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Some Guy [] · Apr 14, 2003, 04:05 PM

I just noticed this a minute ago, but it looks like the right palm rest of my 12" powerbook has some little dots/holes. It almost looks like litle needle holes..

has this happened to anyone else? there's about 20-30 tiny litle chips/holes on the right side... any idea if apple will fix this? i'll take a picture of it when I get home later tonight.

-justin

sensorfreaky · Apr 14, 2003, 05:06 PM

They're not chips. They can't be chips 'cause there's nothing to chip. It's bare aluminum, anodized to prevent corrosion. If you see dots or spots, what color are they? White spots would be nothing to worry about since that may just be salt residue from the anodic process that can easily be removed by wiping and a little elbow grease. White spots could arise from humid conditions that your palm imposes on the the palm rest. If you see black spots however, you may have pitting which is little side effect of hard anodizing subjected to lower concentrations of sulfuric acid during the anodic process. But such pitting can only really happen during the manufacturing process... and it's odd that a problem would arise now since the acid was washed away long ago before your PB was even assembled. Maybe it was there the whole time and you never really noticed it? Hmmmm. Maybe I'm really just making this all up and don't have a clue what I'm talking about? Maybe.

mrmister · Apr 14, 2003, 05:26 PM

Goodbye, paint chipping!

Hello, pitting!

SOLIDAge · Apr 14, 2003, 05:42 PM

Originally posted by sensorfreaky:
They're not chips. They can't be chips 'cause there's nothing to chip. It's bare aluminum, anodized to prevent corrosion. If you see dots or spots, what color are they? White spots would be nothing to worry about since that may just be salt residue from the anodic process that can easily be removed by wiping and a little elbow grease. White spots could arise from humid conditions that your palm imposes on the the palm rest. If you see black spots however, you may have pitting which is little side effect of hard anodizing subjected to lower concentrations of sulfuric acid during the anodic process. But such pitting can only really happen during the manufacturing process... and it's odd that a problem would arise now since the acid was washed away long ago before your PB was even assembled. Maybe it was there the whole time and you never really noticed it? Hmmmm. Maybe I'm really just making this all up and don't have a clue what I'm talking about? Maybe.

humm no paint? you sure?
i just noticed 3 minuets ago that on the VERRRY back corner of my lid is a very small line and its a VERY VERY VERY VERY bright shiny silver i'll take a picture soon

Parky · Apr 14, 2003, 05:46 PM

There is NO paint !!!

Some Guy [] · Apr 14, 2003, 05:46 PM

well they're black and they are deep, but it looks more like tiny little holes since they're all round. they're not just spots, you can feel/see the depth.

oh, and it wasn't there the entire time, it is noticeable.. the first thing i did when i got this pbook was look for scratches after i made a tiny one on the back of the lcd..

-justin

Eug · Apr 14, 2003, 05:47 PM

Pix?!?!

SOLIDAge · Apr 14, 2003, 06:15 PM

Originally posted by Eug:
Pix?!?!

you got it boss

kind ahard to tell...but its not BLACK at alll its shiny silver

idyll · Apr 14, 2003, 06:22 PM

Hmm! A scratch?

ibook_steve · Apr 14, 2003, 06:31 PM

Originally posted by solidage:
you got it boss

kind ahard to tell...but its not BLACK at alll its shiny silver

To quote comic book guy: Worst Picture Ever! Anything clearer than that?

Steve

SOLIDAge · Apr 14, 2003, 06:37 PM

Originally posted by ibook_steve:
To quote comic book guy: Worst Picture Ever! Anything clearer than that?

Steve

if i had a clearer picture wouldn't I have posted it?
...
i tried 5 times, i'll try again...sigh

Spheric Harlot · Apr 14, 2003, 06:48 PM

That looks like a scratch.

There is no paint, but if you really try hard, you can scratch the metal.

My palmrest has what looks like little pinpricks from below all along the edge. They're spaced fairly regularly, but somewhat zig-zagging. Not noticeable really, but there.

Taking out the battery and looking at it from below reveals that these points are where the metal was glued/soldered/whatever together.

They're due to the manufacturing process, and - at least on the machines I've seen so far - they're completely unnoticeable unless you specifically look for them.

-s*

mrtew · Apr 14, 2003, 06:49 PM

Originally posted by solidage:
if i had a clearer picture wouldn't I have posted it?
...
i tried 5 times, i'll try again...sigh

You need more light on it so that camera can focus.... and step back a little bit... just a little.

SOLIDAge · Apr 14, 2003, 06:50 PM

god this camera SUCKSSSSS
the good one is not working for some reason

urrl5201 · Apr 14, 2003, 07:15 PM

That corner thing looks like a scratch. Too bad your cam has no macro closeup.

mrmister · Apr 14, 2003, 08:12 PM

Scratchesssssss!

But they said the Aluminum PB could never be scratched!
Noooooooooooooooooooo!

rustyclockwork · Apr 15, 2003, 01:40 AM

you can scratch anodizing off... just look at a well used mag-lite

to be honest, i can't wait for people to start modding these little guys... I've already considered getting a laser etch design on the bottom of mine.

I can't wait to see one that's been taken apart and polished... it would look like a mirror if it were done right.

ALUMINIUM is fun to work with, i still want to make my own auxillary heat sink stand for when it's at my desk...

Jason

JustinD · Apr 15, 2003, 07:49 AM

As someone who mods a whole lotta stuff, ideas for 12" or 17" mods:

- like Rusty said, laser etching. Just make sure you find a reputable artisan to do it; it's like getting a tattoo, but one that canNOT be removed!

- polishing it

- seeing how it reacts to heat... not sure what Apple's process was, but heat can change the tint of aluminum

- good vinyl appliques (like the ones for car windows) are always great, since they go down nice and flat, but can be removed without leaving residue

- Get a 90-degree Torx to remove the LCD housing and change the color of the Apple (the old iBook 1-2-3 =)

Hmmmm...

OwlBoy · Apr 15, 2003, 09:19 AM

Yup Scratching not chipping, thus not Apple's problem.

-Owl

chrisutley · Apr 15, 2003, 11:38 AM

Aluminum is not kryptonite. You can scratch it, of course you can scratch it. Duh!?

Some Guy [] · Apr 15, 2003, 12:22 PM

his is a scratch yes, but mine isn't.. i wasn't able to go home last night, so hopefully tonight i'll get a chance to take some pictures... oh, and my camera has a nice macro mode

-justin

vbeast · Apr 15, 2003, 12:37 PM

It's a scratch. I have a few scratches on the bottom of my 12" powerbook. Innitially I didn't know where it came from until I realise that there is a lable inside my Tumi notebook sleeve. This lable has 4 metal pins at the corners. So the longer I use it without protection, the more scratches I have on the notebook. I have to put a piece of paper between the powerbook and the lable.

sensorfreaky · Apr 15, 2003, 04:34 PM

Originally posted by Some Guy []:
his is a scratch yes, but mine isn't.. i wasn't able to go home last night, so hopefully tonight i'll get a chance to take some pictures... oh, and my camera has a nice macro mode

-justin

I understand this was your original query. Solidage's is scratched, or at least it looks that way. We don't know what yours is until you snap some pics. So snap away as soon as you get home and make good use of that macro mode. If you do in fact have some pitting going on, I'd like to see them magnified by macro mode as humongous craters!