A bulging lid, or isopropyl alcohol and the T61p

Hey everyon, I've just posted this on the thinkpad forums but thought I may post here also - I just have quick question regarding the use of isopropyl alcohol to clean the T61p.

I was busy cleaning my precious with a dilute mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water (one tablespoon iso, atleast 9 of water, so less than 10%), when I noticed that the lid had a bulge in it.

It's not noticeable, given the black nature, but it's definitely there, and is quite large. It's seems more pronounced on the left side of the screen (near the LAN/modem ports) than the right, but it extends over there too.

Now, I know that isopropyl alcohol is a solvent, but I have been reading (and seeing) that dilute mixtures are great for cleaning all manner of computer products (including LCD screens). Have I made a major boo boo?

My question is really two fold: 1) Is it safe to use dilute mixtures of IA to clean my precious, and 2) is that bulge meant to be there? Am I being paranoid?

Looking at it from the back, there's a visible arc in the lid (comparing it to the bottom casing along the gap between), but from the front, it looks normal. From the top you can't really tell at all. Only at certain angles... I can't remember if it was there when I got the unit.

Dammit, dammit, dammit.

 

Do you mean this?

http://www.lenovoblogs.com/insidethebox/?p=19

 

I think I do. Thank you very much. I knew I should've read those RSS feeds...

I hope those bulges are in fact this feature. They don't seem terribly even, and they happen to occur right where I was rubbing... but that could just be coincidence.

 

Interesting. I have a bulge on the bottom of my laptop which is very interesting. It looks like it is suppose to be there, but I was very surprised to see it.

Does anyone else have this bulge on the bottom of their laptop??

 

Pictures please? Hard to comment on this sort of thing if you can't see it.

 

I blame it all on Vista. Too bloated!

;>)

 

Yep my laptop has the "bulge". It is undetectable when the screen is open. The only time I have noticed it was when I was looking at the back of my notebook. It doesn't bother me too much and it is good to hear that it is a design and not a defect.
Tim

 

is there a advantage/disadvantage of just using water with no isopropyl alcohol? thanks..i've been trying to figure out a way to properly clean my screen

as for the bulge...it's part of the design...allows more stress to be placed on the lcd without it breaking

 

Water might not be able to break down some of the more oily stuff on the screen but there is no disadvantage or harm that can be done with just water.

 

ahh..i see..thanks

 

Woah, thanks for the replies! Unfortunately my only digital camera is overseas, so I'll try and take some pictures somehow, soon...

These bulges have intrigues me - they don't seem terribly uniform, so I guess my paranoia stems from not actually knowing what the inside looks like.

I'll go find a picture and see if it matches.

 

I have also noticed the bulge at the bottom of my laptop. This bulge runs throughout the length of the laptop on the bottom. It seems like the plastic is being pushed by the tight metallic frame inside and I am afraid it will break if sudden pressure is applied to it.
Imark is yours the same problem?

 

I notice the bulges top and bottom, also the line of the top metal cover is slightly kinked where it runs over the ribbon cable recess at the back, and the back is certainly bowed up. Bit of a bummer, but one hopes just cosmetic.

Sorry, I don't completely believe the company spokesman (perhaps only about the arching in the center) - if they'd wanted more center support at the back, they could have moulded in another contact point there.

Too bad really, and a bit of a let-down. But par for the course for Chinese-made plastics. I hoped Lenovo QC would have been a little better overall. Luckily there are other pluses to Thinkpad, and even the R61i still beats most other brands in the same price range.

You can't really expect NASA-type quality control in a consumer product. Otherwise a laptop would cost $20,000, instead of $1000. That's why they call them 'consumer products'! Let's just count our blessings.

Dave

 

Yup, it runs acroos the length of the bottom of the laptop. I am not really worry about it breaking to be honest. I wouldn't be surprised if it suppose to be like that because it is a pretty noticable bulge, and it doesn't really look like it was not intended.

Just my thoughts.......

 

Yeah but we can pretend that NASA uses the exact same Lenovos that we do.

EDIT: And besides guys, if it does start to break on everyone's laptops then Lenovo will have to do something about it. I wouldn't waste your time worrying.

 

Exactly!

 

Hmmm, for some reason my post to the article on lenovoblogs.com was cut halfway (as if the POST never quite finished) ---- that's annoying.

Anyway, I haven't noticed any bottom bulge (yet), but am still a bit concerned about the top. It's not overly noticable, but it's definitely there, and it's not even.

But we are all in accordance that iso won't do any damage (diluted)?

Good.

As far as quality control goes, I'm just a bit let down. This machine is still beautiful, but, well, it's not a T43 either. After spending a year complaining that they had discontinued my dream I'm not sure what to think, heh.

The T61p costs ~NZD$4500, making it one of the most expensive laptops available here (I haven't actually checked, given my fixation for the glorious thinkpad), but for this price tag I expect NASA-like quality control (whatever that amounts to). That's what I thought I was getting with a ThinkPad, anyway...

Sigh. That's not to say I wouldn't buy another one though, like, immediately.