The plastic on the input cover around the threaded insert by the power button on my FW 13 disintegrated today. The threaded insert totally came out. This is the insert that the screw coming through the bottom cover screws into. So this means one of the five screws on the bottom cover is just hanging loose with nothing to thread into.
Is it possible to just get the input cover frame without a keyboard or trackpad? My keyboard and trackpad are just fine and don’t need to be replaced. I searched through the marketplace but I couldn’t find it there.
I thought about this, the problem is getting that insert in the exact right position so that the screw from the bottom threads into it. I will probably try this eventually, but I need to figure out how to do it.
Mine has been broken for years and… I’ve just never bothered to fix it. I’d love to hear of a solution, but you can probably get away with doing nothing (I can “tighten” the screw without actually screwing it into anything, so it doesn’t rattle).
It might not be worthwhile to stock it as a separate part. Similar to automotive parts; some things only come in an assembly because it doesn’t make sense to stock each item individually cost wise for the manufacturer.
Alternatively you could get a whole input cover kit and just have an extra keyboard, fingerprint reader, and trackpad as a hot spare! It would not surprise me if the input cover alone is $100+ from other laptop manufacturers.
I have the same problem with the screw under the power button. And the brass insert has gone missing too somehow leaving am empty and very broken hole where the insert once was.
What are the specs for a replacement M2 insert please, such as OD and thickness (presumably all the bottom cover captive screws are M2?)
Sorry i should have been clearer by adding that there is likely a need “for me” to add reinforcement to the holes before affixing the insert and to prevent the other one from deteriorating.
I strongly recommend NOT using “analytical” or measuring methods to try to position the insert. The two screws adjacent to the hinges are angled and not perpendicular to the bottom cover like the other three screws.
Also noticed on closer inspection that they have attempted to reinforce these two holes but interestingly the other three have heavier reinforcement despite clearly their less stressful locations.
I just let some super glue seep into the gaps between the brass inserts and their surroundings and dabbed around the rings’ outside too to halt the fractures.
Still thinking over how best to repair the broken hole/ring for the insert. Tempted to use a tiny bit of expoxy putty but unsure if that is suitable for shear. Still unsure it was excessive opening and closing of the cover to reset the board or the stress from the hinges that broke one and fractured the other or both. Will update.
Great pictures! Those are incredibly clear. Super Glue or CA glue can be brittle, though it is really quick curing.
A more elaborate fix would be to use 24 hour epoxy, let it set up then drill and re tap the hole. I would probably have gone the same route you did though just to see if it works.
Had the insert slightly threaded onto the screw so that the shank of the screw was not protruding through or flushed with the insert - this was to ensure that glue would only go on to the top face of the insert.
Used a toothpick to dab CA glue on to the upper face and its knurled wall.
Closed the input cover and gently fastened all the screws. After a couple of minutes, carefully unfastened that screw while pushing a little to help keep the insert in the hole. Unscrewed all and removed the input cover.
Dabbed more CA glue into the gaps and around the insert. Waited for a few minutes for the glue to cure somewhat. Carefully deposited sodium where the missing chunk of the holding ring for the insert was a few grains at a time. Wetted the grains with glue. Waited for it to harden.
I was a little reluctant to go that way because this screw goes in at an angle rather than perpendicular to the cover, not easy to measure or judge that. If it were perpendicular, that would have been a cleaner fix.
Edit:
Of course, if you are repairing any of the screws other than the ones adjacent to the hinges, they are perpendicular to the cover, so measuring and drilling out is indeed a good way to go.
If anyone else is looking to do a similar repair, I would strongly suggest not using Super Glue, CA or glue labeled as containing cyanoacrylate. As @pkunk mentioned. Superglue is brittle, even very slight flexing can crack it. It also does not bond to some plastics, it will shear right off easily. Those properties make it bad for plastic structural componets.
I would use epoxy that is advertised specifically for plastics.
For a better fix, if a bit more involved, I’d see if it’s a plastic that can be repaired using acetone. ABS, Polycarbonate, or similar. You can shave a small bit of the plastic off from a spot where it doesn’t matter, and drop the shaving into an old medication bottle with a few drops of 100% acetone, if it dissolves in a day then it’s likely ABS, PC, or a combination. You can make an ABS slurry with acetone & some scrap ABS and use that to both repair and build up thickness in any spots you wish. The benefit of this is that it fuses / “welds” together, restoring full strength. 100% acetone is available as nail polish remover on amazon and often locals stores. Medication bottles are marked “pp” in the recycling symbol stamped on the bottom, it’s polypropylene, completely immune to acetone. But I have scrap ABS & acetone just on hand.
For a quick fix @name_of_user, I think it turned out good for using CA glue.
Like what @MJ1 said, epoxy would be the better long term fix. If the CA cracks, it will be fairly easy to pick the rest of it away thanks to its brittle nature. If you are worried about the brass insert getting adhesive in it:
Take a screw that fits those threads and put vaseline (petroleum jelly) on the screw and the threads, then screw it in a little ways into the insert. You can then apply epoxy liberally without fear of it getting into the hole.
If you got a little too much on top of the insert you can just sand the excess down flush. My old Model Plane mentor showed me this when we would nearly flush mount hinges to control surfaces on wings and tail. The epoxy would bond everywhere but the movable part of the hinge we put petroleum jelly.
I agree. CA is not the best for this and was very tempted to use epoxy putty. And your vaseline suggestion is great.
My guess is that the insert on the left of the hinge has an expiry date and when that goes, this newly fixed one will likely give too. At that point, hope I get get a new standalone cover from FW minus keyboard and everything else.
Just noticed that I might have bulked up the hole a bit too much as there is now a just discernible gap between the input cover and the bottom compared with the undamaged side.
