I'm trying to take the back cover off the back of my Cube U30GT tablet.
I initially thought the screws were Torx but under closer inspection with a magnifying glass, they appear to be extremely small hex shaped screws — they are so small that nothing sold at Jaycar or Mitre 10 fits them.
Any advice on where to look for next/
Scrimmers, can you perhaps be a bit more specific than "extremely small"? I mean, if you're talking less than 100 um diameter, then I'm thinking it's probably unlikely that they actually ARE "hex screws", in the traditional sense. And if they are < 100 um, I doubt you'd have any joy trying to unscrew them/ re-screw them without the required "precision" equipment. At least, not without some of those old-skool "steady-hand" pills we used to take back when there was money to be made on the snooker circuit…
According to these discussions it appears to be Torx T2 or T3. It looks like they are using this tool bit kit which has hex bits ranging from 1-4mm which would also fit. You probably need to look at places that sell these micro/jeweller style bits or ask at a phone repair shop, or order a phone repair tool kit if it is some really exotic screw like the pentalobe screw they invented to stop you getting into Apple products. I don't think they are available at places like Bunnings but would have thought Jaycar or similar would have stocked them. Be aware these bits are NOT hardened and are just soft crap, and will bend and distort like soft butter after a bit of use and moderate pressure.
EDIT: Did you see this one at Jaycar? it has Hex bits in 0.7, 0.9, 1.3, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4mm and should do the job. Take the tablet with you and see if they have one that fits.
that's why i heat treat the most common bits i use, last a bit longer
Didn't see that one, looks like I will need to visit Jaycar again and ask if they have this in stock.
The underside of my CUBE U30GT is here. I scanned it using my canon, but it doesn't look very clear
http://i.imgur.com/UKIzCEY.jpg
These are my 'phone repair' tools that I tried to open the tablet with. I don't have a hex wrench in that collection.
http://i.imgur.com/5SxdFIx.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/r2ergHy.jpg
I thought it was odd, Youtube and forums indicated the screws are Torx but mine seems to be an exception.
Gotta ask, what's the project?
The top screw looks like Torx to me.
each side indents to make a star shape rather than a flat sided Hexagon.
This probably explains why your hex bits aren't fitting and if it's T2, why your T3 screwdriver wont fit either.
The bottom is too unclear to see, but agree it does look flatter sided, but that could be damage from you or someone else trying to force the wrong bit.
I suspect you need a T2.
I don't have hex drivers that small… I only tried Torx — it is all I have that fits.
The sales guy at Mitre and at Jaycar reckons that it is a hex screw, so I think I will need a <1mm hex driver.
Tablet is almost 3 years old now, so the battery needs replacing.
ahhh, the good old 31-1 kit. I have one in my desk draw at work for emergencies.
The screws seem to have a bit of a curve on the drive faces suggesting Torx, but that could just be the scan. I can't see any value on Torx over hex at this size. In any case all you want to do is shove something in there tight enough so you can turn it :) I'm surprised you don't have the right bit in the "hand-grenade" kit. It shows 1.5-4mm hex in 0.5mm increments on the contents label. Again, I'm not sure if it was the scan, but the holes appear to have been rounded or slightly damaged, so you might need to force an oversized bit in to get enough grip on the bolt head. Unfortunately oversized in this case is only <0.1mm. Short of filing a small rod into a hex-sided tight-fitting tool, have you considered a screw extractor? If you can use it to just get it started, and therefore finger-tight, you would probably do next to no damage to the screw head. Of course the next thing is trying to find a screw extractor for ~2mm screws…
Contact your local Hackerspace community. Sounds like you're that kinda person anyway. And someone (likely multiple) will have a suitable kit.
Have you considered going to a watchmaker/jeweller? They will have the right tools and might not even charge you for just removing a couple of screws.
The iFixit 54 Bit Driver Kit contains the following hex bits:
Hex sizes 0.7, 0.9, 1.3, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 6 mm
The kit is available for $37 (+shipping) from Mobile HQ in Victoria…
http://www.mobilehq.com.au/productDetail.aspx?productID=2285…
It's a genuine iFixit product as sold by iFixit in the US…
https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/54-Bit-Driver-Kit/IF145-0…
I bought a set a month ago from Mobile HQ (delivered to Sydney) and can recommend them. There are also other iFixit tools & kits available.
That's too expensive! I'm hoping to buy a kit that doesn't cost any more than $20. This Jaycar kit as recommended by endotherm above looks good.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=TD2106
For those interested, the iFixit kit also includes bits to open/repair Apple products (iPhone, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro) which may not be available in standard kits.
Ebay?