PB 1400 hinge fix?

[CTB]

HAs anyone found a way to fix the hinge cracking problem. My beloved 1400c/G3 has a small crack in the case lid near the hinge. I have a 1400cs which has completely crack through. I want to hopefully stop the 1400c doing the same thing.

 

[Nixontheknight]

if you still have the pieces, you can try gluing them together with clear ABS plumbing cement

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Nothing thoroughly proven yet, but there is this: https://68kmla.org/bb/index.php?threads/powerbook-1400-hinge-fix-shim.39921/
@AEChadwick says it’s worked great for him. Don’t know how much good it will do for a panel that’s already cracking though.

 

[tsun]

I had good luck using Plastruct Plastic Weld on the hinge cover pieces from a parts 1400cs, they had not completely broken and it holds as well as you can expect. I've used it on completely shattered plastic before with good results as well - obviously the thicker the plastic the better to hold, and you'll still see the seams.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

I’ve used plastruct on the stress cracking on my 1400 and it immediately breaks when the hinge is opened and shut.

 

[aladds]

Nothing thoroughly proven yet, but there is this: https://68kmla.org/bb/index.php?threads/powerbook-1400-hinge-fix-shim.39921/
@AEChadwick says it’s worked great for him. Don’t know how much good it will do for a panel that’s already cracking though.

I tried this on my 1400 which has a hinge not nearly as bad as yours and honestly it's not really good enough. I might rip it out and replace it with something printed with a stronger material (I used PLA+, ABS may be a better bet)

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

The only good solution is going to be to get a run of new rear housings made somewhere. Original parts would have to be 3D scanned and a big investment would have to made for injection molds, but I think there’s enough frustrated 1400 owners out there to be worth it. @maceffects would be the best bet for this but I think he said something about why he’s not doing it? Don’t remember.

As for the shim, ABS will probably help, but probably not enough? I opened up my Latitude CPi (same hinge issue) yesterday and found that they did almost everything right. Mainly, they had metal pieces in there that extend up the left and right of he display housing to remove stress from that area. Despite this, it’s still cracking. I think they put the standoffs too low down, but if a metal support piece on each side isn’t enough for the brittle plastic, will a plastic one even be as good as that? Plastic flexes. As for the CPi, I actually found a source for NOS rear display housings (and I may have bought 5 of them - what can I say, I love the CPi) but I doubt anything like that will be found for the 1400.

 

[AEChadwick]

Nothing thoroughly proven yet, but there is this: https://68kmla.org/bb/index.php?threads/powerbook-1400-hinge-fix-shim.39921/
@AEChadwick says it’s worked great for him. Don’t know how much good it will do for a panel that’s already cracking though.

YMMV but part of the reason for the big, flat area was an already busted hinge. Not as totally as your 1400cs, but my cracks had fully separated. I used a lot of Weld-On 16 to melt the shim in there, pushed all the puzzle pieces back together and clamped it for about 36 hours. (I think some shims are designed to work without glue? This one has to be glued, it's not enough to just rest in there. Destructive edits are a commitment but desperate times…) Afterwards, I filled in the hairlines. It's not pretty, but it has honestly been solid. (Don’t mind the kapton, there’s a broken clip inside that i never got around to fixing.)

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

I mean, it isn’t pretty but if it works then that’s great. I’m going to print one soon for my 1400, I’ve got a big run of 3D prints I’m going to be doing soon.
2 PB100 hinge fixes, 1 PB 500 hinge fix, 4 PB 500 clutch cover clips and now this I guess. Whew!

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I've got a few cracked lids in the 1400 stack. I'm planning to lay up fiberglass cloth with ABS goop when I get the chance. FRP buildup is the only reasonable/remotely possible solution I've come up with in over two decades of 1400 infatuation.

edit: back in the 'fritter hacks day, painting that part turned out very nicely. ISTR one with a deep maroon paint job that might be up over there?

 

[AEChadwick]

I've got a few cracked lids in the 1400 stack. I'm planning to lay up fiberglass cloth with ABS goop when I get the chance. FRP buildup is the only reasonable/remotely possible solution I've come up with in over two decades of 1400 infatuation.

omg this sounds fantastic, please document & share the process.