Hardware How do you take off the frontplate?

[ShaytheStar]

You know, the plastic part right next to the screen. I’ve watched and read multiple teardown and how-to videos and articles, but none cover how to take off the frontplate, just the back. I’m looking to spray paint both the front and backplate. The back came off easily, but how do I get the front off? See the picture of some video in the related that has gold in the area I want to get off. Thanks for any help!

 

[sup3rgh0st]

Which articles did you look at? Did you look at the iFixIt teardown? They are usually very thorough. https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+Switch+Teardown/78263 Looks like they get to the faceplate around step 14.

 

[Boot_8046]

1. unscrew the back.
2. remove the mobo, battery and everything.
3. hotgun the touch panel, take it off, unscrew the screws underneath it.
4. unscrew the rails.
5. ???
6. profit!
I spray painted my front housing white and put a white touch panel, can PM you a link to it if you want.

 

[Rhapsody]

Which articles did you look at? Did you look at the iFixIt teardown? They are usually very thorough. https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+Switch+Teardown/78263 Looks like they get to the faceplate around step 14.

BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD

Do not listen to this advice. iFixit teardowns are not generally done in a way where the end result can be put back together, especially on more fragile products. It literally says in a banner at the top that this is not a repair guide, and directs you to use this instead;

https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Nintendo_Switch

While it doesn’t go into detail about how to remove the face plate in the above link (and the process to remove it doesn’t seem dangerous), you really shouldn’t use a teardown guide for something like this, and it sure as hell won’t give you proper warnings and instructions.

 

[ShaytheStar]

Hmm...well, if you do have to remove everything inside the console itself, I think I’d rather keep the frontplate untouched. The joycons were simple to dissemble and I’m confident about that, but I’d rather not risk breaking a $300 gen 1 Switch when I’m almost broke. Are you sure there’s no way the frontplate pops off like the back? I don’t see any obvious screws, so what holds it in place?

1. unscrew the back.
2. remove the mobo, battery and everything.
3. hotgun the touch panel, take it off, unscrew the screws underneath it.
4. unscrew the rails.
5. ???
6. profit!
I spray painted my front housing white and put a white touch panel, can PM you a link to it if you want.

I’d love a link, thank you!

 

[Boot_8046]

Hmm...well, if you do have to remove everything inside the console itself, I think I’d rather keep the frontplate untouched. The joycons were simple to dissemble and I’m confident about that, but I’d rather not risk breaking a $300 gen 1 Switch when I’m almost broke. Are you sure there’s no way the frontplate pops off like the back? I don’t see any obvious screws, so what holds it in place?



I’d love a link, thank you!

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Rep...541.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.575a4c4dNjNARS

 

[ShaytheStar]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Rep...541.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.575a4c4dNjNARS

Thanks! I wonder if we could get a glass screen. Not worried about breaking it, just scratching it (and it’s already scratched in the corner; I really hope that’s over my screen protector and not under), but then I wonder if the touch screen might not work with glass.

Now I understand you do have to take apart everything and pry off the screen, so I think I’ll wait until I’ve got more money to attempt something like that.

 

[OblivionReign]

1. unscrew the back.
2. remove the mobo, battery and everything.
3. hotgun the touch panel, take it off, unscrew the screws underneath it.
4. unscrew the rails.
5. ???
6. profit!
I spray painted my front housing white and put a white touch panel, can PM you a link to it if you want.

Could ya pm me that please??

 

[Boot_8046]

Could ya pm me that please??

Yeah sure