(Part 3) Top products from r/mobilerepair

So I did this on a phone I picked up off Craigslist. I would recommend using a long razor knife to remove the screen if possible.

The trick is to work the glass down from the top until you can get the blade fully extended so it sticks out the far side of the phone (between the glass and the LCD).
If you can keep the right amount of heat in front of the blade, it will just peal off and you won't have to worry about damaging the LCD if you keep the blade at a slight upward angle. There is a Youtube video where I discovered it, I'll try to find it. Edit: Not the exact video, but a similar method. I wouldn't use a ruler due to thickness, less likely to damage bezel around the screen though.

Start at the top, be careful around the speaker grill, also be careful at the bottom, the menu buttons are taped onto the glass, you'll want to carefully remove them with something like a guitar pick or plastic spudger.

You can just tape the sides, it works, but it doesn't look great, when you press down on the glass, you see it make contact with the LCD.

Using LOCA glue is your best bet for a nice finish, but the con of that is you have to remove the LCD from the phone for a neat job.

I was able to use LOCA glue to bond the glass to the LCD with the LCD still in the phone, but there was a lot of cleanup afterwards. You also run the risk of damaging the LCD with the uncured LOCA.

As for glass, I'm sure there are some better than others, I just got a cheap $5 one off of Amazon. Not exceptionally high quality, but it worked.

TLDR: Use a long razor blade for easier removal, LOCA glue has a better finish, but taping is much easier.

Edit: I forgot to mention, using Goof Off works pretty well to remove the left over glue after the glass is all removed, just use some rubbing alcohol afterwards to clean up the goof off residue.

From cheapest with the least amount of features to the most expensive with the most features.

SE400 Inspection Scope
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Cheapest Option, no zoom, but large working distance at .5x Very limited and similar to getting a 250cc bike when you need atleast 1000cc. Great to learn how to scope with, but a waste of money after a month when you could have put the money to a better unit.

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SW-3T24Z Trinocular Stereo Microscope
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Trinoc without simufocal so you lose depth of field when the cameras on, ( you can only see out of 2 of the 3 ports at once ) and you cannot pull the scope out, so its got limited rage.

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SM4B Stereo Boom Scope
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Basic Binoc scope with decent features, zoom and reach. Decent working area around 5.5 to 6 in

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SM4TP Simufocal Stereo Boom Scope
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Best of the best for the price, has capabilty to have cmount camera attached for 3rd viewer on a tv for training or for youtube livestreaming, ect

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Good luck! and dont forget to buy a ring light!

I don't own this yet, but I will soon enough to replace my existing multiscrewdriver. I had been looking for a leatherman with a pentalobe screw, but I couldn't find one. I looked top to bottom, this is the best thing I can find to keep clipped on the inside of my right pocket for general computer/mobile device repair.

iOpener. I don't have this exact product, but something close enough to it. Recently used it at my new job to open up an iPad 3 cracked digi, easiest and quickest way I've ever opened an iPad, didn't nick the WiFi cable or anything. Way better than the heatgun and spudger I was using at my last job, way less of a mess to clean up too.

Shame on me, but one of these in the middle or towards the end of the day keeps me motivated.

The hot tweezers were tools that I liked having, but honestly after a while did not use very much.

I don't even recommend buying the micropencil. You can get a T15-ILS that is the same diameter as the micropencil T31-I series.

That eliminates the need for having a separate set of equipment as the T15 (including the ILS tip) series is compatible with the 951. Sure you have to change your tips more often if you want to use it, but the only time I use a tip that fine was for jumpers. Just about everything else requires more heat to accomplish.

You will have a slightly longer tip (13.5mm vs 6mm), but I never found those extra 7.5mm to be an issue.

To each their own though, that's just my opinion.

I like everyone's idea on shelving. But the best money I ever put into the business was ordering these: http://www.amazon.com/Seville-Classics-Commercial-7-Shelf-Certified/dp/B0041L4R4O/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1426802356&sr=8-13&keywords=parts+shelves

Fantastic, sturdy shelving. And if you don't want to buy a magnetic mat, then go to Home Depot and buy some magnetic rolls (like tape) and glue them down to your desk or work bench. I use a cutting board (yes, the ones you use in the kitchen) with a ESD mat on it, and magnetic strips down the right hand side numbered 1 through 24. Each time I take out a piece of the phone, it's set on the strip with the screws.

