How to get things to disassemble?

[stephenkohnle53]

I am getting a dremel for christmas and I love to disassemble electronics so do you know of anything that I can disassemble its exterior with a dremel for practice but also to get useful electronic parts? I was planning on talking to an electronics company to see if they have scrap electronics I can take, specifically computers, so do you know of other places I can get scrap electronics?

Also I do not know what bits I am getting for the dremel since my mom is buying it (she told me I am getting it but has no idea the difference between bits nor dremels) so does it matter what bit I get for taking apart plastic casings? As far as I know, if it is strong enough to take apart metal I would assume its fine to use on plastic.

Also I know very little about engineering and the only things I do know are limited to minimal research and taking a few electronics apart.

 

[scottdave]

Old printers (laser or inkjet) should have some interesting parts to get. You could go to garage sales or maybe Goodwill, or call an electronics recycling place to see how to get one for cheap/free. There are several YouTube videos of reclaiming electronic parts off of printers.

 

[scottdave]

It should be obvious, but make sure you (and people nearby) wear all the recommended safety goggles, etc. When using this. It operates at tremendous speeds and loose parts/debris can be launched at high speeds in unpredictable directions.

 

[anorlunda]

Almost all car rental business have boxes of phones/chargers/laptops and the like that people forgot in their cars. Go there and say "I forgot my --- in my rental car." They'll probably show you the box and say, "Have fun."

The catch? You must look old enough to rent a car; usually 23.

A phone or laptop charger might be a good choice for your first disassembly experiment. See if you can figure out how it works by looking at the components and the circuit that connects them.

 

[scottdave]

Just driving out of my neighborhood, this morning, I saw a TV set (old style - CRT) at the end of someone's driveway. Today is not trash day (I don't think they take CRT's anyway), but I'm sure it will be gone when I get home. People do that, then scavengers come by and collect them. You might just do some driving around and see what you can find.

 

[jim hardy]

Thrift shops definitely.

Old VCR's are full of tiny metric bolts , wheels, motors, pulleys etc.
Camcorders have the same plus marvelous lenses to experiment with.
Old film cameras have a lens that makes a nice eyepiece for rescued el-cheapo thrift shop telescopes, they're usually missing the eyepiece anyway. Whittle down an old sewing thread spool to fit...

Computer hard drives have powerful little magnets under the head positioning arm. They're great 'fridge magnets' - so strong you can hardly get them off, perfect for holding thick calendars.
Every computer repair shop has a bushel basket full of them.

Dremels come with cutting wheels made of ceramic , about quarter sized but much thinner.
They are quite brittle and shatter easily sending shards everywhere so eye protection is a MUST.
Shop goggles are best but wear eyeglasses at a minimum - old Aviator sunglasses with their large lens will do in a pinch .

Have fun. It is good for young folks to take stuff apart. You develop skilled fingers and you begin to get that intuition for "how things work" .
Started my Grand-daughter early ...

old jim

 

[Averagesupernova]

^^^^^^
@jim hardy
She will make some guy pretty happy someday.

 

[jim hardy]

^^^^^^
@jim hardy
She will make some guy pretty happy someday.

Thanks. Here in Arkansas boondocks a gal who can fix outboard motors would have her choice of guys..

I tried to make my own kids practical too.
When her Mom was fifteen we rebuilt the brake system on brother's old car. When we came into clean up she announced for all to hear "I did brakes on all four wheels and only broke one fingernail."
Wasn't it Cosby Stills and Nash who sang "Teach your children well" ? This is after all the Machine Age...

old jim

 

[russ_watters]

I am getting a dremel for christmas and I love to disassemble electronics so do you know of anything that I can disassemble its exterior with a dremel for practice but also to get useful electronic parts?

"Disassemble" and "Dremmel" are not words that belong in the same sentence together unless that sentence is "I'd like to disassemble my Dremmel."

Disassembly requires a screwdriver, pliers, and maybe a socket-driver and is a reversible process. What you are apparently looking to do is "destroy".

 

[Guineafowl]

"Disassemble" and "Dremmel" are not words that belong in the same sentence together unless that sentence is "I'd like to disassemble my Dremmel."

Disassembly requires a screwdriver, pliers, and maybe a socket-driver and is a reversible process. What you are apparently looking to do is "destroy".

... In the days before glued/ultrasonically welded plastic seams and hidden clips.

Get one of those multi-drawer units to keep all the bits you salvage, including screws. Keep the PCBs in a sturdy box - one day, when you’re getting into repairing stuff, you’ll be glad you did.

 

[davenn]

I am getting a dremel for christmas and I love to disassemble electronics so do you know of anything that I can disassemble its exterior with a dremel for practice but also to get useful electronic parts?

"Disassemble" and "Dremmel" are not words that belong in the same sentence together unless that sentence is "I'd like to disassemble my Dremmel."

agreed ... when I read the opening post ... I thought WHAT ??!

Disassembly requires a screwdriver, pliers, and maybe a socket-driver and is a reversible process. What you are apparently looking to do is "destroy".

indeed! add to that side cutters, soldering iron and expand screwdriver to multiple sized ones of Philips and flat headed type
ohhhh and these days you will often find a lot of Torx head screws@stephenkohnle53 come to my place with a large van and you can fill it up with all sorts of electronics for disassembly
my shed needs a massive cleanout Dave

 

[stephenkohnle53]

When I said disassemble with my dremel, i meant disassemble then practice the dremel on the chassis of what I disassembled. I haven't read all your posts but I'll check again when I'm not busy