What the heck, it is a calculator and I just restored it....
Message #1 Posted by Geoff Quickfall on 11 Feb 2008, 7:05 p.m.
The pen comes of course complete and together, stating the obvious here! It brings up a good point, how is it assembled; glue, screws, clamps, clips, pressure fit.....
Not knowing the answers and not finding any info I went with the glued and screwed scenario. At first I thought the Pen control nib was pressed and glued in position so I gently started prying it out. BIG mistake, it is actually held in place by two tiny screws. I managed to destroy the threaded plastic hole on one before realizing my mistake. This however led to the revelation that the top keyboard shell must have been applied after as it covers the screws.
I heated the top shell gently and found that an exacto knife would slide in between the top shell and the main pen body. Carefully I worked the knife along the whole seam connection the two parts. I also applied a little laqueur thinner with a fine brush which help separate the glue. Use it sparingly as you don't want it on the plastic parts. Just apply the laquer along the seam only!
Once the top shell was removed I applied some paint remover using a small artist brush on the inside lip of the top shell and removed all the excess glue. Once the glue was removed I placed the top shell on an extremely flat surface on a piece of paper. I then, using a rounded spoon handle edge, rubbed the inside lid applying pressure to smooth out the occasional ding the exacto knife made while loosening the top shell from the main body.
This photo shows the top shell removed and can be used as a disassembly or assembly reference:
The offending screws which are completely invisible with the top shell in place:
Follow the directions for sliding in or out of the main pen shell as you could damage the connections between the LED section and main keyboard:
The module:
The solder joints:
Testing; "Its' alive"
Closeup of the display now fixed:
Cut some foam inserts to replace the original of which most had turned to dust:
Dry assembled to make sure all parts fit, as a prelude to gluing. Now to gluing, what to use, crazy glue for metal, epoxy, contact cement etc
I am not partial to the contact cement as it is to thick when cured and the seam would be visible. Epoxy seems the way to go at the moment but I would like a liquid glue that can seep into the seam as opposed to applying the glue with a brush like epoxy. Also have to figure away two pressure the to shells together, probably tape of some kind.
Any ideas on the glue let me know.
Cheers, Geoff
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