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SonRK

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 9, 2011
258
18
I must be the clumsiest guy ever with all my electronics. Viewing my history you guys can see I have all these problems with Apple products either because of defects or my own misuse!

This time my MBA fell off my desk and dented the bottom right of the screen casing.

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7420/photodec1043834pm.jpg

I looked at it and the dent doesnt bother me TOO much, doesnt interfere with use but when I close it, it will constantly rub and scratch that portion. I am going to go ahead and try to plier it straighter so it stops contact with it.

I already took it to Apple and said it will be $450 for repair which isn't too bad (vs me buying it and replacing it myself), but I figure if I'll just go ahead and bend it out. If I truly **** it up then I can get the screen replaced at a 3rd party or something.
 

Beanoir

macrumors 6502a
Dec 9, 2010
571
2
51 degrees North
Well personally (and I speak from experience of doing exactly the same) I would leave it.

Having said that, if it really bothers you and you know the worst case is 450 bucks repair, then do it, have a go. I'd be inclined to use something soft in the jaws of the pliers though as they will chew ******* out of the alu so easily.
 

53x12

macrumors 68000
Feb 16, 2009
1,544
4
^ I agree with beanoir. Not sure it is worth putting $450 back into a computer that is probably worth around $850-900 at this point. I would just leave it as is since everything seems to work fine the way it is. If you do end up playing with it to fix it, put a rag or some rubber tubing over the pliers so you don't tear the case up as beanoir pointed out.

I say you just leave it as is. It isn't like you will recoup the cost of fixing it when you sell it in the future.
 

SonRK

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 9, 2011
258
18
Cosmetically it doesn't bother me. You can't even see it during normal use. My only issue that it will cause further scratches is all (via opening and closing). I guess I won't do anything and see if scratches start surfacing.
 

Beanoir

macrumors 6502a
Dec 9, 2010
571
2
51 degrees North
That's a tough spot, DIY may end up damaging the LCD.

I think the replacement he's been quoted for includes a new LCD doesn't it? When I was quoted by Apple for a new top I understood it also includes a new screen becuase of the way it is bonded to the lid...?
 

Cozmo85

macrumors regular
Oct 2, 2007
211
0
I think the replacement he's been quoted for includes a new LCD doesn't it? When I was quoted by Apple for a new top I understood it also includes a new screen becuase of the way it is bonded to the lid...?

Correct, apple and most places just sell the entire top piece preassembled. Its alot of work to seperate the lcd from the lid.
 

SonRK

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 9, 2011
258
18
Yea, so I guess if I really somehow take that piece off with plier by an accident, I could just get the whole top lid + screen replaced.
 

zObsidian

macrumors member
Nov 25, 2010
53
0
If you try to bend it back, you may end up damaging it even more. It'll be incredibly hard to bend such a small piece of metal back, you simply won't have enough leverage and end up bending other parts of the display.

Since you aren't too worried about it cosmetically, I would probably just stick on a thin piece of foam or rubber so that when you close the lid, it doesn't rub against the metal. You won't be able to close the lid flush anymore, but it's better than killing it with pliers.
 

FuNGi

macrumors 65816
Feb 26, 2010
1,122
33
California
Put some cloth inbetween some pliers so you don't get plier teeth imprints and slowly bend the corner back out a half mm at a time. Just a touch. My friend did this to her MBP that her cat knocked on the floor. She actually needed to do it to fix her screen. The bend caused pressure-induced warping of the LCD and bending it back fixed it.

The repair price is for the whole lid as the display is imbedded in the aluminum.
 

krravi

macrumors 65816
Nov 30, 2010
1,173
0
Try to put small flat pieces of plywood or powder wood it will take the harshness off the pliers.

If you do manage to take the cover apart, you could heat it with a butane torch and bend it anyway you want....

Best is to replace it and if you are going to replace it you might as well take it apart and see how its put together so if we run into the same issue we will be better informed :)
 

Beanoir

macrumors 6502a
Dec 9, 2010
571
2
51 degrees North
If you do manage to take the cover apart, you could heat it with a butane torch and bend it anyway you want....

I'd be very careful with that one, firstly the anodized finish won't take much heat before it starts to perish and secondly aluminium melts at not that much above 1,000 degrees depending on the alloy mixture.
 

krravi

macrumors 65816
Nov 30, 2010
1,173
0
I'd be very careful with that one, firstly the anodized finish won't take much heat before it starts to perish and secondly aluminium melts at not that much above 1,000 degrees depending on the alloy mixture.

Not really to melt it but to make it more malleable. And the finish has already been damaged due to the dent anyway. So fix it and put a speck plastic case on top to mask it.
 

SonRK

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 9, 2011
258
18
In the end I just decided to put a small microfiber towel folded and after a few days it now kind of closes without scraping it up too much (without the little towel)

Good thing I decided not to bend it back. I would have def. done more damage than good.
 
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