How to Salvage a DVD Drive for Free Parts
Intro: How to Salvage a DVD Drive for Free Parts
When I was a kid it was really interesting for me to know ways to recycle parts.
Even now it is something i find fun and interesting.
Guys this has been nominated for treasure contest so if you find it useful then do vote for me .
There are two Top reasons to do it.
- It saves a lot of money and get new parts.
- It Improves the knowledge of things around you.
Today I am gonna show you how to salvage an old Optical Drive. May it be DVD/CD ,both have most things in common, we will learn about each part and how to take them apart.
Watch the video in case you have less time.
Also i am giving away some cool laser engraved key-chain so do have a look at my channel.
And also Subscribe to my channel to view awesome stuff.
STEP 1: How to Open the DVD Drive
Start by unscrewing the four screws that hold the DVD /CD drive.
Be careful as the chassis is too sharp.
It can cut your fingers.
I had been the victim
rather should I say, I had signed with my DNA
Once the Chassis is opened the next job is to unplug all the ribbon cables from the main board .
STEP 2: The DC Motor
The DC motor is held by some clips ,slightly remove the clip to get access the board of the dc motor.
Before the removing the motor take care to remove its ribbon cable.
While removing the Motor it might be stuck to a pulley with a rubber cable,remove that to take it apart.
The board has three part that can be reused .
- A 5V DC Motor
- 1 LED
- 1 Push Button
Function of this part
This motor combined with a pulley and gear (rack and pinion ) makes the eject mechanism for the drive. In short the the ejection and retrieving of DVD drive is controlled by it .
STEP 3: The Brushless DC
The next thing to salvage is the Brushless motor.
Gone are those time when getting brushless are tough.
Lots of DVD drive are useless these days so getting a lot of brushless motor is too easy.
What is a brushless motor ?
These motor in the pictures in the pictures are of those brushless that mean these motor have the rotor as permanent magnets and the stator
Function of this part
This is the motor that spins the CD or DVD Since high speed is required for reading quickly the brushless motor is chosen for the purpose.
Project you can try with the motors
STEP 4: The Stepper Motor and the Slide Draft
After freeing the BLDC we are left with the drive mechanism from which we get to extract a stepper motor and the slide mechanism .
The stepper motor has just two screws to me unscrewed to be made free .
And the shaft by turning a knob at the bottom of the drive.
There is also the laser module which we will extract soon.
Function of this part
The Stepper motor is also called the sled motor . This motor causes the slider to move in a horizontal direction.With this stepper motor and the brushless motor, the optical drive reads the data in a DC or DVD .
Projects you can make
STEP 5: The Laser Diode
After removing the shaft left is the laser module in the slider .
The laser is held with a glue .
Try to cut the glue to get access to the diode.
You can try a hot air gun, but I don't have any still so I could not use it.
Do tell me if it is possible.
Function of this part
The laser forms an integral part of the optical system which makes it possible for the DVD drive to read the data.
Projects you can make
STEP 6: The Magnets
Neodymium magnets are in the optical lens to use for focus I guess as it had coil also making an EM - field .
What is Neodymium ?
Neodymium is a chemical element with symbol Nd and atomic number 60.
Neodymium is used as a component in the alloys used to make high-strength neodymium magnets—powerful permanent magnets.
Function of this part
It is used to focus the beam of laser along with a coil making an EM Field
STEP 7: The Optical Lens
Lastly,we take apart the optical lens from the drive.
The lens is a small biconvex lens.
Be careful while taking apart the lens as it might be damaged if not handled with care.
I crushed the glued part first (plastic),making the glass free and then taking it apart.
use some tissue to kept it scratch less .
Function of this part
The lens is just to focus the beam of the laser.
what next ?
I will show what you can do out of those drive parts .
Next will be coming soon so stay subscribed :)
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71 Comments
sbrown9578 7 years ago
I wish I could find someone near me like you, that takes electronics apart. I have a bunch of electronics (old computers, printers, scanners, I think I even have an old vcr). I can't give this stuff away. I have a plasma tv I bet you could even find parts to use from. Most people are about buying instead of taking things apart. This way they don't have to store all of it especially for long periods of time.
rocketman515 3 years ago
use the computer parts. Contact me at damidog@juno.com
RobR2 7 years ago
Try posting these things on Freecycle, EVERYONE should be a part of their local Freecycle group. I always post on my local Freecycle for broken/outdated electronics wanted. I get 2-3 lcd tvs every year that only need $2-$3 worth of Capacitors replaced. I get tons of desktop pc's ( some are newer and only require a fresh windows install) and about 25% of them get fixed/upgraded then re-Freecycled
JuliaJ23 7 years ago
I'm a teacher in Greenville, SC, and I beg people for this stuff. I teach an intro to engineering class to middle schoolers, and in 7th grade one of our main activities is taking stuff apart and seeing how it works. I've resorted to Ebay to buy old-style computer mice with balls and telephones with cords. New tech is all electronic and too small to see! Geekrex, the next kid who takes apart a CD player will use your Instructable, and you have my vote!
