3 Sites to Help You Become an Expert at Computer Repair Turning Geek Into Chic Everyday

Tips About Computer Repair because of a Broke Down Graphics Day

This is a story about computer repair while in the Central Swartekill Wetlands. Once in a while, you find yourself in a remote region with little access to amenities. I was exploring the Swarte Kill in New York. Central Swartekill Wetland (also known as Plutarch Swamp), is one of the more beautiful regions that I don’t think too many people know about. All along Plutarch Rd is a heavily dense wild natural region with an abundance of wildlife, a bird migration route, different types of Red Hawk raptor and, an environmentally protected snapping turtle region, with additional rare species.

 

plutarch swamp -David Jakim and Lawrence McGlinn, Geography, SUNY-New Paltz,

I was set up in a cabin about to edit the pictures for the day and my cord dies. Then my backup cord dies and I have about 2 hours left before my laptop shuts down. 

Being a hardened graphic designer who was used to the speed of being in a NYC “graphics ring” I quickly McGuivered a power cord.

If you read any basic electronic manual, you’ll notice that an anti-static wrist strap is one of the first things that they recommend. But it’s often the most neglected. If you plan on doing any work with your electronics, you should make sure that you pick one up.

computer repair static wrist guard

I pried open the shell casing with a spudger, then I used a Satco 90-099 Chain Pliers to open it up further.

plastic spudgers for computer repair
computer repair chain pliers for power cord

Then I frankensteined. Swapping all the working parts around, playing with a soldering tool, and triple-checking polarities.

computer repair soldering tool

So glad it works. I wonder if I can stick computer repair under my resume. At the very least I can maintain my equipment in a pinch. The motherboard is certified apple OEM, and the cords are from Hong Kong. 

  1. IFIXIT this is the closest manual instructions for repair that I could find. Ifixit is a place that has repair guides for every thing, written by everyone. This is my favorite site for computer repair.
  2. Lifehacker’s Top 10 Computer Hardware Fixes and Upgrades These fixes or upgrades are easy enough for most of us to do.
  3. Macrumors News, rumors, discussions, a place to ask questions and how to instructions.

Upon completion of my computer repair I returned to my nature project of taking pictures of wildlife and making color studies of Plutarch Swamp

Vernal Pools and What I Learned from Observing Like an Artist.

spotted salamander photo courtesy of Cornell University
Spotted Salamander
Grey Treefrog photo courtesy of Cornell University
Grey Treefrog camouflaged resting against tree trunk

The most important thing about Plutarch Swamp are the Vernal pools. They are a common, but threatened habitat type in the Hudson River Estuary corridor. They are often damaged because they are overlooked or not appreciated by landowners, or in environmental reviews for development. Vernal pools and their surrounding terrestrial areas provide critical habitat for a number of amphibians and invertebrates, some of which breed only in vernal pools. Vernal pools are the only significant breeding areas for Jefferson salamander, spotted salamander, marbled
salamander, and wood frog. Other typical users include spring peeper, spadefoot toad,
gray treefrog, American toad, and other amphibians that depend on pond habitats for
reproduction.

Spring peeper -photo provided by cornell university
Spring Peeper Frog

source: Jakim and McGlinn Geography SUNY-New Paltz, IFIXIT, eekwi.org, New York Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, some photo credits by Adirondack Council and Cornell university