PROJECT RED 3G and DIY Tutorial

[flix]

A little shameless self-promotion, to anyone watching this thread (it's free stuff, yay!) Custom 3G/S housings and parts giveaway!

[Rudebwoi93]

Hi guys, I am a frequent 'guest' on this site, however I just registered to ask something. What I wanted to know was, does this sound like a plan?

- I am looking to replace my entire black housing with the same colours to keep it oem.

- I bought a new chrome bezel and new blackback housing off eBay (housing should hopefully arrive tomorrow) I will try my best to make it a perfect fit but what I wanted to know was can I just glue the bezel and housing together first and let it set and then later put all the parts into that? Will it be ok fitting everything in? The bezel won't get in the way?

- Also what glue do I use, I was thinking of just carefully using superglue and glue it from the inside, would this do? I would only really feel comfortable using superglue with a matchstick to spread it or something. If there are any other reccomendations could you guys please tell me exactly what brand, model etc and how exactly I should do it in detail?

[Cowboy]

You have to put the toggle switches for the volume and the vibrator on before you can glue the bezel down. And yes super glue will work fine its what i use just make sure that it says it can bond to plastic and metal.

The bezel has a little lip to is you will see what i mean when you get just run the superglue along the sides were it will have contact with the housing and set it into place. Before doing the glueing make sure the housing and bezel line up perfectly.You have to work fast so the you get all 4 sides before the super glue has time to sit and dry. Then what i do is once its in place i flipping it over and put a book on for 15 mins to make sure its secure.

[Rudebwoi93]

You have to put the toggle switches for the volume and the vibrator on before you can glue the bezel down. And yes super glue will work fine its what i use just make sure that it says it can bond to plastic and metal.

The bezel has a little lip to is you will see what i mean when you get just run the superglue along the sides were it will have contact with the housing and set it into place. Before doing the glueing make sure the housing and bezel line up perfectly.You have to work fast so the you get all 4 sides before the super glue has time to sit and dry. Then what i do is once its in place i flipping it over and put a book on for 15 mins to make sure its secure.

Oh dude thanks for that, I noticed while I was researching that, that was said quite often. So you don't put the superglue all over it? I had the same idea with regards to the book thing LOL. - I was worried about the fact that superglue may dry fast, but oh well, I'll just have to work fast, prep good and hope it works nicely

[Cowboy]

Practice putting the bezel on to the phone

lmao my good

[StealthBravo]

How does one but it?

[Rudebwoi93]

Yay!! - Housing arrived today, OEM black, the chrome bezel fits PERFECTLY onto the housing (bar one of the corners is a bit high, so the bezel obviously isnt perfectly level or is twisted a little, so will have to use a heavy book =]) - I need to really nail the gluing part

[Cowboy]

Well good luck let us know how it goes!

[Rudebwoi93]

Just one last question please Westerman =D

I am going to be following the ifixit "Installing iPhone 3G Rear Panel" guide.

When I get to step 30 in the ifixit guide: Installing iPhone 3G Rear Panel - Page 10 - iFixit

What exactly is left at this stage? - Is it just the volume control, and camera lens? - Does this mean that I have to install the volume control and the camera lense into my new housing before I glue down the bezel? - Finally, you said that I would need to install the volume control AND mute toggle, but in this guide they take it out without removing the bezel?

So once I begin reassembly, what exactly do I need to install first before gluing down the bezel, e.g. volume control, camera lense?

Thank you!

[Cowboy]

I am talking about the plastic toggle part for the volume control that needs to be set first before the bezel

[mikerlx]

U need to install everything in the new housing before u glue the bezel on the housing IMHO QUOTE=Rudebwoi93;5686029]Just one last question please Westerman =D

I am going to be following the ifixit "Installing iPhone 3G Rear Panel" guide.

When I get to step 30 in the ifixit guide: Installing iPhone 3G Rear Panel - Page 10 - iFixit

What exactly is left at this stage? - Is it just the volume control, and camera lens? - Does this mean that I have to install the volume control and the camera lense into my new housing before I glue down the bezel? - Finally, you said that I would need to install the volume control AND mute toggle, but in this guide they take it out without removing the bezel?

So once I begin reassembly, what exactly do I need to install first before gluing down the bezel, e.g. volume control, camera lense?

