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Macintosh "Case Cracker"

SuperSVGA

Well-known member
I remembered seeing one of these in another building but not knowing what it was at the time. Now that I know what they are, I had to go back and get it!

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Seems to be in pretty good condition.

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omidimo

Well-known member
I had that tool, found it during my freshman year cleaning out old stuff, but then like all things college it got lost in the countless moves. #SADnotSAD

 

mtm84

Active member
I bought a "mac tool" from Fry's (I think) in... 2002ish?  Still has the label on it.  "SCREWDRIVER. EXTRA LONG SHAFT".

 

Dog Cow

Well-known member
Some of the various ways that I've seen people open a compact Mac case are downright appalling. All you need is the long-handled Torx and the Mac face down. Loosen the 5 screws, then on the two in handle and two at bottom, put the screwdriver on the screw head. Apply force down the shaft with one hand while pulling up on the handle (or one of Mac's feet for bottom screws) with your other hand.

You can pull off the rear bucket, straight up, and set it aside with the screws in place.

No mess, never fails.

 
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MOS8_030

Well-known member
Well I'll be dammed, so that's what this tool is!

This was part of a "computer" tool kit I bought more than 20 years ago and I've always wondered exactly what it was for.

The kit came with the long Torx extension as well, the use for that was obvious. The T-handle I picked up somewhere years ago when they used to be more common.

I've also got a big, plastic clamp thing used for splitting the case somewhere.

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MOS8_030

Well-known member
The kit came with a bunch of stuff. There was a combo pin straightner/chip insertion tool that I can't find right now and a chip puller, pin tools, wire cutters, sockets, etc.

I just never guessed what that "case cracker" tool was for. In all the time I've worked on Macs I had never seen one like that until now.

Makes sense to me now, the tool fits in the handle! Duh!

I'll see if I can find the plastic clamp thingy.

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Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
That bent "T-Handle" Allen hex stock wire DeepScrew removal tool is in the MacConnection Memory Upgrade Kit I still have from the 4MB upgrade for my SE.

 

CC_333

Well-known member
I have one that has a torx on one end, and a clamp on the other. It's super handy, and I use it all the time.

I got it a few years ago with an SE someone was selling locally (also got a ton of other stuff and a PowerBook 5300ce (with a 640x480 display for some reason)).

c

 

MOS8_030

Well-known member
The plastic "clamp thingy" I mentioned above.

When I got this ~20 years ago I thought it was some kind of case-opening tool but I never could figure out how/where it could be used but I knew it was an Apple specialty tool that was meant to be used somewhere.

Well, yesterday I found out exactly where/when and on what this tool is supposed to be used.

Has anyone seen this tool before or care to guess what it's used for?

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MOS8_030

Well-known member
Is it for removing some kind of electronic module?

c
I will declare you the winner! :)

According to the PowerBook 100 Series Service video that I finally got around to watching (and digitizing) last night after ~20+ years, this tool is the "Apple Logic Board Take-apart Tool" and is to be used to separate the daughter card from the motherboard on the PB140-180 models.

After seeing the tool in the video I went and looked at the Service Source document for the PB 100-series and sure enough there is the tool!

I suppose I would have known what this tool was for sooner had I ever actually looked at any of of the Service Source docs before I ever worked on a PB 100-series system!  [:D]

Anyway, just more junk in my collection.

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