LCD Monitor scratch repair

[Rob Scullion]

I'm hoping for good news, but I suspect I'm out of luck. Tonight,
while moving my new BenQ FP737 LCD monitor, a accidentally bumped the
screen with the VGA connector. Now I have two small scratches (1/4" or
so) in the middlish area of the monitor. One is not so bad
(horizontal) but the other is definitely noticable, sort of like a
hair stuck to the screen.

Does anyone know of a good method to fix such a scratch short of
sending it in for repair? I can probably learn to live with it, but
I'd obviously rather fix it if I can. I've read a bunch of posts
elsewhere about jewelers paste etc, but they were all pretty
hypothetical. I'm really afraid any abrasive technique like that will
do more harm than good. If you have a method that's known to work for
small scratches, I'd certainly appreciate hearing about it. Even
something that would hide the scratch a bit would be helpful if it
wouldn't cause further harm to the surface in the process. Trading a
small scratch for a larger shiny or dull area wouldn't be so great.

Thanks,

Rob

 

[kony]

I'm hoping for good news, but I suspect I'm out of luck. Tonight,
while moving my new BenQ FP737 LCD monitor, a accidentally bumped the
screen with the VGA connector. Now I have two small scratches (1/4" or
so) in the middlish area of the monitor. One is not so bad
(horizontal) but the other is definitely noticable, sort of like a
hair stuck to the screen.

Does anyone know of a good method to fix such a scratch short of
sending it in for repair? I can probably learn to live with it, but
I'd obviously rather fix it if I can. I've read a bunch of posts
elsewhere about jewelers paste etc, but they were all pretty
hypothetical. I'm really afraid any abrasive technique like that will
do more harm than good. If you have a method that's known to work for
small scratches, I'd certainly appreciate hearing about it. Even
something that would hide the scratch a bit would be helpful if it
wouldn't cause further harm to the surface in the process. Trading a
small scratch for a larger shiny or dull area wouldn't be so great.

Thanks,

Rob

Trading small scratch for larger shiney or dull area is
esentially the tradeoff, though what you mind do is very
carefully mark off the surrounding area with tape first.
Generally though, if you're picky about the display then
it's ruined no matter what.

 

[Roby]

I'm hoping for good news, but I suspect I'm out of luck. Tonight,
while moving my new BenQ FP737 LCD monitor, a accidentally bumped the
screen with the VGA connector. Now I have two small scratches (1/4" or
so) in the middlish area of the monitor. One is not so bad
(horizontal) but the other is definitely noticable, sort of like a
hair stuck to the screen.

Does anyone know of a good method to fix such a scratch short of
sending it in for repair? I can probably learn to live with it, but
I'd obviously rather fix it if I can. I've read a bunch of posts
elsewhere about jewelers paste etc, but they were all pretty
hypothetical. I'm really afraid any abrasive technique like that will
do more harm than good. If you have a method that's known to work for
small scratches, I'd certainly appreciate hearing about it. Even
something that would hide the scratch a bit would be helpful if it
wouldn't cause further harm to the surface in the process. Trading a
small scratch for a larger shiny or dull area wouldn't be so great.

Thanks,

Rob

It could be worse. One evening, I was surprised to find my prized LCD
monitor (six months old) missing from my desk. Also not visible were the
speakers and keyboard. My heart rate went up as I looked on the floor
behind the desk.

Everything was there ... in a heap. I immediately called an emergency
family meeting. "WHOOOODONEIT???" I asked. There was a lot of paw
pointing all around. Nobody confessed.

I keep the replacement monitor face down on the desk when not in use now.

Roby

 

[Jerry G.]

You can try to polish the scratch out with the same product that is use to
polish the acrylic paint on automobiles. This will polish plastic, and soft
glass that is used in many optical devices.

The polishing takes a lot of patients, and working it in with a very fine
cloth, or tissue. The instructions on the container will tell you how to
use it.

The polishing will be a long procedure that takes a lot of patients. Using
any power device to get speed, can make too much heat, and thus farther
damage the screen.

The drawback is that the polishing will remove the antiglare in the area
where the polishing is done. When the screen is lit, and there is no
reflecting light, the area will most likely not be too noticeable if the
polishing is well done. In a lit room where there is some screen reflection,
the polished area will stand out.

The real fix would be to replace the panel. The cost of the panel will be
very close to the cost of a new monitor. After polishing it, if you find it
not looking to your satisfaction, you can always use it on another older
computer, and get yourself another new one. Or, you can sell it to a friend
for about 1/2 of what you paid. At least you will get a 50% recovery.

Another thought is, you can also donate it to a local charity, and ask for a
tax receipt for the cost of the monitor. This is technically legal. You can
then deduct from your earnings money you paid for it, and at the same time
the charity organization will have a nice monitor. This will then add to
your tax credit at the time of filing.

I was looking at the BenQ monitors. They look very good in their
performance, and they are not terribly expensive. I am wondering however, if
they will last as long as the slightly more expensive name brand monitors.

--

Jerry G.
======


I'm hoping for good news, but I suspect I'm out of luck. Tonight,
while moving my new BenQ FP737 LCD monitor, a accidentally bumped the
screen with the VGA connector. Now I have two small scratches (1/4" or
so) in the middlish area of the monitor. One is not so bad
(horizontal) but the other is definitely noticable, sort of like a
hair stuck to the screen.

Does anyone know of a good method to fix such a scratch short of
sending it in for repair? I can probably learn to live with it, but
I'd obviously rather fix it if I can. I've read a bunch of posts
elsewhere about jewelers paste etc, but they were all pretty
hypothetical. I'm really afraid any abrasive technique like that will
do more harm than good. If you have a method that's known to work for
small scratches, I'd certainly appreciate hearing about it. Even
something that would hide the scratch a bit would be helpful if it
wouldn't cause further harm to the surface in the process. Trading a
small scratch for a larger shiny or dull area wouldn't be so great.

Thanks,

Rob

 

[google]

I'm hoping for good news, but I suspect I'm out of luck. Tonight,
while moving my new BenQ FP737 LCD monitor, a accidentally bumped the
screen with the VGA connector. Now I have two small scratches (1/4" or
so) in the middlish area of the monitor. One is not so bad
(horizontal) but the other is definitely noticable, sort of like a
hair stuck to the screen.

Does anyone know of a good method to fix such a scratch short of
sending it in for repair? I can probably learn to live with it, but
I'd obviously rather fix it if I can. I've read a bunch of posts
elsewhere about jewelers paste etc, but they were all pretty
hypothetical. I'm really afraid any abrasive technique like that will
do more harm than good. If you have a method that's known to work for
small scratches, I'd certainly appreciate hearing about it. Even
something that would hide the scratch a bit would be helpful if it
wouldn't cause further harm to the surface in the process. Trading a
small scratch for a larger shiny or dull area wouldn't be so great.

Thanks,

Rob

Thanks for all the feedback folks. Pretty much confirmed what I
thought, which is there's no way to really fix it.

Fellowes seems to carry an LCD protector. If I find a good price on it,
I might see if it helps mask the problem at all. I also might see if it
looks like it'd mask an area of missing AR coating should I decide to
do the polishing thing. I doubt I'll have the guts to try that, but if
I do I'll post back with the results.

Thanks!

Rob