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PowerBook Duo 2300c

JohnGrey

JohnGrey

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 21, 2012
298
557
Cincinnati Metro
Some time ago, I responded to the "first computer" thread about how my first computer, in the truly personal sense, was a PowerBook Duo 2300c that I got for Christmas '95. I took it everywhere and, when I retired it (in '99 I think), it was still in excellent shape aside from bag scuffing on the edges. I hadn't seen the little beast in more than a decade, and the aforementioned thread made me nostalgic enough to go looking for it. I found it, very much how I left it, packed away in a case. To my surprise, it powered on immediately and fairly quickly for a computer now nearly old enough to legally vote.

The only real problem with it is that the display seems loose, particularly round the brightness buttons and on the display-side hinges, which seem to have separated. Were these secured with adhesive or what? Are there any suggestions to fixing the problem? Thanks.

~John
 
MacTech68

MacTech68

macrumors 68020
Mar 16, 2008
2,393
209
Australia, Perth
If you've never disassembled one before proceed VERY carefully. The Duo display housing is a little tricky and requires a degree of flexing the rear display housing at the hinged end to dis-engage, then sliding the rear casing up-wards (when looking at the laptop with display open and vertical). Doing this the WRONG way can crack the display. :eek:

There are only 4 screws holding the display casing together. The first two, are under the little, grey, self-adhesive squares you can see on the front of the display housing below the screen. Removing those allows you to slide the display apart. The next two, hold the hinges (or clutches) to the display housing.

WARNING!!! once you remove the first two screws, the whole display's weight is supported by the remaining two screws. Doing this without relieving that weight WILL DAMAGE the plastic that encapsulates the brass threaded inserts in the plastic housing. I highly recommend removing the display from the laptop FIRST to alleviate this potential disaster.

As you can probably guess, if the first two screws come loose by themselves, there is potential for the second two brass inserts to crack out of the housing. If any screws appear to wobble or simply won't undo, this is likely the problem.

Finally, SOMETIMES, the sloppiness can simply be that the four screws mentioned or the screws under the clutch covers that secure the display clutches to the BASE of the computer are a little loose. They are torque fitted and have loctite applied at the factory, but can work loose. Over-tightening CAN break the brass threaded inserts out of the plastic so DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN them.

You will also at least need Torx T6 and T8 sized screwdrivers.

I also HIGHLY RECOMMEND that for the ease of dis-assembly, you seek out the following (Google is your friend):

powerbook_2300_series.pdf
 
JohnGrey

JohnGrey

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 21, 2012
298
557
Cincinnati Metro
MacTech68 said:
If you've never disassembled one before proceed VERY carefully. The Duo display housing is a little tricky and requires a degree of flexing the rear display housing at the hinged end to dis-engage, then sliding the rear casing up-wards (when looking at the laptop with display open and vertical). Doing this the WRONG way can crack the display. :eek:

There are only 4 screws holding the display casing together. The first two, are under the little, grey, self-adhesive squares you can see on the front of the display housing below the screen. Removing those allows you to slide the display apart. The next two, hold the hinges (or clutches) to the display housing.

WARNING!!! once you remove the first two screws, the whole display's weight is supported by the remaining two screws. Doing this without relieving that weight WILL DAMAGE the plastic that encapsulates the brass threaded inserts in the plastic housing. I highly recommend removing the display from the laptop FIRST to alleviate this potential disaster.

As you can probably guess, if the first two screws come loose by themselves, there is potential for the second two brass inserts to crack out of the housing. If any screws appear to wobble or simply won't undo, this is likely the problem.

Finally, SOMETIMES, the sloppiness can simply be that the four screws mentioned or the screws under the clutch covers that secure the display clutches to the BASE of the computer are a little loose. They are torque fitted and have loctite applied at the factory, but can work loose. Over-tightening CAN break the brass threaded inserts out of the plastic so DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN them.

You will also at least need Torx T6 and T8 sized screwdrivers.

I also HIGHLY RECOMMEND that for the ease of dis-assembly, you seek out the following (Google is your friend):

powerbook_2300_series.pdf
Click to expand...

Thanks for your response. I actually downloaded that PDF when I noticed the problem with the hinges. I just wasn't aware that parts of it were secured with Loctite. Do you have a suggestion for which one their products to use? There are quite a few of them. Thanks again.

~John
 
MacTech68

MacTech68

macrumors 68020
Mar 16, 2008
2,393
209
Australia, Perth
JohnGrey said:
Thanks for your response. I actually downloaded that PDF when I noticed the problem with the hinges. I just wasn't aware that parts of it were secured with Loctite. Do you have a suggestion for which one their products to use? There are quite a few of them. Thanks again.

~John
Click to expand...

Sorry to say I have no idea. Obviously, you wouldn't want the strongest Loctite, since trying to undo them would probably break the plastic.

If the plastic is already cracking around the brass inserts (which you can't see without disassembly), then this becomes a real problem. You can't afford to be brutal or even slightly strong-handed with these display housings, especially considering the lack of replacement parts.

If there are hairline cracks in the plastic around the brass inserts, I've had luck applying a TINY amount of superglue into the cracks and then surrounding the plastic with an additional area of some kind of strong epoxy. Care needs to be taken NOT to get any glues into the thread or you're sunk.

The worst case scenario is that you end up breaking the brass inserts out of the plastic, making re-assembly impossible. Sorry if that scares anybody, but I've seen this with many of the older 68K CPU PowerBooks. :(
 
JohnGrey

JohnGrey

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 21, 2012
298
557
Cincinnati Metro
MacTech68 said:
Sorry to say I have no idea. Obviously, you wouldn't want the strongest Loctite, since trying to undo them would probably break the plastic.

If the plastic is already cracking around the brass inserts (which you can't see without disassembly), then this becomes a real problem. You can't afford to be brutal or even slightly strong-handed with these display housings, especially considering the lack of replacement parts.

If there are hairline cracks in the plastic around the brass inserts, I've had luck applying a TINY amount of superglue into the cracks and then surrounding the plastic with an additional area of some kind of strong epoxy. Care needs to be taken NOT to get any glues into the thread or you're sunk.

The worst case scenario is that you end up breaking the brass inserts out of the plastic, making re-assembly impossible. Sorry if that scares anybody, but I've seen this with many of the older 68K CPU PowerBooks. :(
Click to expand...

It seems best if I leave well enough alone. The other than the hinges, and a tiny degree of separation near the brightness buttons, the display assembly seems more or less secure. Besides, it's not as though I was planning on using it again. I just wanted to do a little upkeep, if possible, as I've been planning on building some displays in my office for my old computers.
 
MacTech68

MacTech68

macrumors 68020
Mar 16, 2008
2,393
209
Australia, Perth
JohnGrey said:
It seems best if I leave well enough alone. The other than the hinges, and a tiny degree of separation near the brightness buttons, the display assembly seems more or less secure. Besides, it's not as though I was planning on using it again. I just wanted to do a little upkeep, if possible, as I've been planning on building some displays in my office for my old computers.
Click to expand...

That's fair enough. If it's for static display it should be fine. Hope to see some pics of it in pride of place, eventually.

Cheers. :)
 
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