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PowerBook 500 Series plastic retainer bar?

Fizzbinn

Well-known member
I've got two PowerBook 540c (one with a Newer 117 PPC upgrade!) with the same problem, their "plastic retainer bar" that secures their
Daughterboard EMI shields are broken. This means the heat sink on the shield doesn't make the best contact with the CPU since the two middle screws aren't able to connect securely to the retainer bar.

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It's odd that Apple refers to this part ("plastic retainer bar") in the PowerBook 500 Series Service Source doc but doesn't show it in the Exploded View parts in the last page.

I've tried gluing them back together but it didn't hold on the first one I tired to put back in...

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Anybody else have this problem? Any 3D printing experts able to help with a model and/or printing replacement plastic retainer bars?
 

aladds

Well-known member
Believe it or not, yes!

I spent about 40 mins making this, not tried printing it yet but it might work :)

Note that I made it all as wide as the end supports are, since I'm pretty sure this won't work so well in PLA as it did in ABS.

I'll give it a print and let you know how I get on!

Edit: I've added it to my Github page so you can view it online too: https://github.com/aladds/3D-Apple-Objects-STL/blob/main/RamClip-Group.stl
 

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Fizzbinn

Well-known member
Believe it or not, yes!

I spent about 40 mins making this, not tried printing it yet but it might work :)

Note that I made it all as wide as the end supports are, since I'm pretty sure this won't work so well in PLA as it did in ABS.

I'll give it a print and let you know how I get on!
Amazing! Thanks!
 

aladds

Well-known member
Very close! I seem to have mis-measured the spacing between the holes. Otherwise it fits pretty well (including the screw holes being about right for the original screws to go into)

I’ll adjust that when I get a moment, then I’d suggest getting it printed in something which is a bit more temperature resilient than PLA!
 

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aladds

Well-known member
Much better 😊
 

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Fizzbinn

Well-known member
@aladds Thank you so much, I just ordered a couple through Shapeways. Fingers crossed their "Versatile Plastic" will be okay.
 

Fizzbinn

Well-known member
@aladds The parts came right at the holidays but I finally got some time to try it out, and… success!! Fits very securely!

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Thanks again!
 
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