Now Why Didn't I Think Of That?

I was thinking of this the other day and Teo and deere245 finally led me to do it. May this thread last long and be heavily populated with TIPS and TRICKS.

Here's mine.

I was marking a couple Toughbooks so that they would be easy to find. I put a piece on tape on the latch.
Later down the road when I opened the lid back the tape was still in place and held the latch. No familiar cracking sound as it fell loose and hit the back of the LCD.

FWIW of course.

Jeff

 

Here is a link to the wireless tip and trick from another thread.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/pan...deral-model-need-u-fl-jumper.html#post7155325

Forgive the plagiarism (theft).

 

Since I was "encouraged" by Gork to revive this thread, here is my biggest tip.
Look outside the box.
If you need to repair the finish or cosmetics, don't be afraid to look around at the craft store or the fabric store. You will be amazed at the ideas.
Although everyone seems to "dis" Brad's chrome Toughbook, he is thinking outside the box. Why not try automotive ideas such as polishing the magnesium on your Toughbook? Truth is while we may not like chrome, buyers do. It's a shiny Macbook world kids.
Why not a custom tooled leather cover riveted to the lid of a CF 29. Any saddle shop guys out there?
Just because the 4 port U FL connector comes from a Toshiba, doesn't mean I can't use it inside my CF 29.
Don't be afraid to try or at least throw an idea out to the forum. Sometimes we can improve on Panasonic's ideas. They have a lot of needs to consider in the large corporate picture.
My whole point is that my best tip is change how you think about the problem. The ideas will follow.

 

Chrome Lid finish actually is good for a toughbook, specially on a sunny day if you work outside but its to much for a regular day to day basis specially on office or in a crowded area. The Glare that will created is pretty anoying for somebody. Maybe for you its fine but for some others will not.

Creativity is alwas have a big rule on modding or customising the physiacal appearance of the unit.

ohlip

 

I would be ALL OVER a REAL CHROME ToughBook... just can't afford the scratch for my "beater" laptop. If you mix/match parts from the older models, you CAN build a CF-28 that has an all-metal exterior aside from the bumpers and buttons; I think all those bits chromed would be TOTALLY Buck Rogers...

mnem
Take THAT Dr. Theopolis...

 

had an old professor once made a statement "if you can't make it fine, make it shine". yes it is seemingly becoming a show it all society. I'm still working on the know it all parts and you can interpret that anyway you want. I'm doing as much as I can to learn and upgrade the toughbook for longevity durability and reliability. though much of that has been done so much more is being modded to extend the more than usefulness of these trusty little laptops. I'm all for improvements in all phases on these units looks options and added features that make it unique and an all in one grab and run package sort of like a smart phone, I'll call it a Know it all and Do it
all laptop ......Driller

 

We could try ghetto chrome.

Chrome paint

 

From my old hot rod days:

"If it don't go, chrome it!"

 

Chrome won't work too well in my opinion
In a marine and automotive application and most likely outdoor use the reflectiveness from the sunlight will be an issue

 

Naaahhh... it's be perfect mounted right next to that chromed jerry-can on the back of my '60s retro green-flake fiberglass dunebuggy...

As for using it... I think the only people who would mind are those on the OTHER SIDE of that LCD/INDUSTRIAL SOLAR REFLECTOR ARRAY.

mnem
Ooooh! SHINY!

 

From Tomcat57:

Having issues with SD readers? Make sure you are using SP3.

Thanks TC57

 

Or as mentioned in the other thread: MS Hotfix "WindowsXP-KB934428-v3x86"
CAP

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/557455-sdreader-cf-18-a.html#post7193238
It's already here. Ah well duplication is cool.

 

To try and get this thread back of track... I would like to re-mention my simple improvement to both the cooling and to improve the volume of those Toughbooks whose audio system has a speaker on the bottom of the case.

That is to install some of the stick on rubber feet that are available from many sources, including Radio Shack. This will give you a 1/4" to 1/2" air space on the bottom of the laptop and allows air to circulate on the bottom of the case, which is of course your heatsink and the only cooling of these closed systems.

The improvement to the volume of the sound system is also pretty dramatic, specially when the computer is resting against a semi-soft surface. The cost for this mod is usually less then $5. I have been using 4 on my CF-29 for some time and have been pretty happy with the result.

