38E disassembly

[Mike T.]

(05-14-2024 09:28 AM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  For me the major problem is the cheap plastic they used for these cases. It was brittle when it was new and it is very very brittle now, 40 years later. The older they get the more they crack and break during repair attempts.

If I remember correctly HP used to make a big thing about the plastic they used as it was supposedly the same as the ABS plastic used in crash helmets at the time. I remember that my own HP33C acquired a small chip on one corner as a result of being accidentally dropped two floors onto a concrete slab, it was in its soft case which I suspect helped, but when I was able to retrieve it I was never the less hugely relieved to find it intact and still working! I didn't expect either, particularly some other items were scattered about in bits having not survived the unexpected drop, and I only noticed the chip a couple of days later.

However, I suspect that over time the plastic (whether ABS or not) will have become much more brittle, and would not try to opening any of mine unless I absolutely had to do so. You could argue that using what were arguably cost saving measures like the clip fit and solderless construction was rather short sighted but I doubt the engineers really expected those machines to still be working (never mind in use) almost 45 years later..