Crash Test Dummy-CAP's CF-30

I've never felt compelled to abuse a Toughbook just because they're supposed to take it, I'll leave that to Rob and Modly. This morning I did manage to "Field Test" the CF-30(old one). Rushing off to an early tide shift with my hands full, I put the computer on the roof of the Cherokee(5'-3" off the ground) while unlocking the door. I forgot to retrieve it and drove off. Three quarters of a mile later, at 25 MPH I heard a loud clatter as the Toughbook hit the pavement. I picked it up and continued on to work. Upon examination, it seems to have hit first at an angle on the top, hinge side, based on the pavement rash on the corner bumpers, and then flipped over chewing up all four corners of the base. The lid was half open when I picked it off the street. I have to admit to being somewhat concerned, not withstanding it's reputation, but am pleased to report that it seems to have survived, all the doors still close properly and it is functioning perfectly. I doubt any regular laptop would have survived, the impact had to be seriously in excess of any forces Rob can create throwing a computer against a wall.
CAP

 

Oddly enough, I was just pondering such a crash yesterday. I had shown my 29 to a friend and while describing it's toughness, I thought about a moving vehicle impact.

 

Pics please

 

Alex, there's not enough damage to show up in any but very close up pix. I don't have any shots of the actual crash and I'm not doing any re-enactments for YouTube!
CAP

 

Just to clear things up GUYS! I was drunk and I was seriously STOMPING ON MY CF-30 AS HARD AS I COULD and DID NOT mean (obviously) to crack the magnesium alloy top.

Might I also mention that the laptop was UPSIDE DOWN in the yard and I was actually stopping on the bottom of the laptop, which put enough force through the unit to crack the mag alloy...

DOPE! Damn alcohol!

~Now where was that sapphire/juice I was sipping on???~

 

Rob, it was not my intention to imply that you were acting irresponsibly when you cracked the lid on your CF-30. Obviously you took the proper precautions by jumping only on the bottom of the computer, not the top! Any way, the update is that something is bent on mine. The lid doesn't close properly, it latches, but it takes some effort to close it. Maybe a hinge is bent or out of place. I'll pull the hinge covers off this weekend and see if I can spot anything.
CAP

 

Anybody have a Mac or a Dull to try the 25mph test with ? Now that might be a fun video.

 

Be sure your video camera has wide-angle capability, as the parts spread field should be rather wide.

 

YUS! !!

 

Do we have a volunteer?

 

I was laughing as I read this because I had a user at work actually admit to me the other day that he did a 55 MPH bounce test ON PURPOSE! He got mad at his (company issued) CF-29 and rolled down the passenger window and tossed. I can tell you without looking it up in our inventory which unit it was because I remember wondering what caused all the scrapes on the lid when I saw it. As Cap already said, the results are not as bad as you might think. I thought maybe someone had tripped and broke their fall with the ToughBook. I never would have guessed what really happened until the user admitted it.

 

WOW! Hmmm... Here are the results of my breaking my fall with my CF-30 when I slipped on the ice in my parking lot. I was carrying my 30 via the handle (almost 100% of the time I use the shoulder strap, but for some weird reason I wasn't this time). I fell HARD! Busted open my pinky knuckle when my pinky broke the fall between the handle and the laptop (like the handle closing in to the frame with my hand in the way). Lucky I didn't shatter the bone from the force. The laptop is just fine, but my knuckle and leg wern't lol