Case Crack Gluing

[carport888]

I got my pandora about a week ago, and despite my best efforts, a small crack has appeared between the right shoulder button and the battery case tab. It's a small crack, but it allows the case to shift to a point that the right shoulder button gets stuck when pressed.


If I hold the case firmly together, the button works perfectly. So, what is the best way for me to repair this? I was thinking maybe Gorilla Glue and a clamp to hold it while it sets...is this a bad idea?

Spoiler

 

[Linux-SWAT]

Waiting for an official response, i can tell this part is easy to replace. You can do it yourself, just remember not to screw too much.

 

[JeFF]

The idea of super glue is effectively not a good one. I personally tried to repair an old case with crazy glue and the case went crazy. I strongly suggest you to go to this web page : www.icontrolpad.com/pandoraprivate.html and order yourself a new case. Easy to reapair(unloosing 5 screws). If you need to replace you lid case, thats an other thing, but if it is only your lower case part, do it, easy as hell ( did 3 time a whole case change + lca cable on my own pandora)

 

[Linux-SWAT]

and order yourself a new case.

I got my pandora about a week ago

Hopefully, the warranty should work :^).

 

[JeFF]

Really, not worth the waiting. Changing the bottom part of the case is as easy as getting money out of your pocket.

 

[carport888]

Hmmm. Well, I'd rather not spend an extra $30 if I don't have to, but I am perfectly happy to do the repair myself if needed.


On the one hand, it definitely needs to be fixed, but I haven't contacted anyone about warranty info. Who would I contact and how would I go about this? Would they be willing to send just the part I need, do you think (I can even send back the old one if needed)? I would rather not send back my Pandora, though...I've read on here that it can be a long wait when dealing with official pandora repairs...understandably so (I'm sure they are quite busy with the production run). Do you think it would be significantly quicker and easier to just buy a spare case?


Linux-SWAT, you say you're waiting for an official response...do you mean that you already have the ball rolling for me on a warranty inquiry?


In looking over the design, I might suggest that the hinges be brought in a little closer to the middle (and away from the shoulder buttons so that there is better resistance against cracks of this nature. It should be only an adjustment to the design of the piece that cracked and to the door itself...the rest could stay the same.

 

[JeFF]

You know, I had many cracks on the lid part of the case. 30$ for spare parts which could serve you somewhen (seen many time users who needs new battery covers 'cause the little snaps fallen off or a new lid because there's cracks in there)... It's up to you.

 

[Linux-SWAT]

Linux-SWAT, you say you're waiting for an official response...do you mean that you already have the ball rolling for me on a warranty inquiry?

In which shop did you buy the unit ?


I'm just guessing the sellers who read these boards usually ship a spare case part in this ..."case" ^^. But i don't want to speak for them.


Anyway, having a spare case is not a bad idea.

 

[carport888]

I ordered through the preorder function on openpandora.org and it shipped to US through Link.


I may consider getting a spare case in the future...it does sound like a good idea, but will have to wait for now. It is good to know there are options, though (try getting a spare casing for a DS)!

 

[Kosmos]

I have 2 cracks at the hing and one on the top/lid corner. Solved both with a "super glue gel" which looks rough and tumbled but has held up well for a number of months. I have a spare case and watched the ""Pandora How to replace an LCD Cable" video.

The only part missing in this excellent video is swapping the lid with the LCD attached. I want to remove the LCD et al and move to a new case. Before I consider this... How is the LCD attached? As I do not want to risk cracking the screen if it was taped or glued in place. I swapped the digitizer/screen in an old Palm Pilot years ago which was easy as the screen was simply sandwiched into place. But other things have used adhesive tape which risks cracking the display on prying.

Maybe someone could do a second video on case swapping  where a complete unit is moved to a new case.

It has become my favorite Linux computer as well. Tied with my Eee PC 900HA that I keep pluging along

 

[patrick295767]

Waiting for an official response, i can tell this part is easy to replace. You can do it yourself, just remember not to screw too much.

Please also note that some user have been replacing some items of the pandora, and unfortunately some problems came after.

If you do it yourself, please take your time and take a lot of precautions. It is not too easy. 

 

[Binky]

If you have experience with this sort of thing, and have watched EDs video, it should present no severe problems to you.

The screen is not attached in any nasty way. The hardest part is recoiling the LCD cable in my experience.

I would advise:

1. Plenty of time, sleep
2. A suitable, well-lit worktable
3. Caution
4. Steady hands
5. Looking for problems with the thing actually disassembled in front of you - The difficult parts are very difficult to explain in a forum post
6. Moving the metallic tape off the wifi antenna while you're at it
7. Buy spare parts before starting. This procedure may void your warranty and/or rip holes in the space-time continumnumuum!