Being the huge geek I am I keep old computer gear around should I need it someday, being at a loss for what I was going to use to get my shims out with both my cams and sanity intact. Then I spotted the old 4GB HDD on the side and recalled being told the fun and games my good geek mate was having at work by sticking the magnets together and hanging them off the window frames and all sorts.
So in short the idea is - Rob the earth magnets out of an old HDD and you gain a (usually 2) super strong magnets for and go nowhere near your wallet for it! :D
You will need:
Beg Borrow or Steal....
1x T8 Torx bit (have a selection as your model may vary)
Selection of Philips head screwdrivers
A dead/broken/donor Hard Disk from a old or obsceleted PC
A blunt, or cheap flathead screwdriver
General HowTo Guide:
1. Extract all visible screws from said donor HDD (after removing your "nature" images from it
)2. Have a good feel around the stickers for any hidden screws and remove the PCB to see if anything is hiding behind it.
3. When you are sure there are no more hidden screws, wedge your flathead under the edge of the metal cover and prise the corner up doing this all the way round until it lets go.
4. Marvel at the shiny internals of your old HDD and play with the platter for a minute
5. The magnets will most likely be in the small block that the arm/pickup leads into so in my case (again yours may vary) remove the torx screws securing the platter (big shiny circular thingy) to the motor.
6. Undo the pivot bolt that is securing the read head (record player head lookalike) - a flat head usually fits.
7. With some brute force and ignorance if needed pull the read head out of the block part of it is under. The block contains the magnets.
8. The blocks will likely stick themselves together with nothing to separate them so lever them apart with the flathead.
9. Enjoy your super duper earth magnets when extracting those shims and the other fun and games you can have with them! :D
Hope this is of use to some of you
Critisims, Stickying and Comments welcome.
My little contribution to 400GB
