1poorMIL has a space heater. She gets cold in the winter, even though it’s Phoenix. Well, it stopped blowing. It would still get hot, but no fan.
Today I got around to trying to see what’s up. Six screws. Four of them are normal philips. Two are different. They appear to be slot screws except that the bit at the center is blocked/filled. I would need a special tool to remove this (like a slot screwdriver that had the center portion of the slot ground away).
They really don’t want people opening this thing. Kinda reminds me of public restroom stalls where the screws are specialized so that people cannot easily remove them.
I guess it’s going to have to go into the bin. Actually, I think I can drop it off with electronics recycling locations (maybe even the city…they already take hazardous waste dropoff).
I guess it’s going to have to go into the bin. Actually, I think I can drop it off with electronics recycling locations (maybe even the city…they already take hazardous waste dropoff).
1poorguy
I have two suggestions for you. I once wanted to open up a Mr Coffee to see if I could revive the limed up innards and discovered the same thing, weird little screws I never seen before. I did some searching on the internet and ran across a cheap (like $10 at Harbor Freight) set of oddball tips you could insert into a driver. There were various sizes of all sorts of shapes. like 35 0r 40 tips in the set. I have used these over the years as these situations arise. Nit a bid item to have laying around when you need it.
The other idea would be to take a cheap slotted screwdriver and hacksaw your own notch into it.
I did some searching on the internet and ran across a cheap (like $10 at Harbor Freight) set of oddball tips you could insert into a driver. There were various sizes of all sorts of shapes. like 35 0r 40 tips in the set.
I have picked up the same sets at Lowes. No screw left unturned…
I have a long philips. It’s maybe 8" long. I don’t have a long slot. So when I first looked, I thought “whew, it’s philips” because the screws were deep in holes in the case.
I’d have to get a long split-slot screwdriver to open this thing. (The other poster found a bit that should work; seems to be the correct tool.) Which I’m sure I could do. I don’t think one of those removable tip screwdrivers will do it. I have one, and it isn’t long enough (or thin enough…the shaft wouldn’t fit in the hole in the case).
The Harbor Freight in my area closed a several years ago. It’s pretty much Ace, HD, and Lowe’s here. And specialty shops (like plumbing supply stores).
I could hacksaw a notch, yes. Or use 1poorlady’s Dremel. If the fan motor is burned out, there probably isn’t anything I can do. It’s not like a PC fan where I can just order a new one and swap it out (I’ve done PC fans before). I was hoping maybe just a loose wire or something.
I’d have to get a long split-slot screwdriver to open this thing. (The other poster found a bit that should work; seems to be the correct tool.) Which I’m sure I could do. I don’t think one of those removable tip screwdrivers will do it. I have one, and it isn’t long enough (or thin enough…the shaft wouldn’t fit in the hole in the case).
Thin might be an issue if there is a hole to get through, but there are plenty of extensions available.
Note that for product liability insurance, these days parts are glued to prevent user access. This helps keep people from suing when their home repair goes wrong.
If’n you were closer I’d loan you one of these sets, in the rush to retire, a couple sets are still kicking around, pretty handy sometimes, we used some of the bits in various cell sites to block access to cables, etc…
Never had to buy them our tool room sent 'em along to us incharges/foremen, then when some of the newbies left, they were silly enough to turn in their tools…
Anyway, Wiha is one of the best… Resist the cheap copies!
If it were me, I’d get a cheapo long screwdriver for slotted screws and use Mike’s idea of hacksawing a gap in the head. HD shows some for under $5. And it would still work on regular slotted screws that don’t require heavy torque.
I would probably just drill it out, and figure out a way to put it back together later, assuming ou wanted to put it back together. What’s the point of putting it back together the right way anyway? So you can return it for a refund? So you can sue if it goes up in flames?
A drill bit is plenty skinny, and I have some that are 8, even 10” long.
Anyway, Wiha is one of the best… Resist the cheap copies!
39 piece set for $85… At more than $2/bit, they better be good…
I mean if you want to give me a set, I’ll happily take it.
But otherwise for bits that I won’t use a lot like this, the 33-piece for $6 at HF is more my budget.
Actually I got this set, or close to it - https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-10048A-Security-Vanadium-100-Pi… as a Christmas present one year - but it’s already missing a few bits - maybe one year I 'll get the garage completely cleaned out and will find them.
Free to me was better yet, used one of the sets probably 10 years on the job, and then occasionally here at home to access things like 1pg is doing, or trying…
One time use, find a good old real steel, hardened flat bladed screwdriver, carefully cut the slot using a good grinding wheel, keeping it cool so you don’t lose it’s temper/hardness…
I have a very thin, metal cutting blade on one of my grinders, an old 1940s 1 HP Walker-Turner grinder, also a variety of thin metal cutting blades for my DeWalt angle grinder, a hacksaw would be a waste of time on a truly hardened, good screwdriver… A fine skinny file might work, but it’s likely to eat up that file…
I really dislike cheap tools… They belong in the recycle bin…
Yeah, I was thinking that’s why they did that. They used to put a sticker that you would have to break to open a case (e.g. a stereo). If the sticker is broken, the warranty (and any liability) is void. Haven’t seen those lately.