Screen bulge - discussing a possible solution

[hmc]

Hi guys,


there are several common problems with the screen case:


1. The gap between the screen case and the keyboard case, if the Pandora is closed, is wider on the left than in the middle and on the right:





2. There is a bulge below the screen:





3. There may be a gap in the hinge tube





Could all these issues be caused by the fact, that the front part of the screen case, i.e. that one that faces you, when you look at the screen, is only a little bit too wide?


Has anyone tried to rasp it a little from the left and from the right, so that it is maybe 1mm less wide?

 

[quartercast]

Good pictures, this issue definitely needs another look at. Isn't it caused by a bit of extra thickness from the paint job?


In terms of filing a few mm off either side, do you mean filing the sides of the hinge?

 

[hmc]

no I mean filing off some material from this part (let me call it bezel), where I marked the edges (estimated about 0.3mm from each side):





The result should be, that the outer screen case part (i.e. the one facing outside, when the Pandora is closed, let me call it screen shell) would not be bent into that concave shape anymore, so the gaps between screen shell and keyboard case should be equal on the left and on the right, and, vice versa, that the force the screen shell applies to the bezel from the left and right, will not result in the bezel being compressed so much, that this buldge at the bottom frame of the bezel will occur.


Does this make sense? Also from a mechanical standpoint?

 

[quartercast]

Ah yes, I'm completely with you! Would one need to file all the way down each side equally? Maybe with some fine sandpaper?

 

[Loonie]

It might be just the tabs that need to be filed down a little. They might be too deep to allow the bezel to sit flush in the lid. Mine has a very slight gap between the bezel and the lid, and I think it's the tabs that push the edges of the lid slightly out of shape. Looks like I might have something to mess around with this rainy weekend...

 

[quartercast]

I love this sort of fine tuning, making Pandora into a perfect little machine. Just spent a few hours last week playing with XFCE settings to make the desktop just the way I want it

 

[Loonie]

I gave the tabs a little shave after getting home from work. There's some improvement, but I think I need to file out the slots that the tabs go into a little as well. I think the silver coating is just a bit too thick and isn't letting them sit flush, but I don't want to file down the tabs too much, or they won't be able to perform their job. I'm going to leave it for now, as the latter operation will involve a complete strip down of the lid. Don't fancy it.


Perhaps I'll pick up a spare case and experiment on that at some point.

 

[quartercast]

I wonder if we can use some solvent/q-tips to rub away the paint from the edge surfaces.

 

[cube48]

Good deduction hmc. I might have a look at this too as my Panda awaits new LCD cable and some case parts and sits on the shelve disassembled. I'm personally bothered only by that bulge under the screen, other symptoms you are picturing are less obvious on my case. I.e. that concave bend of the screen shell was much more visible on my previous black case which had no thick layer of paint. I have a vague feeling that somebody somewhere mentioned once that little bend of the case can be result of too fast cooling of the plastic after its injection into the metal mould.

 

[klapse]

The gaps between lid and case on the left and right side as seen from the front are due to warping of the case. Lay a ruler on it to see the bulge in the middle.


I wouldnt take a rasp or file to plastic, as the result would look terribly coarse.


I think we all should understand that such cases, made in relatively small batches, do not recieve the immense degree of quality control that goes into mass produced hardware by big companies.

 

[hmc]

I don't mind such gaps at all. But some people seem to do especially those who write or record reviews. :-(


I'll do some experiments, as soon as I have the time. I have some case parts here, that I can use to experiment with.

 

[Scntrblob]

wow, the new cases still have this? I thought their quality increased, but I have to say I definitly prefer my matt black case over the new silver ones then...

 

[EvilDragon]

wow, the new cases still have this? I thought their quality increased, but I have to say I definitly prefer my matt black case over the new silver ones then...

The bulging has nothing to do with cracking cases, which is what has been greatly improved.


If a fix for that bulging would've been easy, I would've done it... but that would've required quite a bit of analysis which we couldn't have afforded (and done in time).


It's only a cosmetical issue, while the othe issues we fixed were breaking the case

 

[Loonie]

I should point out that the problem in my case [sic] is not extreme at all, I'm just curious about stuff.

 

[Stephane Hockenhull]

Hi guys,


there are several common problems with the screen case:

the gap when closed is "normal" as the hindge applies closing pressure only on one side.


I think it could be fixed if you'd put some rubbers in the upper right and left corners of the lid, the right one would act as a lever point to send closing pressure to the left side as the hindge is slightly more toward the center.

 

[Cas]

Hi guys,


there are several common problems with the screen case:

the gap when closed is "normal" as the hinge applies closing pressure only on one side.


I think it could be fixed if you'd put some rubbers in the upper right and left corners of the lid, the right one would act as a lever point to send closing pressure to the left side as the hinge is slightly more toward the center.

When I received my old Pandora back in its nice new silver suit there where no little rubber feet on the lid, so just just took


the ones off of my old black case and used them. I have no issue between the top lid or bottom, do not have a gap in the


hinge.


I only have the screen bottom bulge thing, which looks like it is caused by it being to wide for the lid as has been said.

 

[hmc]

the gap when closed is "normal" as the hindge applies closing pressure only on one side.

No, that's not the reason.


I have modified my hinge, turning the hinge cylinder inside the case to have a different resting angle when opened. This results in no resting anymore in closed position, so there is no force from the right hinge in closed position anymore.