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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Hardware Hacking > Removing the handle on the top of the iMac

Removing the handle on the top of the iMac
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Senior User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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Feb 10, 2003, 05:05 PM
 
Can anyone think of a way to remove the top handle w/o trashing the rest of the shell??
     
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Feb 10, 2003, 08:48 PM
 
I can't really figure out how you'd do it. Apple built that handle very well. However, you've aroused my cusiousity. I must ask, why do you want to remove it?
     
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Feb 13, 2003, 09:31 AM
 
I have a suggestion or hint

I do not have an iMac, but troubleshoot one for a friend of mine. He always brings it over to my place when he needs me to tweak/install something. Once I ran some huge marathon game session on it before he came over to test for some stability problems and the top of the iMac got very warm. SO warm in fact that when I went to pick it up by JUST the handle - that whole round molded handle bit just about slipped out of the iMac shell! It was probably no where near, but the sensation of that computer slipping like that taught me a very valuable lesson - iMac, two hands.

So, maybe take a really strong hair dryer or maybe a good desk lamp and heat up that 'ring', I bet you'll get it out.

     
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Feb 13, 2003, 12:34 PM
 
I've never heard of anyone picking an imac DV up entirely by the top handle.
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Feb 13, 2003, 03:07 PM
 
Well, you can't say that anymore now can you. Funny that the Apple Cert. technician who replaced some other bits for me did also (dumbass techs ).

I should say that I didn't walk around swinging it like a bag of candy, I learned my lesson the first time I did it!

That said, eh - it's an iMac, waddya want!
oh yeah and it wasn't a DV.
     
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Feb 13, 2003, 05:41 PM
 
Hmm, that's funny, I've owned about 4 iMacs and always carried them like that.

................
     
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Feb 13, 2003, 05:48 PM
 
Originally posted by murbot:
Hmm, that's funny, I've owned about 4 iMacs and always carried them like that.

Same here. What's the recommended way of picking one up and carying it out to the car then?
     
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Feb 13, 2003, 06:32 PM
 
It's probably good to pick up a carrying case for it. Seeing as the old ones are cheaper than they were in the past and more useful than exposing your mac to the elements or even unexperienced technicians.
     
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Feb 14, 2003, 01:07 AM
 
I've always carried mine that way to, as well as my new G4 and my Clamshell iBook... I don't think they'd make handles if they didn't expect us to use them! Or maybe I just trust them to much... hmmmmmmm...

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Feb 14, 2003, 04:39 PM
 
when the first colored iMacs came out my school's bookstore had one of each color hanging from the ceiling by just their handles. I also had the original ("columbus") imac and I used to haul it around by the handle when moving (probably about 4 times all together), and it still runs, although not well since my dad insists on installing the latest version of OS X on it...
     
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Feb 15, 2003, 01:37 PM
 
I've always felt the handle was strong enough to carry it with. Even the little iMac leaflets showed people holding them by their handle. But when I carry mine, I hold it by the handle and one hand underneath, in case my hand slips or something.
     
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Feb 15, 2003, 03:26 PM
 
Would you believe there is actually an Apple Knoweldge Base article on how to pick up your iMac - can be found here

There's also one for the flat panel iMac too - here
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Feb 15, 2003, 07:09 PM
 
So have you gotten the dang handle out yet?
     
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Feb 18, 2003, 09:55 AM
 
Originally posted by agentz:
Would you believe there is actually an Apple Knoweldge Base article on how to pick up your iMac - can be found here

There's also one for the flat panel iMac too - here

I guess they figure someone might mistake it for a handle... LOL

The foot and bottom back cover handle should not be used to lift the computer.
     
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Mar 22, 2003, 08:56 PM
 
When I first got my old Ruby iMac DV+ I was afraid to carry it by the handle only and would also grip the iMac under the CRT for more support. THe handle didn't look too sturdy to me. But the plastic seems to be very very tough. Towards the end of my ownership I was carrying it by the handle only all the time. Especially the two times I had to take it to the computer store when the HD died. (First time under Warranty. Replaced for free. Second time only a year later when the replacement died.) Needless to say, I loved that thing and find the handle on the older iMacs more convenient and easier to use than the so called "Handle" on the new LCD iMacs.. Also known as the NECK. I'm just so afraid I'll accidently wedge the screen the wrong way and that'll be it. Broken neck. Dead iMac LCD. So I don't carry it as much.
     
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Apr 3, 2003, 01:12 AM
 
I am not familiar with the Columbus-iMac, do you mean the BondiBlue?

I think you can remove the handle. You may not be able to re-attach it ever again but what was assembled out of 2 seperate pieces without welding, should come apart with a little patience and force.
     
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Apr 5, 2003, 06:20 PM
 
to remove the slotload handle, you would need to remove the 4 screw then melt the little plastic tabs that are about every 1/2 inch around the outer circle. Note these are on the inside of the shell, so you would have to remove the shell from the unit.
     
   
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