah - G5 PowerBook this Tuesday... 😛

aussie_geek
 
http://www.pbfixit.com/Guide/

http://www.pbfixit.com/Guide/
how to open up most (all?) powerbooks. good instructions.

I would go for attempting to bend back the metal using a mallet or some pliers. put some bits of rubber over some pliers so that you dont leave teeth marks on your case, and be gentle yet forceful.
 
AliensAreFuzzy said:
Yes, use a mallet, or you could get a block of wood to put against it and hit the block with the hammer.
Click to expand...

This is a good idea.

What happens when you heat anodized aluminium to make it even more malleable, and THEN placed the wood against it?

Or instead of wood, what if you heated something with a thick straight edge and placed this warm object against the metal?

I'm just suggesting that you heat the aluminium first somehow because with harder aluminium and force, you may actually just crack the case. 😱
 
Wood

Where are you guys suggesting to put the pieces of wood? The rubber mallet is hitting the aluminum siding...where does the wood fit in?

Lordmac, I seriously have been getting no sleep over my powerbook ding. I have been thinking that the best way to do it is to take off the bottom casing and put it in a vice to flatten it. You should try it and let me know what happens 😛

I'm worried about the plastic strip though also and not just the aluminum.

-Rudey
 
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