The right Toughbook screwdriver

From what I discovered from doing some Nikon research is that Toughbooks use JIS screws and not phillips.
At least some of them do. This explains why CF 19 screws always strip out.

See stolen photos.

 

These are the recommended brand to get.

 

Not sure if it was Rick (Toughbook) many years ago or someone else mentioned that the JIS screwdrivers worked better. I have a couple of the JIS Wiha screwdrivers and a 4 piece set of Moody's which I like the best. They are a little smaller than the Wiha but have a better swivel head and wider head too. This is the set I have here. I had the regular set too but sold it to Rob a few years ago. https://m.ebay.com/itm/JIS-Type-S-D...177228&hash=item2a772aa2c0:g:ddYAAOSwnHZYUCGb

 

I was looking at the Moody ones, but decided to go with the Vessel's that the Nikon tech recommended.
The 3 piece set I ordered in the first photo are 100mm or 4"
The 3 piece set I ordered in the second photo is 150mm or 6"

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...e-off-what-do-i-do.452635/page-5#post-6793278

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...t-isnt-a-toughbook.462491/page-8#post-5976430

 

On my CF-19's I also noticed the screws are very soft, I pulled them all and replaced with ss Allen screws. I broke several along the way.

 

I have a thread here with CF 19 screw sizes.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/cf19-stainless-hex-screws.761113/

 

I'm using Wiha Philips #0 screwdrivers and they seem to work fine? (Reality: I'm just not THAT into taking them apart. Yeah that. )

 

I tend to disassemble everything I own.
Been repairing Nikon's lately Both Nikon and Panaonic seem to locktite the screws.
A proper tool makes things much easier. If you ever worked on an ex AirForce Toughbook, you would really understand how difficult they can be. A phillips will work, but they can bugger up the screw heads.

 

Nikon lenses is what led me to aquire JIS screwdrivers, I have both the Moodys 4pc.150mm set and the 6pc.100mm Vessel TD-56 set, great tools for sure. Some of Nikon's grub screws are tiny and fragile, a good fine point soldering iron can come in handy at times as well.

 

Hello fellow Nikonian, Nikonee, Nikoneer? ha ha ha
I assume the soldering iron is to heat the screws and loosen the locktite?

 

That sounds like a great idea. Never thought of that before. Going to have to try it sometime.

 

That's exactly what it's for.

 

How many watts is your iron?

 

I tried a solder iron on a Air Force Toughbook, but they dissipate the heat too well. Not to mention the locktite was 1/8 inch thick.

 

I'm using a Circut Specialists 60 watt unit with a temp range from 392 to 752 degrees F. I/8" of loctite, just how big was that screw? I wonder if wicking some solvent onto the threads would work to soften the locktite.
So what finally got the screw to yield?

 

Threads were smaller than 1/8 inch.
Air Force seals and covers every screw and the holes with blue locktite.
The screw heads are covered and many times you can't even see the slots.
Bought several CF 31's like that. A sharp Xacto knife and a good small pick are the main tools. You can heat the screwdriver with a torch and then attack the screws. That does ok some times. Best method I found was take the time to use the knife and pick to chisel out the locktite. It will take a couple hours. I do it while watching TV.

 

Ahh, I see now. I was thinking the screws were slathered with the stuff, so they just used a dab on the threads and then covered the heads. All's well that ends well.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...and-edition-dual-builds.805535/#post-10539284

 

No It was slathered all right. Filling the recessed holes in the base of the Cf 31's

 

Fun fact: JIS screws will often (but, frustratingly, not always) have a small dot indentation on the head. This is a quick way to identify them vs Phillips.

 

these

 

Wow... An education this morning and I'm only on my 2nd cup of coffee! I didn't remember the JIS thing... Or that CF-19 screws are soft... I never thought about applying a soldering iron to heat up a screw to break the bond of locktite. I always just put my full weight (or as much as the laptop could bear) directly down on the screw when I was breaking it loose and I would then immediately ease up a bit to unscrew it. I haven't stripped a screw in a Toughbook since 2009 or so when I found the Wiha screwdriver set.

Now... How are you guys on stock tips or winning lottery numbers?

 

Here's one I read just before the Dotcom crash around Y2K - "If your taxi driver starts giving you unsolicited stock tips, you know it is time to get out of the stock market".

 

A method called "Cracking" is an old trick as well. Instead of 1st trying to loosen the screw, try tightening it just a bit. I use and teach this method all the time to my employees at my auto shop.