If Macs Had Wrecking Yards...

[iMac600]

This is the kind of computer you would find in it.

I have to admit, I found it in a scrap pile, so the thread title is fairly appropriate.

The hinges are bent and misaligned. The Top Case and Display Bezel are missing. It only has about 4 of its 20 or so retaining clips left. The display is cracked and bleeding from every edge. The Bottom Case has large chips in the polycarbonate. However, when the Top Case board header is bridged, it starts up and confirms that the Logic Board, cooling system and charging system all run fine - and that's what really counts!

I'm keeping my eyes open for Early 2006, Late 2006 and Mid 2007 Macs with liquid damage or cooked logic boards at the moment so I can transplant the board from this one across to it. Of course, the one place that seems to be a gold mine for such machines is eBay. I already have my browser open to a couple of potential perfect candidates.

I also have one other small advantage.

I knew I would find a use for that LCD panel eventually. Look at the benefits when you don't dispose of everything you don't need! I have a spare Top Case and Display Bezel too... but I'm thinking about going brand new for both of those. The computer isn't classed as a vintage product yet so I may be able to order one through Apple if need be. Otherwise the Top Case / Display Bezel from Early / Mid 2009 models are a direct plug-and-play replacement, and they add some extra keys to the mix as well.

The final question that remains unanswered is perhaps what I plan to do with such a machine. I have a MacBook Air now that I can't see myself trading down from any time soon, so why spend money refurbishing this thing?

I'm thinking of gifting it to a friend. I know it won't run OS X Mountain Lion, but it will run Windows 7 and Windows 8 nicely. I would happily give it to her, she is however on the other side of the world at the moment which will surely pose a few logistical challenges. In any case, I want to do something nice for her, and it'll either be this or something else... we'll see how it plays out. In any case, it's a functional MacBook, there's an almost infinite number of things it could be used for.

Cheers,

Mic.

 

[trag]

I don't know what size that one is, and I see you already have a replacement LCD on hand, but this place has a 12.1" and a 13.3" Apple LCD panel for $19.95:

http://www.primelec.com/electronic-components/lcds-displays?limit=all

It might come in handy some day.

 

[iMac600]

Those LCDs are for PowerBook G3s by the looks of it, different aspect ratio and incompatible interfaces between the panels. I'll keep it in mind for my PowerBook G3s though.

 

[Bunsen]

iMac600, checked your PMs lately?

 

[TheMacGuy]

I'd refurbish it for a reasonable price and keep it as a back up laptop. Then again, having you having an Air, this MacBook probably feels like holding a bunch of bricks. That's how my 15' MBP felt when I upgraded from a 13' MBP.

I'd like to find a MacBook for cheap on craigslist and fix it up and keep it for helping connect some older Macs that don't support an AirPorti card to the Internet using Internet Sharing. One day, one day. :-/

 

[iMac600]

Bunsen: Almost never, but I did just then.

TheMacGuy: Ideally I would like to be able to repair my 15-inch MacBook Pro Early 2008 and keep that one as the backup, but I suppose it depends on just how far gone the Logic Board really is, whether I can repair it at the component level and whether I would be able to get another for it if that's not possible. The MacBook I'm not overly fussed about, I may keep it if I can't ship it, but I'll wait and see.

 

[FlyingToaster]

iMac600's new laptop-

It is pretty interesting to see a macbook get a second chance in the world. Hope you find a new shell

 

[iMac600]

Well, that video weirded me out a little. I assure you though, only a fusion of MacBook to MacBook will be going on here, its DNA will be consistent with its own species. No freakish hybrids.

I'll find out in a little over 24 hours whether I have a replacement shell for this machine or whether I need to continue searching. For a little cash I could probably also repair the current frame, but as it would require some custom fabrication, body filler, paint and primer I would ideally like to find a machine without the damage first.

 

[iMac600]

Surprisingly, I've had no such luck in finding a replacement shell for one of these. I will have to continue looking as I don't believe it's worth throwing away, but the logic board alone on the used market wouldn't sell for much. If worst comes to worst I may need to repair it bit by bit in component form, but this is extremely costly, or I could ship a machine in from overseas, but I'm not sure what overseas availability of these machines is like either.

Any ideas?

 

[Bunsen]

Compact Mac casemod? The logic board looks plenty small enough.

 

[iMac600]

I really need to turn it back into an Apple notebook, the demand for laptops is skyrocketing in my case but modded desktops, not so much. It really will be decided on an ability to find a replacement MacBook shell more than anything.

 

[Sludgedragon]

she is however on the other side of the world at the moment which will surely pose a few logistical challenges.

