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Can I replace the glass on a late 2015 27"?
- Thread starter zalle
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If display itself is still functioning underneath the cracked glass, I guess you could try to source that part and make the repair yourself if you're up for it. I opened up my 2014 5K iMac using a tools and parts kit from iFixit. Their instructions were very thorough. Took maybe 3 hours all told.
I haven’t checked your model, by my late 2015 21.5 is a sealed unit. LCD and Glass are fused together and can’t be separated. There’s a few spots online that sell the LCD/display for my model that go for around $200. Depending on what you wanna spend, may not be worth the fix.
I did the same but on a late 2014 5k iMac and I took it to the apple store and it was around £500 to have them fix it. it sounds a lot but its all been working fine 3 years later still.
To fix only the glass part of the LCD panel, you will need:
- The new glass
- A thermal table to heat up the glass and melt the glue
- A diamond thread saw to cut through the glue between the broken glass and the LCD layer.
- A sharp blade to carve off the residual glue
- Glue solvent to clean the glue from the LCD layer surface
- New glue to glue the new glass to the LCD layer
- Vacuum chamber to remove the bubble and cure the glue.
Are you up to that level?
If not, just by another LCD panel combo and replace. Only this is doable for a normal DIYer.
Here are the directions to replace the display on a 2015 27" iMac. Follow the directions to the letter and you should not have any issues. I have performed this display removal on three different 27" models with success: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+27-Inch+Retina+5K+Display+Display+Replacement/30518. The directions also provide two links for replacement 27" displays. Good luck.
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Actually... Yes, I would be up for that, without the thermal table.
Could I heat the glue with a heating gun and just cut the glue with a blade?
I mean. The glass is already shattered, I don't care if it gets a bit worse.
To put another one, I wouldn't mind living with some air bulubbles in the side, so I'd say I would be up to doing it, with a little help.
The screen without the glass is a 27" 2k LCD panel from iMac 2009~2011 models.
It may not compatible with your iMac 2015.
Separating the glass from the LCD screen using a blade will have great possibility of damaging the LCD screen. That's when the thread saw become handy.
With professional machines and tools. The process is pretty much like what they have done with smartphone screens, just at a much larger scale.
Without professional machines and tools. I can't imagine that the guy in the video actually tried to save the glass from a dead LCD screen. And he did use the spatula at first.
This guy used a guitar string as the thread saw....
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Wise choice.
The most frustrating part is not sawing and removing the glass.
It's the labour and time you have to spend to scrap off the old glue on the surface of the LCD screen.