How to cheaply fix that T20/21/22/23 broken palm rest *PICS*

[RealBlackStuff]

Yesterday I invented a cheap method to repair a broken palm rest.
This goes for the breakage of the palm rest near the cursor keys for a T20/T21/T22 and T23.
Possibly for other models as well.

If you turn the palm rest upside down, you see a groove that goes over the upstanding edge of the CD cage.

Find a nail of about 1-1/2" long, that fits snug/tight in that groove.
For best results, use a nail that's 'ribbed' over its entire length.
Use a hacksaw (blade parallel to the nail) and cut part of the head off, so that it can lie flat.

Using an Xacto knife or similar, continue that groove into the palm rest where it has broken off. Don't make it too wide!
If you make it too narrow and you then try to force the nail into it, you may crack the palm rest. So take your time!

Insert that nail into the newly made groove, with the head at the side where you find the microphone copper inside the palm rest, the 'flattened' nail head part pointing towards the outside of the palm rest, and push the nail-head tight into that corner. Align the broken thin plastic strip (with the groove) against the palm rest and press the nail-end into it.

Liberally apply cyanolit instant glue over the whole length of the nail. Make sure the two broken parts are aligned properly!
And DON'T get that glue on your skin!
Now let it dry properly for about an hour or so. It needs that time, because you used so much of it.

While this is drying, you now need to modify the CD-cage.
To avoid getting debris inside your laptop, hold the laptop with the cage-end pointing to the floor, and use the hacksaw to make a small cut ONLY in the upstanding edge, about 1-1/2" (or the length of the nail that is now in the groove) away from the microphone. Use a pair of pliers to gently break that 1-1/2" of upstanding edge away. 2 or 3 times bending it a little bit back and forth should do the trick. Make sure not to deform the cage itself. There is no need to smooth the edge of the cage with a file or sandpaper, it should be a clean break, and the plastic of the palm rest will cover it afterwards

When the glue on the palm rest is dry, use your Dremel or similar to buff the white residue of the glue away.
You can now put your palm rest back on.
It is much stronger now than it was ever before!

nail samples
beheaded nail-1
beheaded nail-2
modified CD cage
fixed palmrest

My $0.002 (notice the extra 0!)

Admin note: Moved from T2x/T30 conference 3/14/10

[jamiphar]

This is almost exactly what I did with my X21, except I used a finish nail and JB Weld as the epoxy. Still going strong!