Thank you![/QUOTE]

[Rudebwoi93]

U need to install everything in the new housing before u glue the bezel on the housing IMHO QUOTE=Rudebwoi93;5686029]Just one last question please Westerman =D

I am going to be following the ifixit "Installing iPhone 3G Rear Panel" guide.

When I get to step 30 in the ifixit guide: Installing iPhone 3G Rear Panel - Page 10 - iFixit

What exactly is left at this stage? - Is it just the volume control, and camera lens? - Does this mean that I have to install the volume control and the camera lense into my new housing before I glue down the bezel? - Finally, you said that I would need to install the volume control AND mute toggle, but in this guide they take it out without removing the bezel?

So once I begin reassembly, what exactly do I need to install first before gluing down the bezel, e.g. volume control, camera lense?

Thank you!

[/QUOTE]

That doesn't sound right? Even the ones that go on ebay or whatever with the chrome bezel attached, they only have the volume rocker installed because the hole is blocked by the chrome bezel.... right?? I was under the impression that the other stuff like mute button, camera lense, etc. etc. could all go in afterwards....

[Cowboy]

^^^^^^^
correct

He is wrong.

[Rudebwoi93]

Cheers westerman, busy with exams atm so this project is getting postponed but was considering maybe just buying a volume toggle they are only a few pounds (sterling) and then I could just get that ready and out the way until after exams when I could finish it off

[Cowboy]

Probably not a bad idea. Good luck on the exams

[Rudebwoi93]

Cheers Westerman and everyone else for your help, I eventually decided to tackle this last night! - Got it finished today during lunch!!

In the end I ended up having to use the existing chrome bezel as the one I bought did not fit perfectly! I bought a self mixing epoxy glue off ebay which was branded (unibond) but did a **** job of adhering, it made it pretty bouncy so after I came back to check it the bezel started lifting a bit. I reglued it and used some superglue on the inside except for the headphone jack corner as it was quite hard. When I Started reassembling though and screwed the mute button in it started to lift again so had to get some superglue in there in the end. Worked till the early morning got motherboard fitted but couldnt get the sim in, I narrowed it down to the gps antenna black thing not being adhered to the base so I dissassembled again, glued, reassembled and it worked!! I also purchased a replacement camera off ebay at the same time I purchased the other parts. Fitted this and it worked brilliantly!

The only thing is the mute button is a bit stiff because of the last minute supergluing dodgily. Also the home button did not initially work so I opened it up again and loosened the dock connecters two screws, it now works but only if I press it harder. What can I do to fix this??

Cheers guys, pics will follow soon!

EDIT (Ignore the Harry Potter, it was used as a prop-up tool and a weight!):

Before and After rear:


16gb iPhone 3G before housing swap:








16gb iPhone 3G after housing swap:















Old camera (either working and wasn't plugged in correctly or non-working):


Bezel that was not perfect:

[troyy]

I just did a red 3gs and it looks great, red back and red bezel. Only issue is where the volume switch fastens to the bezel (hole closest to silent switch) is not completely drilled out. Tried to super glue it and it wouldn't hold. Also tried crazy glue, also no luck.
Anyone have another solution? My volume down works, but not up.

[kostakisSs]

wow! awesome!

[Cowboy]

Just put some paper between it and the switch

[Nopstnz8]

Is it true most fitment issues on the 3G/3GS are due to non-OEM bezels? I have an aftermarket housing I bought from SW Box a while ago, OEM white with a black bezel, which I believe is plastic. I have the white display assembly I bought from another supplier that fit perfect in my OEM Apple housing, but this one, it has a bulge at the top near the speaker and camera. I noticed when I assembled it a few months ago, the fit was very tight compared to OEM, and the midframe seems to have had to conform to the aftermarket bezel's shape. I like the black bezel, but the fitment of the screen is really bugging me, so I want to replace the bezel with an OEM one. I found a few on Ebay that claim to be true OEM, but electroplated black. If I buy one, should it fix my fitment issues, and do you guys think these are still true OEM bezels?

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Also, I was bored the other day and found this iPhone 3GS glass and digitizer assembly in red, and was wondering what people here think? Would these probably be the same quality as the aftermarket white assemblies for the 3GS? I kinda want one of these, but if fitment and quality is a joke, I'd rather pass.

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