 

I have a used HP LaserJet 4100N Printer. I bought it used at a second hand store with a partial cartridge for $15.00. I am now on my second cartridge replacing the used one that was in it when I got it. It does super high quality B&W and is a real workhorse. I just plugged it into one of the unused Ethernet ports on my Wi-Fi Router and it is shared by my whole mixed network of Linux, XP and Win7 machines (10 currently).

I refilled my HP LaserJet cartridge with the toner from one that I found at a second hand store ($4) by drilling holes in both and dumping the contents of the one that would not fit into mine. I drilled my hole in the unit I use daily to match a plastic plug that I found some place and kept for future use. I have found that it is a lot easier to match a hole to a plug, then the opposite.

You could just use electrical tape, I was worried about the heat, but I doubt that I will get more then three refills because there are parts inside the cartridge that wear. But still for less then $20, I am pretty happy!

 

This isn't a mod or such, but after I am finished doing a good cleaning on my Toughbook's I use a product that I use on my automobiles and motorcycle. It is in a spray bottle, and you use it to wipe on your paint between a full blown wax job. It is highly UV protectant, resists any static dust, and makes the rubber nicely protected, the Magnesium is so slick and nice. I use a brand made by Zaino Bros that you can only get online. Other companies sell this as a detail spray, which I have never tried.

Try it one time, it makes the black parts black and protected, and overall it looks brand new when finished.

 

Toyo, is this Zaino Bros product similar or equivalent to those "tire shine" / "armor all" dash board spray-on? Some of these have anti-static properties and while it doesn't repel dust, at least it makes cleaning easier.

 

It's not that hard in this forum , Azrial
Most of the threads go of track

 

Can't stand not having a tether hole on your CF-29? Take a CF-30 touchscreen handle and put it on your CF-29:

CF-30 handle – DFKH8009YB-0 - $68.30

w00t!

 

picked up a couple of 4100N's at the local police station auction thru govdeals.com. less than 52.00 and only had 8K copies thru it. got generic cartridges for 24.00 each and works like a champ. fast and cost effective, ink jet ink costs about 5200.00 per gallon by cartridge prices.....Driller

 

Rick did this about 3 or 4 years ago, the handle doesn't really fit but close enough.
CAP

 

There's a comforting thought.

 

Zaino Bros makes cleaners, polish, waxes for the high end auto, marine, etc industry. If you enter a car into a Concourse show, most of them use there products.

Zaino Bros': Zaino Store

The product I am referring to is Z6.

 

A tip from rusty503. Use paperclips to separate the halves of CF 50, CF 51, CF 73, etc.. HDD caddies

A tip from Gork....use a 4 foot wrecking bar to remove Cf 29 palmrests

 

Heat helps ,but you almost need a 1 meter wrecking bar to remove the palmrest, it's a real mess
I won't even try ,and I would need to have a brand new palmrest on hand to replace the old one

 

Ok Ok OK. for you Canadians out there. You need a 3.28083 foot or 1 meter wrecking bar!

I have a good bottom case w no palmrest at all and just won an auction with a broken case but a good palmrest.
Gork suggested hot water in a PM to me. I figure with the condition of the broken case, I've got nothing to lose by trying to salvage the palmrest from it.
I thought about a heat gun from underneath.

 

What Brad (Or anyone who buys his laptops) will find out the hard way is that the polished Magnesium will soon end up with a white podwer all over and it will rapidly lose its shine. Try it... You'll see. I did this some years ago on a CF-28. It was cool looking but after sitting around for just a week... It needed to be repolished. And it never looked as good as when I first polished it. I never did another one for this reason.

Try it.... You'll hate it.

 

Toughbook! good to hear from you.

From deere re:SD format
http://forum.notebookreview.com/7202737-post23.html

 

From Toughbook:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/558100-newbie-sbc-cf-29-a.html#post7202704

A good one re: install disks.

Thanks TB.

I really hope everyone doesn't mind me snagging and tagging these posts. If you have a problem with it let me know and I will cease.

Thank you.

 

Same problem we had with American Racing's genuine "mag" racing wheels.

Without a weekly regimen of polishing they soon looked like bird poop!

 

I hand polished a 28 lid going from heavy to fine sandpaper and then different grades of steel wool...It took about a day and in the end I couldn't get it perfect...Anyway what about sandblasting one? And how would you seal the metal once it's done so it won't tarnish?