Taking Apart Old Electronics

[TruthIs1]

I'm a crafter as well as a geek and I have a lot of old electronics lying around like 5 year old cell phones that will never get used again. I want to take them apart and make art. What kinds of tools do you suggest? For instance I need a tiny star shaped screw driver and a dremel is on my Christmas list.

[PrntRhd]

The star-shaped screw is called a Torx, if the screw has a raised pin in the center it is a Security Torx. Good hardware stores either have the driver for them or can order them.

[Whyzman]

And, a Torx "bit" may not be able to get in there... There's an inexpensive Security Bit Set, however, you may need one with a narrow shaft. Also, be sure when investing that you actually get the size(s) that you need. For cell phones, etc. they get pretty small...

[TruthIs1]

i bought a cheap one on ebay that said for cell phones, so i should be good.

Thanks

Are there any other tools you can recommend?

[Whyzman]

A hammer? A piece titled "PC Frustration" conjures up an assortment of demolition tools I have in my tool shed...

[Cavalier90]

I can't understand the reason they call them security bits when anyone can get hold of them and then take the thing apart. Sort of compromises the security a little. Such is life I suppose.

[Whyzman]

LOL... It's the same for many things in life. The honest folks aren't going to take a gun and rob a store...so we should have gun control laws cause the criminals are sure to obey them. I guess the security bits are for the honest folks too...to keep them honest...

[Cuc Tu]

I've seen little "art" in this fasion that I've liked, but that is just me. However, old electronics provide a wealth of usable parts, if you know what to use them for...

[johnny_quest]

nice to see people are still tinkering. im only 26 but i never see anyone my age or younger getting into that kinda stuff anymore.

modern electronics aren't much fun to tinker with... nothing but surface mounted parts and asics... nothin to fix or salvage anymore, especially on a cell phone. the old/vintage stuff is where it's at!

if you're looking for some new projects to tinker around with try googling "gainclone", i had a blast messin with those for a few years.

lots of IC manufacturers offer free samples and still have "through hole" components you can actually build stuff with. try national.com, onsemi.com, fairchild.com.

tube amplifier stuff is cool but can be dangerous if you dont respect it... 500vac+. restoring classic stuff is always a rewarding experience, compared to the junk electronics they pump out today!

heres a guitar amp i built from scratch a few years back... clone of a fender champ

learned a lot, still got lots to learn

[Cuc Tu]

The new electronics still offer good value. For example, you can use the LCD displays from cell phones and repurpose them. I've been looking at doing that for a variety of projects that need a display. sometimes you can use the buttons, and components are components. OF course, a good microscope soldering station helps...

My biggest project is an N2PK VNA and I am considering a scavenging a portable DVD or laptop display. I might just take the easy way and go for an SBC and standard VGA-type display.

BTW, nice amp!

[kiosk]

I have a 1937 radio which I tried to get back in working order, but gave up eventually. The reason it was decomissioned in 1960s is that some high-voltage electrolytic capacitors went short-circuit, destroying the mains transformer in the process. The transformer must have been exposed to extreme levels of heat, because the primary winding has shorted turns of wire (measuring only around 20 ohms), and secondaries are either open-circuit or intermittent. The rectifier tube seems okay, even though it's highly unlikely that it's in good working order.

I'll get back to it someday. Probably.

[awaj]

if the transformer has been shorted, the electricity could do some incredible damage like what you have seen... electricity is a scary force to mess with... it's also "invisible magic" as per caboose in red vs blue.

http://roosterteeth.com/archive/epis...ge=23&season=7

[DreamRevolution]

super glue !!!!

[awaj]

not with art... at least if I were to do things with art, I would probably make my own circuit board (can be done in 5spice [ a free Pspice program where you can design the circuit board, and you can even have it auto lay the tracings]) after I design it, I send it off to a factory, and just use components from a place like radio shack. since the art is never going to be used, you don't need to worry about setting things a blaze unless you want to have LEDs turn on and such, which then you would need to be a little more careful...


As for opening up old electronics to get to their components, I would take a hammer and a chisel or something that can focus the power of the hammer, and being careful about opening it up...