anyone using plastic sheet adhesive to remove ipad screens?

[16k_zx81]

So now I have done about 30 ipads and am pretty much over the glass mess that occurs.

I wear safety glasses and am careful with cleanup, but really the 'shattering' of these things is time consuming and really no fun.

It occurred to me that it might be useful to place some kind of sheet adhesive on the screen - like a screen protector - to limit the amount of fly-off debris and possibly make the removal of the screens a little easier and less messy/dangerous.

Has anyone tried this?

Im keen to but not sure where to source appropriate clear, heat-resistant, sheet adhesive from....

Any ideas?

 

[compnet]

I've seen a couple screen replacement videos where they put packaging tape on top..

I tried it with an S3 screen, and it melted from the heat gun. Still perfecting the art.

 

[Ken's PC Repair]

I've been having some success with the aluminum duct-work tape. Packing tape works fairly well, if the removal doesn't require a lot of heat.

 

[Adept PC Repair]

I believe tape that would serve well for this function is called kapton tape.

 

[Boston Pro Comp Serv LLC]

That sounds like a good idea. ESP for the ones that are already shattered.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

I believe tape that would serve well for this function is called kapton tape.

Not really. Have you ever seen or used kapton tape?

 

[GeeksInKhakis]

That sounds like a good idea, packing tape or sheet vinyl, like they use on cars. My back window got shattered by a rock from a lawn mower and the vinyl kept the whole thing together.

 

[citizensmith]

If you mean Kapton insulation tape / sleeving made by Dupont - renowned with MOD ground crew as major problem causing cable loom fires in aircraft. Kapton would breakdown due to age degradation or acidental ware n tear caused by abrasion during servicing of ajacent structures.
Supposedly aircrew were "misinformed" regarding its replacement prior to flying in hostile operational areas.
Can be found in many civilain airlcraft. Some would say there's a conspiracy to suppress the risk, 22 kapton fire events in the old Tri-Star fleet. All i know is that its really difficult to put out a fire inside a wing.
Well documented on web and several bbc news stories
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/cuts-hitting-raf-safety-officers-say-1278343.html
http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=8221414
http://www.vision.net.au/~apaterson/aviation/kapton_mangold.htm

 

[Adept PC Repair]

Not really. Have you ever seen or used kapton tape?

Yes, It's used for rework all the time.

I reball and regularly use it to protect nearby components.

 

[16k_zx81]

yeah kapton has the correct properties: transparent and heat resistant.

I guess the issue would be surface area and cost (its potentially quite pricey in large quantities that would be required, I think)

But yes, thats exactly the type of material.

 

[compnet]

But if its heat resistant, how are you going to heat the screen up enough to soften the glue?

 

[16k_zx81]

But if its heat resistant, how are you going to heat the screen up enough to soften the glue?

"heat resistant" means the properties of the material do not change when subjected to heat.

This is not the same as "heat shield" - like the ceramic tiles on the space shuttle - that deflect heat away from a core material

In this instance the desired quality is something that will stick, and stay stuck, when a heat gun is pointed at it.

Thin plastic sheeting that is moderately heat resistant will ideally stay stuck and allow the heat to transfer to the glass which is all thats required for the desired result.

It would have to be pretty robust to offset the 120degrees or so that the heat gun outputs!

Jim

 

[Adept PC Repair]

I don't actually use kapton for ipads. I go for the picking shards of glass off the panel option when badly cracked. It's just what I immediately thought could be suitable. If you use it on the centre and leave a gap around edges in theory it should help greatly.

I'm sure I saw youtube videos of somebody using sheet material as op suggested, similar to a screen protector, can't quite remember if it worked well though.

Either way, if it's heat resistant you're going to have to leave some sort of gap, to get heat to the glue.

Kapton is expensive, personally i'm going to continue without. Doesnt take too long if you're careful and I find my skalpel a great help.

I'd give it a go if it wasn't for the width of my kapton tape being so narrow. It'd take me a while to cover the screen.