Dell 2005fpw - broken bezel

[SammySnood]

This monitor, to my knowledge, has never had a hard knock. But a crack that runs completely across the upper left corner of the front bezel appeared suddenly. It takes quite a bit of finger pressure to force the bezel back together at the crack. It's as though stress was applied to the bezel to get the unit together, and it finally failed under the stress.

The monitor is 3.5 years old, and about 6 months out of warranty. I didn't really care about that. I just wanted to buy a replacement bezel and get instructions on how to effect the replacement. Dell parts says they don't have the bezel available.

I called out of warranty repair. They said they couldn't help me.

I asked if Dell could tell me who produces the monitor for Dell in case I might be able to get a replacement from them. Dell either couldn't or wouldn't help me.

But they did suggest that I just buy a new monitor. Whillikers. It's a little over 3 years old. It cost me $600 when it was new. And I'm supposed to toss it for a replacement because a piece of trim is broken.

If someone can tell me how to get a replacement part or repair it, I'd be obliged.

I already tried using an epoxy, but the crack separated again.

PS: I tried to post this message, approximately, before. But it disappeared after I posted it. I changed some browser settings, and made this post. I hope the other post doesn't miraculously show up somewhere. But my post count says 2, and (AFAICT) this is the first successful attempt.

 

[ScottFern]

I am sellign a MINT Dell 2005FPW with not a single dead pixel for $235 shipped..........and no cracked bezel!

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: ScottFern
I am sellign a MINT Dell 2005FPW with not a single dead pixel for $235 shipped..........and no cracked bezel!

Mayhap you'd be willing to "trade" with a modest fee and shipping charges with the OP? He already said he doesn't want to outright buy a new monitor since his works fine other than a cosmetic flaw.

 

[Tattare]

My 2005 Had a dead pixel row a few months ago so they sent me a new 2008wfp since it was under warranty. Those new monitor stands are garbage so after 1 minute with the 4-1/2" Disk grinder I got my old stand onto the new monitor.
2008 has high gloss and to me looks horrible. I went out that weekened and bought a 22in and im running Duel Screens now.

TN pannels are getting cheaper now. Looking at buying a 24" for $300ish.

 

[BernardP]

Originally posted by: SammySnood
If someone can tell me how to get a replacement part or repair it, I'd be obliged.
I already tried using an epoxy, but the crack separated again.

You seem to have no choice but to use the ultimate solution until you decide to get a new monitor.

 

[myocardia]

Why wouldn't you just spend $5 on some epoxy, and $5 on some wire tires, so you don't have to hold it together until it dries?

 

[nerp]

Is it just a cosmetic crack? Does it impact usability? If not, i'd just ignore it.

 

[SammySnood]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I'll make a personalized response to each of you, and then I'll stop whining.



ScottFern - Your monitor may well be worth $235, and more, to someone who needs a whole monitor.

SunnyD - I'd swap bezels with him! Except I'd probably break his while I was trying to install it on my monitor.

Tattare - I think you got all my good luck!

BernardP - You're funny. Cruel, but funny.

myocardia - I darned near glued my fingers to this thing already.

nerp - You're right. I'm trying, but it's a little bit irksome to have that little crack staring at me for hour after hour.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: SammySnood
myocardia - I darned near glued my fingers to this thing already.

Why did you think I recommended wire ties? Also, epoxy doesn't set right away (like Super Duper glue), so you could get it on there, get it how you want it, then "clamp" it down with the wire ties. It would dry overnight. BTW, welcome to anandtech.

 

[taltamir]

go to ebay.com and find a same model sold as defective as is. defesctive as is units are often sold on ebay for their components to be used in repairing another system.

Alternatively, try calling dell a few times and see if you can get them to send you / sell you a defective unit or a husk and to replace yourself. Confirming you understand that doing so voids your warranty.

 

[SammySnood]

Originally posted by: myocardia

Originally posted by: SammySnood
myocardia - I darned near glued my fingers to this thing already.

Why did you think I recommended wire ties? Also, epoxy doesn't set right away (like Super Duper glue), so you could get it on there, get it how you want it, then "clamp" it down with the wire ties. It would dry overnight. BTW, welcome to anandtech.

Oh, I thought you meant wired tires, or weird ties, or...

Seriously, I am almost monumentally clumsy about stuff like this. People have perished just watching me use glue. (But that's another story.) But I really don't have a clue how the ties would come into play. I'm sure people who actually have manual dexterity and experience working with materials could get it fixed, but I'm pretty sure I would just give my wife and friends more ammunition for the weekly episode of "Holy crap! You should have seen what Sam did last night!"

I'm thinking a replacement bezel is going to be enough of a challenge for me.

And you know something -- the same screaming ninny part of my alleged brain that keeps tweaking me about the crack would probably (as in certainly) keep poking fun at the crappy repair job I'd be bound to do.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not altogether without talent. But my brother is the one in the family with what passes for what few materials skills we have in the family. And he's missing about a third of his digits.

:beer:

Oh, and thank you for the welcome. I like it here.

 

[SammySnood]

Originally posted by: taltamir
go to ebay.com and find a same model sold as defective as is. defesctive as is units are often sold on ebay for their components to be used in repairing another system.

