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PowerBook 180c, a very aggressive mold
Posted by: bengi3 on 2020-04-13 08:53:14 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.
Posted by: bengi3 on 2020-04-13 22:02:00 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:
Posted by: LCARS on 2020-04-14 13:50:38 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.
Posted by: bengi3 on 2020-04-16 09:39:35 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.
Posted by: bengi3 on 2020-11-08 09:39:13 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
Posted by: ravuya on 2020-11-08 11:47:33 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.
Posted by: Byrd on 2020-11-08 12:58:43 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.
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2020-11-08 13:01:18 Yeah, this is great work. Nicely done 🙂
Posted by: techknight on 2020-11-08 16:27:20 When using the adhesive based stuff, you have to use an applicator fluid, just as if you were laying down vinyl sign material.
Posted by: bengi3 on 2020-11-09 11:06:20 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
Posted by: techknight on 2020-11-10 09:47:08 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 View attachment 38650 View attachment 38651 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?
Posted by: bengi3 on 2020-11-10 22:57:49 I retook the picts, to me seems fine
Posted by: rplacd on 2020-11-11 00:46:25 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...
Posted by: techknight on 2020-11-11 04:38:02 I retook the picts, to me seems fine View attachment 38720 View attachment 38721 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.
Posted by: bengi3 on 2020-11-11 10:22:56 Will try tomorrow with a proper camera, maybe it’s moire effect
Posted by: dcr on 2020-11-11 11:21:26 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.
Posted by: bengi3 on 2020-11-14 11:37:20 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:
Posted by: techknight on 2020-11-16 04:39:47 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.
Posted by: bengi3 on 2020-11-16 12:02:02 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:
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