The tip of a 3.5mm plug got stuck in the socket

20 Replies, 16232 Views

ah jeez.
bad karma i have with computers shows no end.

last weekend, a 6.3mm>3.5mm jack adapter broke when i pulled it out of my macbook, leaving only the very tip of the adapter inside; i'm talking about the 1-2mm tiny thing.
it's now stuck in there, and i have no clue as to how to get it out.

feck.
the same thing happened to me 4 years ago with a minidisc player.

any ideas are welcome.
and oh, the widely popular put-some-superglue-on-a-pin-and-attach-it-to-the-part-that's-stuck method is not welcome :d

Thumbd
maybe roll up a piece of sellotape (sticky side out), and try that, instead of the superglue thing?
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Turn off the power supply and get a magnet! ( I have no idea if this will actually work or not)
Co..Cou...Could you possibly rewind and come again?
i'm pretty sure that a strong magnet could do it.
finding a magnet that thin might turn out to be quite a challenge, though.
buy one of those flexible magnet strips (fridge magnet things) and cut it to size?
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magnets near your lappy No
cube Wrote:magnets near your lappy No

well, the hd is on the very other side, so... Chin
Shake voilently
Blu Tack?
Metal Malcolm Wrote:Blu Tack?

holy fuck no; i'm sure crumbs of that woulds get stuck and fill the socket completely...
i thought your macbook was coated in beer anyway?
im repairing an ibook for someone at the mo and they are right bastards to take apart , the non surgery approach is get a usb / firewire soundcard or take it apart and replace the jack socket, trying to fiddle around and get the bit out is more likely to break it more imo
cube Wrote:i thought your macbook was coated in beer anyway?

still using it as much as i can:
insurance company is taking frigging ages, it seems.
Icon_evil
What about a good auld fashioned pair of tweezers?!
Co..Cou...Could you possibly rewind and come again?
B Wrote:What about a good auld fashioned pair of tweezers?!

he wants to fix his laptop not do his eye brows Teef
dsp Wrote:im repairing an ibook for someone at the mo and they are right bastards to take apart , the non surgery approach is get a usb / firewire soundcard or take it apart and replace the jack socket, trying to fiddle around and get the bit out is more likely to break it more imo

this

and quit buying cheap jack adapters?

then again if this macbook is about to be replaced on insurance and you feel like you have nothing to lose, why not try the superglue/pin method?

or you could try magnetizing a very small screwdriver. i doubt a magnetized pin would have enough mass to be of any use.

best thing though as dsp says is to be patient, dismantle the bastard and replace the socket. not advisable if you're not comfortable with taking a macbook apart i suppose, in which case you could always take it to someone who is, and give them some money/beer/drugs/pizza/records to fix it.
mattrick Wrote:take it to someone who is, and give them some money/beer/drugs/curry/records to fix it.

some good advise right there too Cool
i have already opened the mac once so no probs on that front.
however, i dont think that the socket is really replaceable:
http://static4.ifixit.com/igi/aystcE55HavnrXwX.large
see the four metal boxes?
the mic-in is the second one from the bottom.
hmm. if you can't find an exact replacement, you could always solder a "flying lead" socket on a bit of cable and have it dangling through the hole where the old socket was. it'll look extra cool that way too. Grin
straightened fishing hook should do the trick if you can slip it past the jack part, dunno if paper clip is enough
Suck that bitch out.

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