What is this bump/pimple on my palm rest? (Pic Included)

[iutbf]

Is it a manufacturing defect? Used to position your hands on the keyboard as some sort of accessibility option?

[EOMtp]

It's probably the wrong size screw (too long) having been "driven home" from the bottom. Remove the screw from the bottom and, with some care, you will be able to flatten or shave off the bump.

[iutbf]

Weird, you were right... course now I got a hole in my palm rest o well. I haven't ever seen that happen before, i would have expected it to just push that corner of the palm rest up.

[Harryc]

It gets really interesting when folks use the wrong (too long) screws on the bottom of some Thinkpads and drive one up through the systemboard.

[tom lightbody]

> with some care you will be able to flatten...the bump

having removed the offending screw, pushing the bump down
seems not to help--do you recommend heat? a flatiron?

[lmittell]

If the bump drives you to distraction, as it would me, a new palmrest isn't terribly expensive on eBay. Be careful to get a new, unused one if you do it. I got mine in under a week from Hong Kong (I'm in the US). It came without the touchpad and fingerprint reader, but it's pretty easy to transfer them from the old part. Just be patient and take your time. The new palmrest even bore the IBM Thinkpad sticker.

Larry

[richk]

I do board repairs, so I have an air rework station. I use an air nozzle at 225C and heat the area quickly. The bump flattens out, but you need to be quick. There is only about a second between the time the bump flattens and when the palmrest melts into glop. You might try a hair dryer.