Forlorn Hope

[Griffin NoName]

I have the Griffin* Wave case 6275-ITWAVB for iPod Touch  - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Griffin-Wave-case-6275-ITWAVB-Touch/dp/B001G5Z8D2/ref=pd_sxp_f_r - mine's actually greeny-grey. Here is a good picture of it http://www.eminenteurope.com/pj/GR6275-high.jpg ignore the iPod on the left, it's 2G and mine is 4G, but the case fits both, the picture on the right is the back. It comes in two parts, top and bottom. The top goes down to the way bits inclusive. The bottom goes up to the wavy bits inclusive - the waves slide over and under the top's wavey bits.

The problem is the top part has got stuck. It should just pull off upwards. But no amount of tugging gets it off. Apparently the heat or something shrinks the case when the iPod is in use, so it fits on easily when you fit it, but once shrunk is stuck for ever. Luckily I never kept the bottom part on as that would have got stuck too, and with it on one can't dock, you can connect but you can't dock. There are lots of posts on the internet saying Help my Griffin wave case is stuck, so I am not the only one who can't pull it off. Mostly the posts end up with people saying break the case to get it off, but that is easier said than done as there is not realyy any way of getting enough purchase on it to break it anywhere.

The reason I want to take it off, is to fit a new case which will protect the bottom as well as the top.

Anyone got any bright ideas how to get the case off?


* nothing to do with me.....

[Sibling DavidH]

Dreml?

[Griffin NoName]

LoL a rather expensive option as I don't posess any. Nice try.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Try this one, then-- when you've listened enough that the battery is reasonably depleted, then plug it up to charge.  Set a timer for about 1/2 an hour or so.

The heat of normal recharging may loosen up things enough to let you pull it off without breaking.

Alternatively, some plastic sticks of some kind-- there are any number of specialty tools for this on the intertubes, and grossly inflated prices-- but plastic sticks won't mar the finish of the underlying plastic 'pod, you can try prying around the top-edge (front) to loosen up the case.   I would suggest something made of high density polyethylene, rather than the weaker & more brittle polystyrene plastic.  Or, perhaps ABS plastic:  pretty strong without being as strong as metal.   If I were within mailing range of your home, I'd happily make you up some, from plumbing bits, either PVC or ABS.  Not all that difficult to do from scrap pieces of plumbing I have in my parts-box.   

If you can get some plastic chopsticks?  Sanding one end to a tapered, flat chisel-point might work too-- heck, even some made of traditional bamboo ought to work.  Come to think of it, classic wooden popsicle sticks, sanded to a chisel-point ought to work without scratching/marring the finish.  I'd trim the rounded end with sturdy scissors, to square it up, then sand it to a tapered chisel point.  You could rub it on a concrete surface, if you've no other method of sanding-- I've done exactly that, when I needed a square-chisel point for mixing epoxy glue...

... apart from those ideas, I'm as stuck as your case is...

[Griffin NoName]

I like the charging heat idea. Will give that a try.

I'm a bit hesitant on poking, I am sure I'd break the pod itself.

[Sibling DavidH]

I had also been thinking about heat - maybe a very gentle warming with a hair-dryer?

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Another very safe method of heating an electronic thingy, but keeping the temperatures within safe margins?

Is live steam as what comes out of a whistling tea-kettle-- put the gizmo inside a double ziplock bag-set.  (to make certain there is no moisture getting at the gizmo).

Live steam will always be around 212F or so, which is pretty tame as electronic gizmos go. 

You'll need oven mitts, and/or a nice pair of tongs to hold the gizmo (inside of a ziploc bag inside of another ziploc bag) into the escaping steam.   A few minutes under live steam ought to warm it right up-- but it cannot possibly get hotter than 212-ish.   

Take care not to burn yourself from the live steam-- it's got lots of energy there, easy to raise a blister on exposed skin.    Probably wouldn't hurt to have some eye/face protection too...

[Griffin NoName]

LoL@BoB. That sounds like don't try this at home!

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

LoL@BoB. That sounds like don't try this at home!

It was written with that tone of voice in mind.     And not directed at anyone herein, as I've witnessed the already-careful attitudes.  So, as I was proofreading my bit, I realized I had not put in any cautionary stuff--and once I went down that trail, it was either leave it out entirely, or go the whole nanny-state and effect a wee bit'o the sarcasm instead.

I'm gratified you recognized my sarcastic intent. 

[Aggie]

I missed the sarcasm.  I've been an EH&S professional, so that all sounded quite reasonable in terms of written instruction (if perhaps a bit lax on explicitly laying out the hazards).

[Sibling DavidH]

Just use a 14lb hammer. 

[Griffin NoName]

Just use a 14lb hammer. 

That might affect its second hand value !

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Well there is an old mechanic's saying:

When replacing a part, if it won't fit, get a hammer.

If it still won't fit, get a bigger hammer.

If it breaks, it was defective and needed replacing anyway.

[Bluenose]

Hmm...  Hit it with a hammer...

That reminds of the problems that occurred during the early service of the F111 aircraft in USAF.  The aircraft had a swing wing which was attached to the main airframe by a simple hinge: there was a tongue protruding from the end of the inner end of the main wing spar with a hole in it; two matching plates, also with holes, that the tongue fitted into; and, a simple (large diameter) pin that fit into all three holes to hold it all together and allowing the wing to swing.  All these components are made of titanium.  According to some RAAF engineers I met one time at RAAF Amberley (where the Aussie F111 were based) when fitting the wing to the airframe, the wing has to be very carefully aligned so that the hinge pin, which has extremely fine tolerances, would slowly drop into place.  However, probably due to poor training, in the USAF when they were first working on them, the approach was not so careful and when the hinge pin consequently failed to just drop in, they knocked it in with a hammer.  This was all very good, except that later on, particularly when the aircraft was pulling some G, thus maximising the load on the hinge, the fatigue cracks that were started by the incorrect procedure caused the wing to fall off.  Not a lot of fun for the aircrew. 

[Sibling DavidH]

I once saw an RAF safety film about a mechanic who was refitting a valve to a hydraulic line.  It is critical that this valve be fitted the right way, so to prevent error the unions at either end were different sizes.  The bloke was so convinced it had to go in the other way that he went to stores and drew a pair of adaptors so it would fit in the "right" way.  It caused a crash.

[Swatopluk]

I like those old UK military instructional movies

[Griffin NoName]

There are instructional videos on You Tube for how to fit the "curve" skins to iPods. Ludicrous really, as you just slip the iPod into the skin. A baby could do it. Maybe it takes a baby to get them off again

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

There are instructional videos on You Tube for how to fit the "curve" skins to iPods. Ludicrous really, as you just slip the iPod into the skin. A baby could do it. Maybe it takes a baby to get them off again

Well, that could be:  it's a well documented* fact that babies are born without brains, but have a drool gland instead, as baby ages, this gland is gradually replaced with working brains**. 

It could be a large quantity of drool is one of the requisite ingredients in the spell used to remove these things.





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<sub>* the intertubes.  They can't put anything on the intertubes that isn't true-- it says so on the intertubes!

** sadly, for some folk, mostly men, this replacement process is never quite completed all the way.</sub>