Alternatively, try calling dell a few times and see if you can get them to send you / sell you a defective unit or a husk and to replace yourself. Confirming you understand that doing so voids your warranty.

Hi, I tried the ebay thing last week. Stuff that started at $10 or so wound up being over a $100. I'm not paying $100 for a bezel, but I guess I could just keep trying. I'm not much good at this bidneth crap (auctions, bids, stocks, bonds, hit contracts, etc.).

But I am truly an expert at being a pain in the butt. I'm thinking maybe my Dell sales person (for the work accounts) needs to hear me wheedling at her for a few minutes a day until I get somebody to send me a part or a defective unit. I like this plan.

 

[HOOfan 1]

A 20" monitor cost you $600 3 years ago?

 

[SammySnood]

I looked up the quote. It was a "special deal" - in conjunction with a bunch of other stuff I bought - through the account at my company. Knowing me, and the people who handle our account, I probably paid twice the MSRP. That would be par for the course.

 

[HOOfan 1]

Originally posted by: SammySnood
I looked up the quote. It was a "special deal" - in conjunction with a bunch of other stuff I bought - through the account at my company. Knowing me, and the people who handle our account, I probably paid twice the MSRP. That would be par for the course.

Is your company the US Military?

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: SammySnood

Originally posted by: taltamir
go to ebay.com and find a same model sold as defective as is. defesctive as is units are often sold on ebay for their components to be used in repairing another system.

Alternatively, try calling dell a few times and see if you can get them to send you / sell you a defective unit or a husk and to replace yourself. Confirming you understand that doing so voids your warranty.

Hi, I tried the ebay thing last week. Stuff that started at $10 or so wound up being over a $100. I'm not paying $100 for a bezel, but I guess I could just keep trying. I'm not much good at this bidneth crap (auctions, bids, stocks, bonds, hit contracts, etc.).

But I am truly an expert at being a pain in the butt. I'm thinking maybe my Dell sales person (for the work accounts) needs to hear me wheedling at her for a few minutes a day until I get somebody to send me a part or a defective unit. I like this plan.

that is about right for a NON broken used monitor... look for non functional monitor sold as "broken as is" with no physical defects in the bazel....
Those are hard to find cause most people trash their broken electronics instead of selling them online for parts.

 

[IlllI]

craigslist?
take it apart and put it in a picture frame or something

 

[QuixoticOne]

Sorry about your monitor.. yeah between the CRAPPY warranty, the questionable build quality / durability, and the lack of spare parts / service options I really hesitated getting a 2405FPW a few years back. I dread the day it may come to have an issue for the same reasons.

I don't understand EXACTLY what part you refer to by the bezel.. I assume you may mean a transparent plastic facing over the whole visible portion of the screen? Unless you mean the plastic rim around the periphery...

Anyway if it is a transparent plastic faceplate and NOTHING optically more, check TAP plastics or better yet a large industrial plastics supply retailer in your area.. tell them the thickness (use digital calipers from say Harbor Freight) and the exact dimensions of the piece and see what they have... SOMETHING in plexiglass or lucite or lexan or maybe even vinyl or any number of other clear materials may be close enough in thickness that it could work for you... of course it could be carefully cut and deburred to precise dimensions in length and width....

Uh wire ties?! good heavens no.. you'd want to do
a) make a THICK FLAT layer of stuff like bath towels or something somewhat firmer like bedsheets... put a somewhat thicker sponge or pad over the area that needs extra pressure (the crack area you're gluing) and then try to brace it by laying the monitor face down on the soft pad while the extra high pad presses moreso on the cracked area.

b) better yet but do it CAREFULLY get a SPRING CLAMP like you'd use to hold some wood / plastic together while you glue it.. just make a firm pad block to cover the monitor crack area, like, say, a 3" x 3" block of flat 0.5" thick plywood and then on front of that a felt pad and on top of that something the glue won't stick to like some vaseline wiped plastic wrap... just CLAMP that to the monitor.... (careful to make the surface area of the pad block right so the pressure per square inch is appropriately strong but not dangerously so...

If you can get the crack glued, there are some windshield repair type of plastic / glass polishing compounds that can sort of fill in the crack / imperfections so they are less visible.. just rub a glob on there and wipe off the excessive amount until best optical results are had...

 

[SammySnood]

QuixoticOne - The black "rim" around the screen has a crack separating its upper left corner. It would have to be removed from the monitor in order to repair it properly. In order to remove it I would have to undo some holding clips by poking through the monitor's cooling slots from behind and then working my way around the edge of the bezel with a prying tool. This is precisely the process I would employ if I wished to break the bezel in the first place. Likewise, putting the repaired bezel back into place by pressing it back onto the front of the monitor with enough force to engage the clips again would probably be an excellent way of cracking it again. Those who know me could amuse themselves by placing bets on just where the damage would occur.

Spring clamps, glue. Not my thing. S.J. Perlman (IIRC) wrote a short story called "Insert Flap A and Throw It Away" which kind of gives the flavor of my attempts at handicraft.

I'm going to let my wife "decorate" the monitor to cover the crack. (No idea what she has in mind, but she's smirking a lot. This should be interesting.)

My gratitude to everyone who tried to help me.