AlphaDogg, there is a question for you at the end, if you see this post and wouldn't mind responding. Or if anyone else has applied a bestskinsever to their MBP, feel free to chime in.
So, I ordered a bestskinsever* for my 2010 MBP 13", based a good bit on the strength of this review (I also read a few others but this was one of the most helpful and most recent). I started out thinking I wanted a Speck See-Thru case - and I do think they are attractive - but I really didn't want the added 1# of weight and the added thickness. I mostly wanted to not have a metallic feel and to protect against scratches, so I decided to try a clear skin.
Installing it was not as hard as I thought it would be, once I forced myself to get started
. I cleared and cleaned a table obsessively, lined up all my parts and pieces, and walked through it in my mind before starting. With bestskinsever you make your own application solution with water and a bit of soap. I used a spray bottle for the plastic, and a "finger bowl" of solution for my hands.
Because was nervous about possibly getting water in the MBP, and because I figured I might as well start on the least obvious part, I began by removing the bottom panel from the MBP. I was not sure how watertight (or "damp tight") that little seam around the perimeter would be. I first took a piece of paper and made ten circles on it with a pen, and punched a small hole in the middle of each one with the screwdriver (Wiha brand phillips #00 anti-static, which fit perfectly). Then I put each screw in its corresponding punch hole as I removed it. They all had a dab of what looked like blue Loctite on them. None were stripped, whew.
The bottom panel was probably the trickiest to install, because it has the four holes for the feet and the slots for all 10 bottom-panel screws. I pulled it of and put it back on a couple of times. I didn't want the plastic to obstruct any of the screw holes or end up getting trapped under the screw heads. What I did was line up everything as well as possible, and then kind of push and "stretch" the plastic around the holes so it would squirm into proper position. As they warned, the corners don't go down for a while because some sort of fluid dynamic keeps the water on them. But after about fifteen minutes you can press the corners down and they stick just fine.
Once I had that done, I put the bottom panel back on my MBP. Then I used blue painters tape to tape a flat piece of plastic over the keyboard, put some more tape over the port holes, and also put a thin, dishtowel over the keyboard - then I partially closed the computer lid (not all the way so I would not stress the hinge with the extra bulk in there). Then, on with the top piece! I was worried about the seam around the Apple, but apparently it is fairly watertight as no-one has mentioned any problems. Still, I tried to get most of the water off the center of the plastic before installing it so as not to press my luck. It took a few goes to get it on straight, but I did get it. It's cut quite precisely in terms of size. Same routine then followed, of pushing water out by hand and then squeegeeing with a smooth plastic card.
After enough time had passed to get the corners in place, I turned my attention to the sides. Again I put some tape over the seam around the bottom perimeter, and over the ports. Then I did the five side pieces.
After that was done, I opened the computer and applied a Moshi Palm Guard to the palm rest and trackpad. I'm not sure if I'll keep it on the track pad or not. I like the smooth feel of the bare track pad, but I find "tap to click" to be too sensitive (same as on my previous Macbook), so perhaps this will dull it down enough to be just right. Another option is a three-piece palm guard and track pad cover of clear plastic that came as part of the bestskinsever.
So far, I loooove the shiny. And it has less of the cold metal feel and feels more like my old plastic Macs. Personally, I like that
Okay, the reason I started this post was actually to ask AlphaDogg a question. But then I thought I would just tell about the installation and that ballooned a bit
Question for AlphaDogg here:
Right now it's been about two hours since I installed the skin, and while there are no airbubbles, and all is stuck down nicely, it is still kind of blotchy. I guess from water/soap/?? underneath. They do mention that the skin improves within 14 hours, so here's hoping. AlphaDogg, was that your experience? Aside from the blotchiness, I'm thrilled.
The only problem now is that they recommend not using the computer for 24 hours. Can you tell I'm typing this on a G3 iBook?
