[NTLK] eMate spring repair

[Michael Sheflin]

Do you know the exact specifications of the springs?

I was once able to find a bulk load of unshipped floppy drives of the same
model used in mid- to late-80s Macs which could have served as a source of
replacement gears.  If the spring is general enough, there may be a
cheap-ish readymade supply (?).

On Fri, Mar 19, 2021, 2:33 PM NewtonTalk <newtontalk at pda-soft.de> wrote:

> > The addition of a flat washer mitigates the problem but doesn't actually
> cure it.
>
> That's correct. However, using a creased washer with a sufficient diameter
> will ensure that, once the spring leg pops out, it'll be too short to
> puncture the display ribbon cable. So the worst that can happen is that the
> lid gets wobbly.
>
> > The correct solution is to swap the existing springs for a single spring
> that loops over the retaining screw instead of just laying on both sides.
> That will solve the problem once and for all.
>
> I've always been wondering why Apple didn't build the eMate that way to
> begin with. It's the obvious solution!
>
> > It is fairly easy to make a replacement spring.
>
> Hmmm... well... maybe for some people... but... you know... some people are
> even shying away from soldering the speaker and backlight wires...
>
> ;-)
>
> > I am putting together a set of instructions on how to do it and will make
> them available when I have completed them.
>
> I just read them. Very well done! Would be cool if we could find someone
> who
> can fabricate a small batch for a reasonable price. I'll be more than happy
> to review the final result and upload that review to my site ;-)
>
> Please allow me two suggestions reg. your instructions:
>
> a) While fabricating the spring, things will be easier and safer if you
> securely fasten the drill in the vice prior to the step where you're using
> the awl to keep the loop from collapsing.
>
> b) I'd recommend greasing the new spring BEFORE putting the shaft in. Not
> only will this make it much easier to put the shaft back in, but it'll also
> ensure there's a thin layer of grease between the spring and the shaft.
> If you grease the spring when it's already ON the shaft, you will no longer
> be able to reach the most crucial area.
>
> When I rebuild hinges, I grease the spring from the inside and also put a
> thin layer on the shaft. Then I reassemble everything, and finally I
> squeeze
> more grease in the gap between the spring and the shaft. So far I've never
> had a complaint.
>
> Frank
>
> -- Newton software and hardware at http://www.pda-soft.de
>
>
>
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