PowerBook 180c, a very aggressive mold

[bengi3]

After some years of storage I decided to fix some dead PBs. This one has developer a very aggressive mold that has damaged the front plastic of the LCD. This one was my 3rd PB180 (for spares, especially the LDC): very sad though.

 

[bengi3]

I investigaed further: it's not molds, but gas. It's the so-called «vinegar syndrome". I checked all my collection and also a B/W PB 5300, stored not far from the 180c, is affected. Luckily all other stuff (see signature) so far is fine.

Check here for more info on the vinegar syndrome: 

 

 

[LCARS]

Oh my gosh. I'm sorry to see that. That must have been heartbreaking to find. At least its just the film and not the glass but still, not a quick fix.

[bengi3]

On 4/14/2020 at 10:50 PM, LCARS said:

Oh my gosh. I'm sorry to see that. That must have been heartbreaking to find. At least its just the film and not the glass but still, not a quick fix.

Indeed its easier than expected, its the polarized film. Piece of case is the removal. I have just ordered for 20 euros a 20x20 polarized film.

[bengi3]

Follow up:

 

180c fixed. I bought both the adhesive and the non adhesive film. This is the first one, too many bubbles but will improve the technique. Next one will try with the non adhesive film.

The correct orientation for PB 180c is 45°.

 

This short video shows the effect of the polarizing film:

 

https://youtu.be/zt_ntId-CA8

 

 

Edited November 8, 2020 by bengi3

[ravuya]

That looks very good even considering the bubbles! Promising stuff.

 

I have just gotten a PowerBook 520 from Japan that has vinegar syndrome (attached). It will probably take some trial and error by the community to figure out just what the ideal method is for getting the new film installed.

[Byrd]

Excellent work, bengi3!

 

Polarising film is quite expensive, but I reckon a source of a huge sheet of it would be in a relatively late model LCD TV.  I recently took apart a Phillips 55" LCD TV - now fixed - but one of the layers was a huge loose fitted sheet of polarising film.  Needless to say, it might be the wrong type, but keep in mind if you come across a junker/cracked TV to scavenge for parts.

 

I recently took apart a PB100 LCD which I thought was part of the "syndrome" (in this case it appeared to be a kind of fungal/purple mold); however the LCD liquid itself had slightly leeched out underneath the polarising film - near where the trackball is so assume years of mild pressure has damaged it with the lid closed.  Once the film was removed, it was clear the "purple mold" was the LCD layer itself.  Unfixable.

[cheesestraws]

Yeah, this is great work.  Nicely done

[techknight]

When using the adhesive based stuff, you have to use an applicator fluid, just as if you were laying down vinyl sign material. 

[bengi3]

Polarizer removal. Incidentally, what do you suggest to remove the old adhesive traces. I tried with isopropyl alcohol and also with xilole, but it’s very obstinate.

 

this is how it appears:

Film removal is indeed easy

https://youtu.be/RmRi7rBLEmY

Edited November 9, 2020 by bengi3

[techknight]

On 11/8/2020 at 12:39 PM, bengi3 said:

Follow up:

 

180c fixed. I bought both the adhesive and the non adhesive film. This is the first one, too many bubbles but will improve the technique. Next one will try with the non adhesive film.

The correct orientation for PB 180c is 45°.

 

This short video shows the effect of the polarizing film:

 

https://youtu.be/zt_ntId-CA8

 

 

 

I wonder if its the camera on the phone, but the image looks kind of dull. I dont know why... Did you recap the display? 

Edited November 10, 2020 by techknight

[bengi3]

I retook the picts, to me seems fine

 

[rplacd]

On 11/9/2020 at 11:06 AM, bengi3 said:

Polarizer removal. Incidentally, what do you suggest to remove the old adhesive traces. I tried with isopropyl alcohol and also with xilole, but it’s very obstinate.

 

this is how it appears:

Film removal is indeed easy

https://youtu.be/RmRi7rBLEmY

 

Thanks for the video, I have another PB180 coming along its merry way, in unknown condition...

Would you be able to use a microfiber cloth, wet it with IPA/xylol/Goof-Off, and apply pressure onto the LCD screen to remove the adhesive traces? Other than that, I can really only think of soaking it for a long period...

[techknight]

5 hours ago, bengi3 said:

I retook the picts, to me seems fine

 

 

Yea, Better. but still though I see somewhat of a rainbow effect as I saw in the first one. 

 

I wonder if the aperture size of the film is much smaller and more dense on these modern polerizers compared to the old original ones. like for example one pixel could fit through 20 or 30 channels on modern film, while maybe it was more 1-to-1 with the original film. Also I see streaking so maybe your LCD display still needs cleaned/recapped? 

 

Anyways....

 

To fix the 45-degree problem so you can do it in proper-even 90 degree offsets, is to replace the rear polerizing film as well. that way they match. Something to think about. 

[bengi3]

Will try tomorrow with a proper camera, maybe it’s moire effect

[dcr]

55 minutes ago, bengi3 said:

Will try tomorrow with a proper camera, maybe it’s moire effect

 

That would be my guess, since the rainbow effect is different in the two photos.  I'm looking at the copyright symbol area of the About box.  In the top photo, the copyright symbol is in an orange-y part of the rainbow.  In the bottom photo, the copyright symbol area is in a blue-white portion of the screen.

[bengi3]

These are from a D800 (the one with antialias filter) with a macro lens. White balance sucks. I never imagined how difficult is to take pictures of LCDs:

 

 

[techknight]

Yeah. Looks really good actually

 

Good work though.

 

In the future if you want to avoid the 45 degree thing, you should change the rear polarization filter as well. 

[bengi3]

7 hours ago, techknight said:

Yeah. Looks really good actually

 

Good work though.

 

In the future if you want to avoid the 45 degree thing, you should change the rear polarization filter as well. 

 

 I will, however they sell also 45° sheets.

 

These are the last pictures of my 180c:

 

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by bengi3

[Raster30]

I have a 5300ce with this same condition. I have it stored on the shelf with the rest of my powerbooks. I always assumed this was a contamination that got on the display, like a solvent. Is this something that I should be concerned could "infect" my other powerbooks? My plan was to source another display, maybe I should deal with it sooner then later?

[bengi3]

On 11/25/2020 at 9:34 AM, Raster30 said:

I have a 5300ce with this same condition. I have it stored on the shelf with the rest of my powerbooks. I always assumed this was a contamination that got on the display, like a solvent. Is this something that I should be concerned could "infect" my other powerbooks? My plan was to source another display, maybe I should deal with it sooner then later?

 

i guess that it’s better and more fun to source the replacement polarizer and fix yourself

[CC_333]

On 11/27/2020 at 12:05 PM, bengi3 said:

i guess that it’s better and more fun to source the replacement polarizer and fix yourself

Plus, with these LCDs no longer being made, finding unaffected replacements is going to be come increasingly difficult and expensive, to the point where replacing the polarizer is worth the inconvenience.

 

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