My buddy in Phoenix swore by using a hairdryer to fix a laptop with a swollen battery
He said it would soften the glue so I could get the old battery out, but all it did was make the whole thing smell like burnt plastic and warp the case. Ended up having to order a new bottom panel for $45 and explain the whole mess to the customer. Anyone ever tried something that sounded good but went totally sideways on a repair?
That's a classic. Heat guns and hair dryers are a one way ticket to melted plastic town. Saw a guy try to "reflow" a cracked HDMI port with a lighter. Just torched the whole board. Sometimes the old school hacks do more harm than good. Gotta know when to just use the right tools.
Nah, sometimes you gotta work with what you have. A careful hand with a lighter can fix a loose connection in a pinch. Not everyone has a fancy rework station sitting around.
Taylor's got a point though. Charlie's story is rough but I actually read something about how some old school electronics repair guys used cigarette lighters for quick fixes back in the day. Not saying it's smart, but there's a reason those hacks stuck around. A lighter can work if you just need a tiny bit of heat on a single joint and you're not an idiot about it. Still, plastic is plastic and you're playing with fire - literally lol - so I'd only try it on something you're ready to toss anyway.