Apple Magic Trackpad 2: Crack Repair
OK...maybe more like "made usable."
We love Apple products and have been a fan ever since the 128K Macintosh. Apple puts out a dud every so often, but not often. And because they put out very few duds, we had zero idea what they were thinking when they designed their trackpad with a glass surface…whaaaaaat??? Has Apple learned nothing from their iPhones?
Anyway, when a cracked Apple Magic Trackpad 2 crossed our paths, we knew it was a DIY we just could not pass up.
“What it is it?” “It’s broken.” “But it’s an Apple product!” “Dude, don’t, it just hurts too much to talk about.”
Replace the glass?
The most logical approach to a “cracked” trackpad would be to replace the glass, and there are plenty of DIY videos showing how to take the cracked pieces of glass off the trackpad and put on a new one. However, finding a screen is another story. Try as we may, we were unsuccessful in acquiring a replacement screen.
So what to do? We took the three-step approach below.
Stabilize
Testing showed that the trackpad was still functional, but the idea of getting glass slivers stuck in our finger while scrolling was not an attractive prospect. We also noticed that bits of glass at the impact point were falling off…a definite hazard.
“But…Apple!” “Dude, seriously, don’t even, okay?”
To prevent any more pieces from falling off, we stabilized the corner with some strategically dabbed clear E6000 adhesive. This amazing glue is easy to apply, dries clear, and stays soft.
Protect
With the impact corner no longer, um, shedding, bits of glass, we looked for a way to 1) keep the cracks from growing, and 2) protect our fingers when using the trackpad. After looking at a few options, we settled on a product called FX from a company in Germany.
“But, but, Apple!” “Dude, please don’t, you’re breakin’ my heart here.”
It took few weeks for it to make its way via post from across the Atlantic, but the package arrived perfectly intact, and contained:
- Glass protector
- Dust removal cloth
- Air bubble remover
“Wait, Apple doesn’t even make the stuff to fix the thing that broke?” “Please dude, my world’s already turned upside with this, I just can’t…”
Seal
Unlike protective films of the past, the newer films are more rigid, have a sticky side, and do not need to be wet to be applied. This stickiness was what we hoped would keep the broken pieces of glass in place.
The film is thin, semi-rigid, and crystal clear. To apply, all we had to do was peel, press, and we were done! The only thing we had to take some care with was not to trap any air bubbles under the film. The supplied “card” for squeezing out bubbles worked well, but we found that a soft cloth worked even better… and it cleaned off fingerprints at the same time 🙂
“Wow, that’s a cool product. I wonder if those guys used to work at Apple?” “Dude…”
The “repaired” Magic Trackpad is now completely smooth and fully functional…everywhere. The glass protector is a little bit smaller than the glass surface, but not so much that it should be a problem.
“Wow, you fixed it! Maybe YOU should work for Apple!” “Thanks, Dude.”
We will keep an eye on how thing go after using it a while and will post an update. DIY complete!
“Wow, now it looks like art, instead of a smashed Apple product.” “You’re the best, dude.”
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