A change of power... battery change info needed

[Matt Agajanian]

Hello all.

I am not very adept at handyman work so, I'd appreciate your help.

So that I do not destroy the battery door screws, I would like to know the size of the jewelry screwdrivers I should use when I replace the batteries of a TI-36x Pro, Casio FX-115ES Plus and the Sharp EL-W516X. That way, I could buy a toolkit with the right tools in it.

Much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Dave Frederickson]

Hi Matt,

I see you live in Southern California. Go to Fry's Electronics and buy the OLYMPIA 53 PC SD SET for $10. It also includes Pozidriv bits which HP liked to use on many of their products.

Dave

[Matt Agajanian]

Yes, thank you. But, what I'm asking is what are the screwdriver head sizes I need for each model. I cannot judge the diameter I need because they are so small, I end up picking the wrong screwdriver and try it only to find that I've mangled the head because I picked up the wrong size.

Please bear with me because I have no toolkit experience.

[Dave Frederickson]

Matt,

Embrace the opportunity to learn a new skill. It shouldn't be that difficult to figure out. Your screws are probably some sort of cross-point type. Typical cross-point types include Phillips, Reed and Prince, and Posidriv. Look here for more details. Typically I find that people select a cross-point screwdriver that's too small. This is evident by slop between the screw and the driver. Go up a size until the tip of the screwdriver exhibits no slop. If the screwdriver wants to twist out of the screw head then double-check the screw type or apply a little more pressure.

Dave

[Bill (Smithville NJ)]

Well, I always just use the point of my trusty Swiss Army Knife. Works great on most small screws and has served me well through the years. Of course I usually don't care if the screws get messed up.

Suggestion: Take your calculators into a jewelry store, offer to pay them for their time and I'm sure they'll be happy to size the screws for you.

But I would think any good quality set of small screwdrivers would probably serve you well for most applications. Steer clear of cheap sets - their tips are usually made of soft material and will mess up screws. You might want to check with the jewelry store to see what brand they use and then pick up a set of them.

Bill

[Matt Agajanian]

(03-06-2014 02:17 AM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  Matt,

Embrace the opportunity to learn a new skill. It shouldn't be that difficult to figure out. Your screws are probably some sort of cross-point type. Typical cross-point types include Phillips, Reed and Prince, and Posidriv. Look here for more details. Typically I find that people select a cross-point screwdriver that's too small. This is evident by slop between the screw and the driver. Go up a size until the tip of the screwdriver exhibits no slop. If the screwdriver wants to twist out of the screw head then double-check the screw type or apply a little more pressure.

Dave

I am sorry. That is too confusing and too, much too aggravating and risky. I am very uncoordinated and have no sense of how using tools should feel.

[Matt Agajanian]

****FIRST THINGS FIRST****

Apologies to Dave for my flustered reply.

After I took a five mile step back, I decided to accept Dave's constructive commemts and encouragement to try the challenge. So, I did just that. The fx-115es Plus and EL-W16X were a bit easier than I originally thought. I just went down the line of screwdrivers, trying each and focused on getting the feel of the fit. Once I got the right size, I decided to make a note of which was which.

When I got to the TI-36X, it was a little trickier becsuse this one has a different size. So, after I tried a few times with the Casio/Sharp screedriver, I just went down the line again and, lo and behold, found the right size screwdriver. ALTHOUGH, now my concern is how to split apart/open the 36X Pro since there is no opening for my fingers to pry up and it feels like I'm forcing it open if I pry up the rear top opening (where the two notches are for the slipcase cover). So, how do I separate the bottom from the TI-36X Pro?

Like I said, apologies once again.

[Dave Frederickson]

Hi Matt,

No apologies necessary. I'm surprised that it takes this much work to change the batteries. I suspect that the calculator is being held together with clips inside the case halfs. This IS the tricky part. Take a look as some of the case opening procedures for the 30b/WP 34S. I suggest using orangewood sticks, available from any beauty supply store.
That's the best advice I can give. Anyone else with experience with this calculator?

Regards,
Dave

... and congratulations on taking that leap of faith and giving it a go on you own!

[Dave Frederickson]

Hi Matt,

I found this video that might be helpful: Replacing the battery of a Ti 36X Pro Calculator

Dave