Tools To Disassemble Kindle Paperwhite? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: jb15games
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 11, 2013, 05:17:01 pm
content: I just saw the awesome teardown of the Kindle Paperwhite.What tools might I need to do this? And where could I buy them?I'd like to spend as little as possible.I want to rip out the wifi antennas, to make it offline-only. I've replaced screens and digitizers on various Apple products, but is this repair very challenging?

author: UPI
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2013, 05:46:22 pm
content: Quote from: jb15games on January 11, 2013, 05:17:01 pmBe careful or it may become a Kindle Paperweight.

author: jb15games
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 11, 2013, 06:13:40 pm
content: Any other recommendations?

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2013, 06:15:47 pm
content: Weren't the tools visible in the teardown?

author: jb15games
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 11, 2013, 09:36:06 pm
content: Yes... Pardon my ignorance, but what are they called? Where (brick+mortar or online) would I get them?Would something like this suffice?http://www.ifixit.com/Tools/iSesamo-Opening-Tool/IF145-130http://www.ifixit.com/Tools/iSesamo-Opening-Tool/IF145-130Or this?http://www.powerbookmedic.com/20-Piece-Tool-Kit-for-Apple-Products-p-22694.htmlWould this be helpful, or irrellavent?http://www.ifixit.com/Tools/26-Bit-Driver-Kit/IF145-028

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2013, 11:20:46 am
content: Quote from: jb15games on January 11, 2013, 05:17:01 pmAll that is likely to do is reduce its range, but not stop it working completelyWhy do you want to do that anyway?

author: jb15games
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 12, 2013, 03:22:18 pm
content: Two reasons:1. I like messing with electronics anyway (repairing, or breaking).2. It's for a kid, and I don't want him connecting to our home wifi system.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2013, 04:18:24 pm
content: The tools are available from iFixit ( google it......) to open almost any modern small electronics. For the wifi just use a wpa2 password and don't give it to the kindle.

author: jb15games
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 12, 2013, 07:19:00 pm
content: Unfortunately, we live near a wifi network where no password is required. That's why I want to completely remove the hardware.Any suggestions? Any advice? I'm surprised you think the wifi would still work--is there a way to physically remove the capability?

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2013, 10:41:44 am
content: Quote from: jb15games on January 12, 2013, 07:19:00 pmIf you just disconnect them, the remaining stub still acts as a (inefficient) antenna and will pick up any signals. I had one break in a wireless NIC and replaced it without losing connectivity; this was with the card ~15m from the router. I noticed a large drop in signal strength when I unscrewed the broken one, but it was still send/receive fine.If you want to attack it at the hardware level then you could try shorting the antenna to ground where it enters the chip, or desolder the chip completely (although that could confuse the software). Or doing it via software, jailbreak it and disable/remove the corresponding driver.

author: dog80
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2013, 06:50:09 pm
content: I use guitar picks. They are dirt cheap, and come in various thicknesses for any application.

author: jb15games
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 15, 2013, 12:45:04 pm
content: Thanks for all the tool-related info. I've learned a lot, from you and others... so I think I'm good there.What does "shorting the antenna to the ground" mean? I was thinking about taking a pocketknife and just slicing -- forgive my ignorance -- the green lines (electric things) that lead to the antennae. Would that help?

author: edy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2013, 01:20:10 pm
content: Short to ground means connecting the antenna wire leads to the ground traces on the PCB (usually they are all together and go to the screw holes and shielding around the various components like a large common conducting path) and often to negative battery terminal.Problem is the antennae being common to ground may cause problems. Better to do what another person suggested which is find the chip responsible and short the pins across the antenna maybe with a resistor.Seems like an aweful lot of work just to avoid an internet connection. There must be more to the story here?

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2013, 02:41:53 pm
content: If you short the antennae to ground you should use a 50 or 75 ohm resistor across the transmitter output.

author: jb15games
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 15, 2013, 07:34:23 pm
content: Thank you all for the suggestions. I hadn't thought aboutaddingsomething to the kindle--only removing/damaging stuff.Again, thanks! I'll definitely look into shorting it / other methods.