ThinkPad Hardware replacement

[ThinkPad560X]

My ThinkPad 390X casing has cracked where the hinges are and now opening the screen now flips and the hinges don't bend due to nothing to hold it back. I feel bad these old machines are cracking. My ThinkPad i1200 and i1400 are doing the samething. Parts are getting very hard to find for these machines now, I even see ThinkPads like 560 and 600 going around on ebay for $200+ now and some are in damaged condition.

I was wondering to keep these old ThinkPads around and or any of your other favorite brands around longer, 3D printing is the best option really. Since ThinkPads.com archived all the IBM driver downloads. Why not find a way to 3D print ThinkPad parts such as bottom casing, palmrest, LCD lids, latches, Bezels, HDD covers, even keys. Any plastics that get damaged over time or lost. How many times have you bought a used ThinkPad off ebay and it says missing HDD cover, "And battery for me" Maybe if everyone works together we can have the rarest to the common ThinkPads saved to be scanned and be 3D printed for replacement parts. motherboard and screens is a different story though.

[rkawakami]

Parts are getting very hard to find for these machines now, I even see ThinkPads like 560 and 600 going around on ebay for $200+ now and some are in damaged condition.

Funny you should say that. I had my eye on a 560Z that was described as not working, mainly due to the seller declaring that he/she did not have any way to power it up. Went for $53 including shipping about 30 minutes ago. Photos indicated it had all of the port covers still intact. Keyboard and top lid looked new; the bottom had a few scratches on it.

As far as getting stuff 3D printed, you need to create an .STL file (or similar) for each piece you want printed. It's basically a mechanical drawing in three dimensions which is then used to control the 3D printer. If you don't have such a printer there are some online services that will print them for you, usually in a choice of (plastic) material.

ref: https://www.ebay.com/itm/174747363713

[ThinkPad560X]

That 560Z looks nice, I still have my 560X and 560Z in mint condition. Mine is only missing that rubber back door cover. It was common to lose and that why most of them didn't have one "Used" I have an extra 560X, parts only machine but in good condition. Missing battery and memory and memory door. No cracks.

But Yeah, I wouldn't be able to own a 3D printer due to price or have time or room for one. I don't know much about 3D printing but know you can make just about anything. But I just figured if someone on here that can start getting in say a 560, E, X, Z and take it fully apart to scan all the parts and then can print them out for replacement parts and so on for all other ThinkPad models so that way collectors and old users can still use their machines. For me I would order a new 390X bottom base and then take off the IBM tag information and apply it to the new base.

The person or business can keep all these print files on here and for them to print and can just print when need the part. not print a lot and let it sit around but to just print when one needs a part.

But if someone knows how to print the IBM ThinkPad badges too or even those fixation number badges "560Z" that gets placed at top of keyboard. I just ordered a couple of IBM ThinkPad badges from ebay from HongKong as that was the only place I could kind them at.

But I think a complete list of ThinkPad replacement 3D print parts would be good to have next to our Drivers list, So the 90s early 2000s ThinkPads don't become extinct.

[rkawakami]

Things like port covers for the much older Thinkpads (600 series and before) probably can't be 3D printed, mainly due to those pieces having flexible rubber "hinges". It's the real reason why the covers are now missing; over time the rubber degrades and eventually breaks. The hard plastic covers then falls off and are lost.

Thinking about my T23 systems... pieces like the HD cover could possibly be printed, although I'm not sure because of all the curves and what to do about the built-in infrared panel. Although to be fair, I've seen some aftermarket covers which don't bother to include that feature (solid plastic in that area so you won't be able to use the IR port). Much larger pieces like the lid cover or keyboard bezel may be better subjects for 3D printing, minus whatever metal pieces may be present in the factory versions. Bottom covers (memory, MiniPCI) are metal so I'm not sure if it's possible to print plastic versions that thin.

[ThinkPad560X]

Anything is possible. For the 560X/Z I think you can buy thin sheet rubber and make your own. The doors are a mix of plastic for the snap and the rubber to the bottom base. My old 560 came with plastic doors with small hing tabs on it, it is the same as my 390X, The one tab broke off and now the door covering the USB port and S-Video is open, not a big deal. I still have the door saved if I ever could get a print of it for replacement. For rubber, I think their is 3D printing for rubber products too.

From videos of 3D printing I saw if it is a complex print, they do in pieces and then glue the parts together to make one part. But if the parts like inside bottom bases have metal, you can just save your old base to remove the metal from that.

Another neat thing is if someone knew how to custom make a bottom base and top palmrest, you could custom fit a for example a T420s board into a T20. If you knew how to do it.

Some 3D products found online. https://pixelstrat.com/wp-content/uploa ... tat-3d.jpg
A 3D print of a PS4 controller shell: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com ... o-9ciL.jpg

I guess it depends on the size of the 3D printer too.

[axur-delmeria]

IMO it's hard to make a custom bottom chassis with the same strength and weight as the original, especially since many of these are magnesium alloy castings.

That said, you could start with aluminum plate of sufficient thickness ( maybe > 3mm?) then cut and bend as needed, then reinforce with steel around the hinges.