eMac 1.0Ghz ATI Speaker Grille Removal

[alexprib]

Just bought an eMac on eBay and discovered that there is a lot of maintenance to be done. The speaker holes contain lots of dust and hair and I am wondering if it is possible to remove the grilles without breaking them. I can take apart the eMac if needed, but I heard that you can just 'pop' off the speaker grilles on older 700 and 800 eMacs.

Thanks,

Alex

 

[MacCubed]

Just bought an eMac on eBay and discovered that there is a lot of maintenance to be done. The speaker holes contain lots of dust and hair and I am wondering if it is possible to remove the grilles without breaking them. I can take apart the eMac if needed, but I heard that you can just 'pop' off the speaker grilles on older 700 and 800 eMacs.

Thanks,

Alex

Nope, at least not from the outside. I tried on the school eMacs in like 2007 and that kinda broke one of the grills. Just get compressed air an blow it out

 

[DeltaMac]

Yes, from the outside.
I made a simple tool by opening a paper clip, then bending the last 1/8-inch almost to a right angle.
You can feed the "hook" into a hole along the edge of the speaker grill, then gently tug out. Move to a different hole, and tug again. Two or three pulls should loosen enough to come out completely.

update: I tried the tool that I keep in my "tool" drawer like I described. I had a 2005 eMac until recently that i used to clean the speakers occasionally by popping out the grill. I have an eMac ati (slightly older, but same small hole speaker grill) here in front of me. I could turn the grill, yet could not pull it out. YMMV.
[guote]Just get compressed air an blow it out[/quote]