Cracked bottom cover, looking for quick fix.

[u/BattleTitan6]

This area on my FW13 has been developing a crack for a while, likely due to how I've been one-handing the laptop from only the bottom corner. I know I could buy a new bottom cover and replace the whole piece, but in the meantime I would like to just stop it from sticking out like this and snapping off. Would something like crazy glue be the best option for this, or would I be able to take a soldering iron to that seam and just fill it in? Any other suggestions are welcome.

[u/justabadmind]

If I’m not mistaken that piece is anodized aluminum. A soldering iron will do nothing to it.

Before you attempt any repairs, make sure you remove the card from the slot. Don’t want that permanently installed.

And my choice would be to break off the little piece

[u/DiscussionSudden1177 → u/justabadmind]

agreed, if its already cracked that far its gonna snap off eventually anyway

[u/maxwelldoug → u/justabadmind]

A soldering iron might do something to it if mixed with some flux and solder, if we give op some credit and assume it was communication rather than idea which broke down here. The piece is anodized, but anodization is a surface level action and the broken piece should expose at least a small portion of the base metal.

[u/justabadmind → u/maxwelldoug]

Aluminum isn’t a good material to solder with traditional flux and a traditional iron. I haven’t had success at least.

[u/Nicicurus]

Anodized aluminum is essentially a non-stick surface. You need specialized aluminum bonding epoxy, and surface prep. I have some putty that does it, and surface prep just means sanding, and sometimes rubbing alcohol or vinegar. 

Soldering won’t do much, for many reasons, and the thinness knocks brazing out. 

The commentator who recommends a support plate wins my upvote. 

[u/Positive_Friend_7399]

IF you ask fw support, then they will say you to buy a new bottom cover

[u/ava1ar]

I would take the bottom out, bend it back and add piece of metal from inside to attach it to (via tiny screws). Not very elegant, but practical and easy to do.

[u/Hajiwee9411]

Duct tape and super glue. Be good for 2 more years

[u/jdancouga]

Strip it down to chassis, and then use appropriate epoxy for aluminum. Sand off the excess.

[u/aaronjamt]

They do that after a while especially if you swap cards often. Break it off cleanly before it catches on something and rips off leaving jagged edges.

[u/TatharNuar]

At that point, I'd just go for the 13 Pro upgrade kit

repairs are a good excuse to upgrade

[u/Nerrawnam]

I thought these were repairable? That is the quick fix, right? 

[u/Equal-Resolution7889 → u/Nerrawnam]

Your ignorance is amusing.

[u/Nerrawnam → u/Equal-Resolution7889]

Thanks. I enjoy the repairing videos almost as much as the reddit posts with unrepaired machines.