+Byt Subscriber¹ Posted September 30, 2012 Subscriber¹ Share Posted September 30, 2012 Hey Guys, bit of a nightmare situation here... In the green audio socket on the back of my friends PC, he has accidentally yanked his headphones and snapped off the 3.5mm jack, so half of the 3.5mm jack is left in the socket! Luckily he can use the front audio panel on his PC for the time being, but how would you guys approach getting this jack out of the socket? i was thinking of glue on the end of the broken 3.5mm jack and leaving it in there to set, then hopefully pulling the whole thing out, but if i use to much glue it could become wedged for good? Any help would be grand, Thank You :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandor Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Glue would maybe work but like you say, too much and it might get wedged in for good...or even if you do get the other piece out, the socket itself might not work if there is any more glue left in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capr Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Glue is the best I can think of but yeah careful with using too much glue. I think it comes down to what type of glue you use. what you could do is use a bit of oil to fill in all around the piece and then wipe carefully and use glue. pick a glue that has a lower density than oil to make sure it doesn't go further into the jack. cleaning the oil will be your next headache :( but since it's not conductive, it won't actually break anything if you don't get it all. I think air pressure is also a good tool. do you have one of those two way pumps? a small enough shot class on top of the hole with a tiny hole to suck the air out would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 tweezers ? If this is just a bank of output jacks, and not the sound card itself, it might be cheaper to just replace it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee G. Veteran Posted September 30, 2012 Veteran Share Posted September 30, 2012 This happened to me earlier this year with the socket in the front audio panel on my PC. I used a cotton bud and super glue. I cut one of the ends off of the cotton bud and put super glue on it. Then I put it in the socket, waited a little while, and it came out. Nothing Here, Charisma, Glassed Silver and 2 others 5 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechronic Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Difficult because of the grooves in the jack kind of lock it in place...this video MAY help. you'll have to pretend you can hear him lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Here Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 This happened to me earlier this year with the socket in the front audio panel on my PC. I used a cotton bud and super glue. I cut one of the ends off of the cotton bud and put super glue on it. Then I put in the socket, waited a little while, and it came out. That's how I did it before. Just don't use a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Byt Subscriber¹ Posted September 30, 2012 Author Subscriber¹ Share Posted September 30, 2012 Thanks for the info guys, looks like we will try and glue idea but just be very careful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Here Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Practice first!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detection Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Solder might be better than glue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_Blue Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Get the smallest drill bit you can (1 mm or so). Drill gently about 1/2 cm into the hollow middle of the broken plug. Use a small screwdriver to thread a screw about halfway in. Pull out the plug by holding the screw with needle-nose pliers. This worked like a charm for me. Dick Montage and f0rk_b0mb 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Neo Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Solder might be better than glue It also increases the chances of making matters worse. Not to mention the fact most people don't have a soldering kit at home. I'd go along with the superglue idea as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detection Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Not to mention the fact most people don't have a soldering kit at home. I'd have thought most members here would have a soldering kit, I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PNWDweller Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Like others have said - glue would be my probable choice. Although, a rather strong shop vac might work as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis W. Veteran Posted September 30, 2012 Veteran Share Posted September 30, 2012 I'd have thought most members here would have a soldering kit, I do. Some of the cheap solder irons have finicky tips and can cause smudging of solder. Unless he's really careful about the amount of solder he's placing onto the rod he's using to pull out the plug, there's a risk he can spill solder onto the wall of the audio plug. Plus, solder crystallizes pretty quickly, much much faster than glue. He'd have to be really quick after placing liquid solder onto a rod and sticking it to the plug before it cools down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f0rk_b0mb Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Get the smallest drill bit you can (1 mm or so). Drill gently about 1/2 cm into the hollow middle of the broken plug. Use a small screwdriver to thread a screw about halfway in. Pull out the plug by holding the screw with needle-nose pliers. This worked like a charm for me. That's exactly how I did mine. +1 Don't mess with glue or or solder. Do this. Haggis and Ice_Blue 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pack34 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Magnets. Get the strongest one you have and hold it on the back of the computer. The thing will just pop out of there. If it doesn't just rub it on the back the computer until it does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis W. Veteran Posted October 1, 2012 Veteran Share Posted October 1, 2012 Magnets. Get the strongest one you have and hold it on the back of the computer. The thing will just pop out of there. If it doesn't just rub it on the back the computer until it does. I'd make sure to get the hard drives as far away as those magnets before doing that. Besides, there's a little clip that keeps the plug inside the socket which I'm skeptical of magnets' ability to overcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Neo Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Magnets. None of the 3,5 mm jacks I have at home are drawn to magnets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_Blue Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I'd make sure to get the hard drives as far away as those magnets before doing that. Besides, there's a little clip that keeps the plug inside the socket which I'm skeptical of magnets' ability to overcome. FYI: Inside all mechanical hard drives, there is a very powerful magnet. If this doesn't have any effect on the drive, I doubt an external magnet will. This is a popular misconception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detection Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Some of the cheap solder irons have finicky tips and can cause smudging of solder. Unless he's really careful about the amount of solder he's placing onto the rod he's using to pull out the plug, there's a risk he can spill solder onto the wall of the audio plug. Plus, solder crystallizes pretty quickly, much much faster than glue. He'd have to be really quick after placing liquid solder onto a rod and sticking it to the plug before it cools down. Yea that's how I'd do it, solder a piece of metal then stick it to the back of the broken jack, would be asking for trouble trying to solder direct to the jack :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1WayJonny Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Umm.....Most audio jacks are open on the other side. If you open the computer and look at the audio jacks most have slots or holes and you can use a paper clip to push it back outwards instead of using glue. It always easier to push then pull. I am sure in some universe there is a audio jack that is closed on the other side but you should double check. I have found most connectors to be open including other like SPDIF , etc ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Montage Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Not to mention the fact most people don't have a soldering kit at home. I'd have assumed every tecchie does. Umm.....Most audio jacks are open on the other side. And in-turn obscured by the housing for the jack. My money is the drill method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Veteran Posted October 1, 2012 Veteran Share Posted October 1, 2012 I've fixed this with the glue trick a few times. I use a small flat-headed nail and put a tiny drop of CA (super) glue) on the head then touch it to the plug and wait. It's easier if you put something next to the equipment with the jack that you can rest the nail on. If you hold it in place you'll smear the glue and might end up gluing the nail to the jack instead of just the plug. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Neo Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I'd have assumed every tecchie does. You assume wrong then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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