HP Forum Archive 13

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Voyager Back Metal Plate Repair Message #1 Posted by bill platt on 21 Aug 2003, 12:28 p.m. Hi all Voyager fans, So, I have a 15-c which has the back plate peeling up on one end. Because the (aluminium) plate is plastically deformed, I have been unsuccessful with superglue--there is too much stress on the glue, (the plate springs back against the glue) and of course I cannot clean the faying surface. So, the other option would be to carefully remove the entire back plate, then make it perfectly flat, (taking care not to damage the silkscreened areas) then reinstall. Has anyone tried this? Does anyone have photos showing the faying surface between the plate and the plastic calculator chassis? Best regards, Bill

Re: Voyager Back Metal Plate Repair Message #2 Posted by Randy Sloyer on 21 Aug 2003, 9:04 p.m., in response to message #1 by bill platt Yeah, I've done it. Not fun, but the results justify the effort. Go to your local Wal-Mart. Head for the craft section. Look for a bottle with a yellow label marked "The Scrapper's Solution". This is the jumbo-economy-sized container of the product called UN-DO, aka heptane. $5 will get you a full four ounces. The same thing sells in most hardware stores without the scrappers moniker at $5 for one ounce. Find a well ventilated area to work and a six inch thin metal scale. Working with the back off of the calculator, apply the UN-DO to one edge of the metal label. Keep it wet with UN_DO for about thirty seconds for the solvent to work. Slide the scale under the plate and work it free. Where the UN-DO soaks in, the adhesive lets go. You work your way under the entire plate, slide the scale under the plate and applying more UN-DO. It will take at least ten minutes to free the plate from the calculator back as the acrylic adhesive has a death grip on both sides. Don't deform the plate any worse than it already is, this is the artsy part of the equation. Great gooey, sticky fun with noxious vapors to add to the enjoyment of the moment. Once off, remove the adhesive from the back of the calculator using denatured alcohol. The black carrier film will probably be left on the metal plate. Peel it off and then remove the residual adhesive. Now comes the fun part. Find yourself a really good rolling pin and flat, hard surface. I have a marble rolling pin and board used for making pasta. It works well. Just roll the plate flat. Press too hard and it curls. Flip it over, roll it again, bend to suite, warp to fit, etc, etc. Just knock yourself out until your happy with the flatness. Get some double sided carpet tape, peel one side and cover the back. Trim it 1/16" from the edges. Cut out the two spots where the ESD springs from the front make contact with the back. Peel off the other protective film, line it up, press it down and enjoy.

Re: Voyager Back Metal Plate Repair Message #3 Posted by bill platt on 21 Aug 2003, 9:24 p.m., in response to message #2 by Randy Sloyer Hi Randy, Thanks for your reply! I have a few questions: 1. You say to "work with the back off of the calculator". Does this mean I first need to remove the rubber feet and unscrew the screws? 2. What are the "ESD Springs"? Thanks again! Best regards, Bill

Re: Voyager Back Metal Plate Repair Message #4 Posted by Randy Sloyer on 21 Aug 2003, 10:24 p.m., in response to message #3 by bill platt Yes, take the feet off, then the four screws, then the back comes off. This is so the UN-DO doesn't work its way into the calculator through the two holes under the plate. Once the back is off, you'll see two small springs that connect the front metal plate to the rear metal plate which all goes to the negative battery terminal. This is part of the electrostatic discharge protection for the unit. The longer one goes near the battery area.

Alternative backplate "fix" Message #5 Posted by Larry Corrado, USA (WI) on 21 Aug 2003, 9:57 p.m., in response to message #2 by Randy Sloyer Randy: I, too, have a 15C with the same kind of peeling back plate. Since I was afraid of damaging it worse if I tried to take the plate off and reglue, I used a different kind of "fix." I made a frame for my machine out of 12 mm thick wooden molding glued to an 11 x 16 cm piece of thin fiber board. The 15C just fits inside, and is held hard against the back by two plastic tabs pressing down from the top. The result is of course bulkier than the calulator by itself, but it works for me since I only use the machine at my desk at home. If I get ambitious, I may try your technique, Randy, but for now, this is working well. Regards. Larry

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