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Born in 1970 and raised in the good old days when everyone in the neighborhood had their own bar in their home.
Started programming in 1984. Began building systems in 1987. Received a degree in Business Computer Programming and Outstanding Student of the Year when I graduated in 1989. I have extensive experience in programming in 80xx Assembly, C, C++, Java, Pascal, Perl, MySQL, HTML, CSS and PHP (Along with SEO and too much to include in that area). At the age of 19 was employed by an eastern coast credit union running satellite based wide area networks (WAN). In 1991 opened my first repair business where I specialized in commercial contracting for financial, residential and other businesses. I've been through every OS from systems that boot with 10K of ram to GW-Basic, OS/2, Windows, OS/X, Android...and a plethora of others.
In 1998 took a break and attended college, not for the paper but to just "learn" anything and everything I also paid through college by tutoring computer science students in programming in addition to working in Network Services for the college.
During my college I focused on Photography (slide film and dark room days) and also became an assistant instructor for the Digital Imaging classes. From there I planned on going to Savannah College of Art & Design, however, a college professor suggested I apply for a job with a "world renowned" photographer where I was hired on the spot as the Digital Art Coordinator where I designed press ready materials, ran a 8' printer and rip station, did photography, managed the business and did plenty of photo restorations, Illustrator work, Quark work, etc. I have extensive experience in traditional/digital photography, combined with InDesign, PhotoShop, etc.
Later, I left and went into web design programming in Perl and hand coding HTML. Figured I would jump on it before some closet "designer" began to rip off the locals then disappear, thus, ruining the reputation of the industry in general.
For the past 12 years I've operated a very prosperous web design, development business that includes running operaitons, web application development, hand coding CSS/HTML3-5, flash design, photography, logo design and also provided computer and networking services to a select few commercial clients.
In early 2011, I began to get a little burn out on web design and programming and got a great deal on a shop that I moved on to my own property, neatly redecorated, and invested into a great deal of equipment for computer, windows/mac, laptop, iPod, iPhone repairs. $22 a month light bill, no permits or city licenses required (I'm out of the city), I feel blessed that I can fairly charge for labor and not stick my customers with outrageous prices on parts to pay a $4K+ a month overhead if I had a "fancy downtown" shop in the city on main street.
Honestly, I love having my own shop now and it gives me great gratification to turn around a laptop or computer for someone that may be elderly, and helping them out, than doing web design work and working with the "stiff ties" that are daytime accountants that magically think they are "designers" - plus I'm not sitting in the dark writing code all the time which really does take a toll on ones health.
I love what I do, and I love helping others.
FLUX WARNING:
If using flux, be sure to use 94%+ alcohol (once the battery is disconnected completely) to clean off any remaining flux. Don't try cleaning flux off until the battery is removed to avoid pushing debris between contacts and onto other components that will cause a short.
Rule of thumb, if power is flowing through a logic board don't apply alcohol or try to clean it. Always remove the power source then thoroughly clean. Pushing around small metal particles in alcohol while a device is "hot" is the fastest way to cause a short or electrical arching.
READ ALL THE STEPS BEFORE YOU BEGIN
1. Do NOT use a metal spudger for this.
2. Cover surrounding components with Kapton tape.
3. Optional (if you found this tutorial and are replacing the volume/power flex cable and your battery is good) Cover two of the three leads with Kapton tape to avoid shorting a good battery.
6. Set your temperature on your soldering iron with a flat chisel tip.
7. Apply a little flux to a copper soldering braid.
8. Place the copper braid on the contact that you want to de-solder - you may need to lightly hold it steady with your thumb in place.
9. From the bottom of the cable very gently push up with your index finger.
10. With your other hand, the one with your iron, gently press down to melt the solder, as soon as the solder melts use your index finger to gently push the cable up so as to disconnect the cable from the solder pad. Wait about 15 seconds for the solder to cool.
11. Insert a piece of kapton tape between the cable and solder pad.
12. Repeat steps 7-12 for the remaining two contacts.
Adding to Evon's comment:
BEFORE YOU LIFT UP THAT BOARD...
Use your plastic pry tool and make sure the flex cable, between the board and power button is not on top of the board. Take your time because even the slightest snag can tear that flex cable which leads to de-soldering/soldering the battery & flex cable.
Once the board is lifted the first time I usually put a piece of Kapton tape over that area of the cable in case it has to be pulled up again.
I use my fingers (and they are big) to put the connector back on. Make sure you feel the slight "snap" and you'll know it is connected. If it is not connected well, you'll wind up reassembling and finding that the screen is blacked out. :(
Be sure to get the tool down deep when removing the rear camera. If not, you can accidentally snag the mid-section of the camera and it will come apart -- and you'll end up buying a replacement.
When you insert your tool to remove the rear camera make sure you have the tip all the way in. You can accidentally grab the middle of the camera assembly and it will come apart - and you'll have to replace the entire camera.
A CHISEL TIP ON YOUR SOLDERING IRON IS KEY
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I ripped off pads using the method described here at ifixit. A better solution...
Use an iron with a chisel, not connical, tip. Your iron should be hot enough where you can touch one soldered section at a time -- it only takes about 2 seconds to melt the solder and "lightly" lift up on the cable.
removing the battery...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrFaXblPn...
be sure to watch the follow up video showing how to attach the battery, you will need a braid, but the tutorial is invaluable.
soldering on the new battery...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWeTbC-Oh...
P.S. If someone has a tutorial on getting solder pads to stick back or using solder to create new pads, I still have my first iPod touch that I goofed up following the directions shown on ifixit. I would love to see how you can repair the pads.
Avoiding frying the board...
I was noticing that your using a metal spudger to pry up each contact on the solder pad and cautioning not to bridge the contact. I'm thinking there could be a small amount of voltage left in the battery that if you bridged the solder pad with the metal spudger you could fry the board. Why not just cut the batteries ribbon cable before beginning? As long as the sync cable is not plugged in, I don't see where the device could get any charged in case the spudger slipped. (my kind of luck)