Tape!

Ok, hopefully this will be an easy one!
As I would like to do a good job of re-installing the screen in the 74, I was wondering if the tape used to secure the VGA cable and the other wiring is special.
The VGA has a sort of grey fabric tape whilst the wiring is secured with a black pvc type tape. Any recommendations?

 

I use Kapton tape.

 

x2..Driller

 

Thats what Panasonic uses

 

Three votes for Kapton!
I'll get some of that then.
Thanks guys!

 

The grey fabric tape is conductive; it is there as an additional shield ground. You want to reinstall it if it isn't shredded. If the original adhesive is gone from the tape (it often stays stuck to the surface, not the tape), apply it as best you can where it was originally installed, then use either Kapton tape or heavy packing tape (Whichever you have that's wide enough to cover the tap and still overlap the edges so it actually sticks to the back of the LCD shell and holds the grey fabric tape down) to keep it in place.

Most variants use a conductive adhesive; loss of the adhesive theoretically can be an issue, but I've never had any unit come back to me using the above fix.

If you want to buy new, it's a commonly available industrial product, but it's not cheap. The type you are looking for will use a "ripstop" fabric substrate.

Products

Item # High-Flex Conductive Fabric Shielding Tape, High-Flex Conductive Fabric Shielding Tape on Laird Technologies

Shielding Tape

FERRISHIELD|ST005PCN100|FABRIC SHIELDING TAPE, 0.5" X | Newark.com

mnem

 

What size(width) kapton tape is most commonly used in our toughbooks? I am looking to get some but there is quite a variety of sizes available.

 

For the 74 I have gone with 10mm as thats the width I want to replace on the cables in the lid. However, clearly there are other widths used!
Guess you have to source whatever you need to replace and you won't know that until you have disassembled.
Mnementh, thanks for the info on the conductive tape. I'll look into that. Typically most people will only want small amounts and as you have said, its not that cheap!

 

One place you can find lots of Kapton Tape is at Appliance Stores (especially Ding & Dent stores); if you know someone who operates or works at one, ask if you can bum it. The manufacturers ship using 1.5 & 2 inch wide Kapton tape for protection on corners of porcelain-coated appliances; usually you can reclaim a dozen or more pieces raging from 4" to 20" in length from just one appliance. I used to work at one here in SA for a while; I'd stick the tape on the tile area of the wall by my workbench; then I'd stick it to itself or a thick Ziploc freezer bag to transport/store it for use on my projects at home.

mnem
*Recycle-Dwagon*

 

And if you don't find some at one of those:

Kapton tapes