AlphaDogg, thanks again for your review
Miss Terri
*Other skins I considered were Bodyguarz and Wrapsol. I decided against the Bodyguardz because it doesn't cover the Apple logo, and I knew that would bug me; and I eliminated the Wrapsol because it does not cover the sides and because I did not want a matte finish. I've always had plastic Macs and the only reason I went metal/MBP is because I wanted the external battery monitor, the backlit keyboard, the firewire, the infrared port and the subwoofers (in that order)
So, I ordered a bestskinsever* for my 2010 MBP 13", based a good bit on the strength of this review (I also read a few others but this was one of the most helpful and most recent). I started out thinking I wanted a Speck See-Thru case - and I do think they are attractive - but I really didn't want the added 1# of weight and the added thickness. I mostly wanted to not have a metallic feel and to protect against scratches, so I decided to try a clear skin.
Installing it was not as hard as I thought it would be, once I forced myself to get started
. I cleared and cleaned a table obsessively, lined up all my parts and pieces, and walked through it in my mind before starting. With bestskinsever you make your own application solution with water and a bit of soap. I used a spray bottle for the plastic, and a "finger bowl" of solution for my hands.Because was nervous about possibly getting water in the MBP, and because I figured I might as well start on the least obvious part, I began by removing the bottom panel from the MBP. I was not sure how watertight (or "damp tight") that little seam around the perimeter would be. I first took a piece of paper and made ten circles on it with a pen, and punched a small hole in the middle of each one with the screwdriver (Wiha brand phillips #00 anti-static, which fit perfectly). Then I put each screw in its corresponding punch hole as I removed it. They all had a dab of what looked like blue Loctite on them. None were stripped, whew.
The bottom panel was probably the trickiest to install, because it has the four holes for the feet and the slots for all 10 bottom-panel screws. I pulled it of and put it back on a couple of times. I didn't want the plastic to obstruct any of the screw holes or end up getting trapped under the screw heads. What I did was line up everything as well as possible, and then kind of push and "stretch" the plastic around the holes so it would squirm into proper position. As they warned, the corners don't go down for a while because some sort of fluid dynamic keeps the water on them. But after about fifteen minutes you can press the corners down and they stick just fine.
Once I had that done, I put the bottom panel back on my MBP. Then I used blue painters tape to tape a flat piece of plastic over the keyboard, put some more tape over the port holes, and also put a thin, dishtowel over the keyboard - then I partially closed the computer lid (not all the way so I would not stress the hinge with the extra bulk in there). Then, on with the top piece! I was worried about the seam around the Apple, but apparently it is fairly watertight as no-one has mentioned any problems. Still, I tried to get most of the water off the center of the plastic before installing it so as not to press my luck. It took a few goes to get it on straight, but I did get it. It's cut quite precisely in terms of size. Same routine then followed, of pushing water out by hand and then squeegeeing with a smooth plastic card.
After enough time had passed to get the corners in place, I turned my attention to the sides. Again I put some tape over the seam around the bottom perimeter, and over the ports. Then I did the five side pieces.
After that was done, I opened the computer and applied a Moshi Palm Guard to the palm rest and trackpad. I'm not sure if I'll keep it on the track pad or not. I like the smooth feel of the bare track pad, but I find "tap to click" to be too sensitive (same as on my previous Macbook), so perhaps this will dull it down enough to be just right. Another option is a three-piece palm guard and track pad cover of clear plastic that came as part of the bestskinsever.
So far, I loooove the shiny. And it has less of the cold metal feel and feels more like my old plastic Macs. Personally, I like that
Okay, the reason I started this post was actually to ask AlphaDogg a question. But then I thought I would just tell about the installation and that ballooned a bit
Question for AlphaDogg here:
Right now it's been about two hours since I installed the skin, and while there are no airbubbles, and all is stuck down nicely, it is still kind of blotchy. I guess from water/soap/?? underneath. They do mention that the skin improves within 14 hours, so here's hoping. AlphaDogg, was that your experience? Aside from the blotchiness, I'm thrilled.
The only problem now is that they recommend not using the computer for 24 hours. Can you tell I'm typing this on a G3 iBook?
AlphaDogg, thanks again for your review
Miss Terri
*Other skins I considered were Bodyguarz and Wrapsol. I decided against the Bodyguardz because it doesn't cover the Apple logo, and I knew that would bug me; and I eliminated the Wrapsol because it does not cover the sides and because I did not want a matte finish. I've always had plastic Macs and the only reason I went metal/MBP is because I wanted the external battery monitor, the backlit keyboard, the firewire, the infrared port and the subwoofers (in that order
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