Magnetic tape: http://www.amazon.com/Master-Magnetics-07019-Flex-Magnet/dp/B000BQL8E0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426802508&sr=8-1&keywords=magnetic+tape

Cutting Board: http://www.amazon.com/Da-Vinci-Natural-Cutting-thickness/dp/B00MMMUI74/ref=sr_1_47?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1426802671&sr=1-47&keywords=cutting+board

ESD Mat: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Green-Desktop-Anti-Static-ESD-Mat-12-x-16-For-Phone-PC-Tablet-Repair-/390826155199?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5aff0ddcbf

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HERE IS AN IMAGE OF WHAT THE CUTTING BOARD LOOKS LIKE, THE WHITE IS MAGNETS, THE BROWN IS THE BOARD, AND THE GREEN IS THE ESD MAT

I would do both in my opinion and experience. Take the phone apart so the glass you pull out from cracked lens doesn't ruin the camera, especially if it's your first time doing a repair. As for water resistance just use that e6000 stuff you can find on Amazon. It won't be as water resistant like OEM but will get the job done. The least stressful method would be to indeed take the screen off and camera before ripping out the glass shards. I remember doing this for the first time on an iPhone 8+ but ended up ruining the Camera by dropping glass shards into it (Did not take the camera out). It might seem overwhelming especially if it is your first time but just go slow and follow a teardown video on youtube and you should be 100% fine. Also to reattach the screen with some level of water resistance you can buy some screen bezel tape for like $2 on eBay. Once a phone breaks its impossible to achieve the original water resistance but you can come close but then again, it's not water resistant with a cracked camera lens.

Do you have a [MicroSD to USB](http://www.SanDisk.com/ SDDR-121-A11M MobileMate Micro Memory Card Reader (Red/Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WR3Z3A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.-HwybFJTA8YP) or [MicroSD to SD](http://www.SanDisk.com/ microSD to SD Memory Card Adapter (MICROSD-ADAPTER) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047WZOOO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_R9Hwyb56DM4Y3) adapter you could use? I tend to have more luck that way with recovering an external storage. Very useful to have, as well as [these](http://www.SanDisk.com/ Ultra Dual USB Drive 3.0 (SDDD2-064G-GAM46) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CVOLBQO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_IbIwybP90CCQ8).

I use this one http://www.amazon.com/Kendal-Industrial-Digital-Ultrasonic-Cleaner/dp/B0018IIPFK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1419728850&sr=8-3&keywords=ultrasonic+cleaner

Works great. For water damaged electronics I mix denatured alcohol and distilled water to 80 percent. Finish with a quick dip into pure denatured alcohol and dry under a heat lamp.

I dont charge bench fees. If I bring the phone back to life I charge about 40% of the retail value of the phone.

If the phone got wet and still works but they want to be sure it doesn't get damaged further I charge a flat $45 for a quick teardown, scrub and wash.

I clean jewelry and stuff for customers free of charge while they wait for their phones. I use a different mix depending on material.

The only parts you should be putting in the USC is the motherboard or a daughter board with no microphone/speakers or plastic bits on it. You can wash frames if they are stripped of everything. A hot USC bath will fuck up all the adhesives so be prepared to strip those before hand and replace them.

USC cleaners can be harsh. Dont make the mistake of putting plastics in it. The heat and chemicals will do strange things to them.

I love my Wera screw drivers, but to me that is a personal preference.I believe this is the y wing

I have a Small Butane Heat torch that I use on almost every single 7 and up repair.
Butane Torch

I use guitar picks instead of playing cards.
thin ones are the best

Camping scissors
these fold and are sharp

That’s the small things I can think of if you want a larger list of things that are more expensive I can add to it.

Kester 44 Rosin Core Solder 63/37 .020" 3/4oz Dispense-Pak http://www.amazon.com/Kester-Rosin-Core-Solder-Dispense-Pak/dp/B00AYJ0B7Y/ref=sr_1_7?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1395671772&sr=1-7&keywords=kester+44


Desoldering Wick - 2mm http://www.amazon.com/Aven-17541-Desoldering-Wick-Width/dp/B003E48ERK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1395672458&sr=8-3&keywords=desoldering+braid


No Clean Flux Paste http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Clean-Paste-Syringe/dp/B00425FUW2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395672365&sr=8-2&keywords=flux

Solder Tip Cleaner

http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-599B-02-Solder-Cleaning-Holder/dp/B00FZPGDLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395673163&sr=8-1&keywords=solder+tip+cleaner

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004UBNIMC/ref=psdcmw_393248011_t2_B004TOZ6AW this is what I used for most repair of course it depends on who you ask but since sometimes Im stuck soldering for multiple hours I like to be comfortable, I mostly stick with my f-888 hakko and a very fine j-tip for most work I don't really use hot air unless required or for removing either the ps4 or Xbox port which both are huge and dissipate alot of heat for my soldering gun im sure you could go cheaper by you are either gonna blame the shitty tools are eventually outgrow them and will wanna upgrade

Option A (Cheapest and Painless)
With this little adapter you can mirror it to a tv or Monitor, However controlling it with a possibly working digitizer will take some getting used to, but is frustratingly doable and will require patience. Buying just an OTG Cable to attach a keyboard and mouse will be like flying a plane blind but being able to control it. As you can image it doesn't go well for the pilot. (Useless). After all that you should be able to backup everything through the normal channels, without the whole custom recovery and ADB fiasco.

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-S4-Smartphone-Micro-USB-MHL-enabled/dp/9966685472

Option B, Buy a New LCD and use it temporarily.

Good Luck.

I use the iFixit roll dispenser with small heavy duty scissors. Pull the tape over the edge and cut it with the scissors and then you don’t need a surface to cut it one-sided.