Rather more logistical challenges right now. I know what the US post office is saying, that you can't mail lithium batteries international, so I checked and the same applies in Australia. They tell us here it will be fine tuned toward the end of the year or early next year. It's something about the international airlines and batteries that get hot, a couple caught fire. So we can't even mail an iPod Nano or iPhone out of the country right now.

 

[iMac600]

It's alright... lets say the relationship between that friend and I is a little unstable at the moment. I have someone in mind a little more locally that could make equal use of it so I'm shuffling the priorities around a little.

 

[Bunsen]

Hah. My Hong Kong knockoff MBP battery arrived here with no issues. How curious.

 

[LCGuy]

Likewise - all new Macs ordered by the Apple Store these days get sent direct from China via air freight...with the battery installed and fully charged! At the same time, a few months back I ordered a knockoff TiBook battery from Hong Kong on eBay...once again - air freight, no problem.

 

[iMac600]

Status Report. No cases turned up, so I decided to set out repairing the old one. This is by far one of the more in-depth ground up rebuilds I've ever attempted. The current build sheet run-down:

DONE

• Cleaned Polycarbonate Plastics
  
• Replaced LCD Panel
  
• Replaced Bezel Clips
  
• Replaced Top Case Clips
  
• Replaced Hard Drive SATA Cable
  
• Installed 320GB Seagate Momentus HDD
  
• Swapped Memory for 2 x 2GB Amicroe Modules (3GB Addressable)
  
• Sourced and Fitted HDD Mounting Screws
  
• Replaced rubber HDD slide runners
  
• Overhauled complete Cooling System, Thermal Paste renewed
  
• Cleaned Dust from Case, Fans, Heatsinks and Components
  
• Replaced Top Case (incl. Keyboard & Trackpad)
  
• Installed Mac OS X Lion v10.7

TO-DO

• Straighten Hinge Pins
  
• Open LCD and clean light diffuser sheets, reseal panel edges
  
• Fit easy-removal adhesive pull-tab to Hard Disk Drive
  
• Refit Memory Cover
  
• Refit Case Screws
  
• Install replacement Display Bezel
  
• Polish Polycarbonate Plastics
  
• Replace 55-watt-hour Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery
  
• Source 60W MagSafe Power Adapter
  
• Install Mac OS X LIon Updates
  
• Perform System Fitness Test

UNDECIDED

If these parts can be readily sourced, they will be replaced.

• Replace Display Clutch Cover
  
• Replace Hinge End Caps

I decided against attempting to replace the entire case for the chip in the corner, it's incredibly minor and hardly worth worrying about. If it becomes a big issue, I'll body fill it and spray with gloss white, or something equally as crazy.

The black tape around the edges of the display are holding the protective film over the LCD, which is important as the last thing I want to do at this stage is accidentally ruin the surface of the replacement panel. This film and tape won't be there when complete. I wanted to also give everyone a look under the hood, which is looking a lot better than it did when I first bought it home.

I expect to begin tackling the remaining items on the list soon, and hopefully have some news and progress for everyone here soon.

Cheers,

Mic.

 

[iMac600]

As it turns out, you can't repair a damaged light diffuser. When liquid enters the display, it doesn't just sit on the plastic sheets, it stains them and etches them with imprints of where the liquid travelled. It can't be cleaned. So, both of my spare LCD panels are useless!

I don't think this machine will be very useful without its LCD... I hate to say it, but this project's back on hold until I can find a donor unit to pull parts from again.

 

[macman142]

If Macs had wrecking yards... They DO! hahaha. My work store-room and one of my cupboards at home would be good examples!

Anyway, maybe put this one back into the cupboard for now. I suspect you'll get a good LCD panel come up available to you sooner or later.

 

[iMac600]

I decided it was worth having a working Mac, no matter how rough around the edges it may be. I needed a new workhorse computer for work anyway, and with this one laying around collecting dust, I figured there was no better time to reassemble it and see how it runs.

It doesn't look like the same machine, does it? I did want to get a photo of it running, but the battery was flat at the time. Maybe later.

With all the components refitted it looks absolutely beautiful, the only hint of imperfection being some missing screws on the base that I still need to replace and a horribly scuffed up looking battery. When powered on, if you really look, there are imperfections behind the LCD. However, beyond all of that, it looks and works much, much better than I expected. The bent hinges, after being straightened, line up awfully close to factory specifications. When it's booted up into Mac OS X, the imperfections in the LCD are practically invisible amongst a sea of colour, so it's definitely usable!

It now has a 120GB Hitachi HDD fitted, along with 4GB (2 x 2GB) of Amicroe DDR2 memory. It's running Mac OS X Lion.

Now all it needs is a power adapter, a relatively cheapie battery and some screws for the bottom case (to finish it off more than anything), and it can go to work as a daily workhorse machine tracking data for the various other repairs I have to do.

Cheers,

Mic.