Will crazy glue kill my laptop?

The Last Gent

Basically, I have an older Imac laptop, from before the switch to metal shells. Parts of the white plastic shell are cracking and coming off in narow, long fragments along the edges. While it's nothing serious yet, I was wondering if there's any reason I can't just crazy-glue them down to nip this in the bud before it gets worse. Is there any danger of the stuff melting and getting into the circuits of the computer or anything? The cracking parts are along the outside edge of the bottom of the lower face (i.e. the bottom of the keyboard area, where my hands usually rest,) and the outside edges left and right of the screen.

So, I just wanted to check here before going ahead and doing this.

bowen

As long as you're not globing that stuff on there and only trying to adhere the surfaces together, I doubt it.

proXimity

No, this'll be fine on your computer, I've done exactly that... it still ended up breaking off, though. If you live anywhere near an apple store though, I believe they will replace that entire top pat for free, even out of warranty.

darkgrue

Be aware that crazy glue (as all cyanoacrylate glues) can cause really bad hazing or fogging of plastics. Even the fumes can cause this. As long as you don't spill the glue onto the laptop or apply too much so that it runs (a little goes a really long way with CA), and let it dry ina well ventilated area so that the fumes don't accumulate, you should be fine.

Plastic hazing aside, you'll probably find that it doesn't adhere well unless you get the glue actually on the facing surfaces, which can really be hard to do unless you force the crack completely apart. Applying it along the crack hoping it'll wick in hasn't worked in my experience, and it'll cause the hazing that I mentioned for sure.

Super Stach

Have you had the portable longer than 3 years?

The Last Gent

I believe so, yes.

saltiness

This is a MacBook, correct? It's a known problem with them. I had the palm rest/keyboard area replaced on mine after a year of owning it but it's all cracked and fucked up again. I haven't tried to see if they'll replace it out of warranty though.

edit: well, word on the internets is that they'll fix it out of warranty. I'm going to take it in to the apple store and see if that's for real.

Super Stach

Its true that they'll replace the topcase out of warranty but I'm pretty sure they will only do it if its within 3 years of the date of purchase. All you have to do is take it to an apple store or service provider and they'll tell you if its something apple can cover.

The Last Gent

Whelp, there sure aren't any apple stores around here. Getting mine all those years ago involved an extensive road trip.

Super Stach

If there are no Apple Stores there's bound to be an authorized service provider. There a search page on the website to find ones close to you. If you call Applecare they'll also tell you the closest place to you to take it.

saltiness

Good news! They fix these things out of warranty. I took mine to the local apple store and 20 minutes later I had a new keyboard tray and new screen bezel.

The Last Gent

WOOOOOOOOOOOO. I know where I'm going when work isn't owning all my free time, then.