Face bezel

[ekegley]

Anyone else have cracks in their face bezel. I have two Pre3's and both have cracks. It makes the bezel loose on the front.

[Remy X]

Yup.

I don't own one, but it's a know issue. Have a look at some pics here: Pre3 Display Frame slowly breaking away


My guess is that the resin temperature wasn't properly controlled during manufacturing, so the frame didn't polymerize correctly... as well as being the wrong blend for a part that takes so much load/stress.

[Garfonso]

Yes, I have this, too... that is one of the reasons why I switched back to a Veer.

[Jozz]

I checked my Pre3, but I don't see any cracks. I use it for over a year. Didn't drop it yet.

[Garfonso]

My wife's Pre3 also does not show anything like this... but she is much more careful with here phone, that's one thing... the other thing is that there might be differences in production quality. Her Pre3 feels a little different, i.e. much better, than mine. This was obvious even in the beginning when both were still unharmed.

[Jozz]

Originally Posted by Garfonso

My wife's Pre3 also does not show anything like this... but she is much more careful with here phone, that's one thing... the other thing is that there might be differences in production quality. Her Pre3 feels a little different, i.e. much better, than mine. This was obvious even in the beginning when both were still unharmed.

Is there any difference between your Pre3's? Like AT&T version or UK version?
Mine is from the UK.

[OldSkoolVWLover]

Originally Posted by Jozz

Is there any difference between your Pre3's? Like AT&T version or UK version?
Mine is from the UK.

I think Garfonso is probably right, that this is at some point a care issue.

Honestly though, I would take cracks in a plastic bezel over one drop and shattered screen like we have seen with phones such as the GS3.

[netwrkr9]

Originally Posted by OldSkoolVWLover

I think Garfonso is probably right, that this is at some point a care issue.

Honestly though, I would take cracks in a plastic bezel over one drop and shattered screen like we have seen with phones such as the GS3.

I can totally relate,.a while back while climbing thru scaffold during an inspection, my Pre 3 was in its belt case and got hung up on a cross bar and to my horror I watched it fall 3 stories down banging on the cross bars. After I climbed down it took me a few seconds to work up the nerve to pull out my phone fearing that the screen would be shattered. The only damage to my phone was a crack in the bezel at the top left corner where the case is open to access the headphone jack. I laughed out loud and put it back in its case and went back to work, cracked bezel, no big deal.

[ToniCipriani]

None on the bezel, just paint chipping off and scratches because I dropped it.

I have one split on the back cover hear the ringer switch.

[OldSkoolVWLover]

Originally Posted by netwrkr9

I can totally relate,.a while back while climbing thru scaffold during an inspection, my Pre 3 was in its belt case and got hung up on a cross bar and to my horror I watched it fall 3 stories down banging on the cross bars. After I climbed down it took me a few seconds to work up the nerve to pull out my phone fearing that the screen would be shattered. The only damage to my phone was a crack in the bezel at the top left corner where the case is open to access the headphone jack. I laughed out loud and put it back in its case and went back to work, cracked bezel, no big deal.

Glad to hear, that is a crazy job I couldn't do, I hate heights

[dan_fein]

Mine cracked in the upper right corner after 10 months. I didn't drop it, but the phone did live in a Ziploc bag for a week at Burning Man. The crack started before then, but BM finished the job.

I glued it back together with superglue, which sorta holds it. Is there a better glue for this material?

-- Sent from my Palm Pre3 using Forums

[Remy X]

Originally Posted by dan_fein

Mine cracked in the upper right corner after 10 months. I didn't drop it, but the phone did live in a Ziploc bag for a week at Burning Man. The crack started before then, but BM finished the job.

I glued it back together with superglue, which sorta holds it. Is there a better glue for this material?

-- Sent from my Palm Pre3 using Forums

It depends on the plastic...

Superglue is a very brittle acrylic-based glue that isn't always the best choice for plastics due to its tendency to off-gas while it cures, leaving a hazy residue on the surfaces around the crack. It also doesn't perform too well around water and solvents. But it's very convenient when you have an emergency.

So IMHO, the best choice is an epoxy resin, and there's dozens of different formulations, some of which are more clear and flexible, which is what you'd want for the phone. Some come in a syringe, others in a toothpaste tube, and yet another type comes as a putty, but all come in two parts that you have to mix before applying. So anyway, i've also had great success with a grey and somewhat "grainy/powdery" variety (JB Weld), having used it to fix a broken light switch and to fabricate a replacement for crumbled-out part in a faucet handle. JB Weld can be cut and carved like wood, and that's kind of what i mean by "grainy", it has some kind of a filler mixed into the hardener. The clear varieties look and act more like polycarbonate resin once they are cured.

So if you are satisfied with the way the repair looks, great. If it breaks along the same crack and you want to remove the glue, DO NOT use straight acetone. Mix maybe half a teaspoonful of nail polish remover to 6 ounces of hot water in a jar, and soak for a few hours or overnight. This will make the glue come off without liquefying the plastic. Then just rub the glue bits with your fingertips and it should all crumble off. Dry overnight and then glue with epoxy.

P.S. Please be careful with acetone, even in its dilute form. The concentration above has worked for me, but it might be a little "off" for somebody else.

[Garfonso]

Originally Posted by Jozz

Is there any difference between your Pre3's? Like AT&T version or UK version?
Mine is from the UK.

No. Both are German Pre3 with QWERTZ keyboard. But mine is a few months older and was bought right after the "soft launch". My wife got hers a few months later (when she was too jealous and would start to steal mine... )

[ekegley]

One of mine is a UK verison and the other is the ATT verison. Both developed a crack on the bezel and I handle mine with kid gloves. I wonder if anyone has a bezel for sale for cheap?