ElizabethGreene 7 years ago
@sbrown9578
If you are in Middle Tennesse or North Atlanta, I can give them a good home.
discostu956 7 years ago
BazilS 6 years ago
INFINITEKIFF 6 years ago
MagnusR2 7 years ago
INFINITEKIFF 6 years ago
Taranach 7 years ago
While you are correct that the EM field itself is not influencing the light, the EM field *IS* positioning the carrier for the laser LED in relation to the focusing lens therefore those magnets and the EM field *IS* focusing the laser relative to the lens... Very similar to how a hard drive positions the read heads on the platen... You almost thought it all the way through but missed the last connection to understand the whole.
Irwind Kee 7 years ago
it using it for focusing by adjusting laser diode lens up and down.
this video show how its work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLfUEmDTKVQ
rbeforee 6 years ago
I can't bear the thought of e-recycling unless I've taken a shot at dismantling it. Even if only for jewelry material and the love of knowledge. I wish my hands/wrists were stronger so I could have less frustration in indulging my inner Little Man Tate. I appreciate the comment regarding sacrificing the front plate to speed up the process, though part of the fun is in finding all of the sneaky screws. I call foul on companies that glue or weld plastic parts shut. It may be good for manufacturing but it's cruel for the tinkerer. Why aren't our needs taken into consideration?! ?? It's almost like they don't want us cannibalizing their products.
Now, onto the serious content of my post. I am appalled that the comments for this lovely contribution to the Love of How have been tainted by bickering about grammar. The disrespect, not only for fellow curious minds, but more significantly for the contributor is embarrassing. This community is better than that. This site is a place to encourage one another, not bash. It's almost as bad as dissing a person's Instructable. This is a community of like-minded people. This is not Facebook. There is nothing to be gained by verbally attacking each other. (Is it still "verbally" attacking when it is in writing, or is there a better word?)
Even if someone makes a comment that evokes crankiness in you, there are ways to be respectful while still informing the person that their comment is inappropriate. Name-calling is almost guaranteed to raise their hackles. If folks dig in their heels, only focusing on defending themselves, there can be nothing learned by either party.
It appears the original offending post may have been removed, yet the subsequent rage (or annoyance) is still here. Rather than attacking each other, we have the option to express our perspective on how a comment came across to us. As an example, rather than arguing over the use of the word "Nazi" one could simply explain why, in their opinion, it is inappropriate. The word may very well be commonly used in reference to sticklers for accurate writing skills, but that does not mean it has a place here. It is a very antagonistic word choice. Is it (grammar nazi) used regularly? Of course. Does that make it appropriate for polite conversation? Not generally. It is used specifically to insult the other person. One might light-heartedly accuse themself of behaving as such, but it is not in the spirit of this community to label others in that manner.
This is all merely my opinion. I am an idealist. Instructables is a site for coming together, not tearing down. (Well, tearing down DVD-drives? Yes. People? No.)
Please consider the benefits of being kind, even when providing guidance. If someone is speaking out in a manner that is incongruent with the spirit of the community, it might be more beneficial to provide your perspective as just that, your perspective.
For example:
From where I stand, using the expression "grammar nazi" is usually taken as antagonistic and is less likely, in my experience, to encourage a person to reconsider their tone when offering corrections. Another approach might be to mention grammatical errors with a more light-hearted, commiserating tact. 'I confess to being distracted by the common error of confusing "alternate" with "alternative" even though I understand it is a very common mistake. It is so common that it is pretty much accepted. To me that feels like the dictionary is giving in rather than pushing for proper word usage. I have an irrational sadness when a mistake wins by sheer willpower. LOL'
I'm not accusing an individual of being uneducated. I'm merely expressing that I wish the English language was dynamic in growing with time, not regressing with misuse. It is rare that a person makes a completely new grammatical error. It can be committed because of a lack of knowledge, a lack of attention to detail (who has never been swept up, scrambling to get their thoughts onto the screen?) or even in the spirit of the nature of language as a fluid, living thing. Not everyone re-reads their comments prior to posting. It's time consuming, and for some of us it creates a feedback loop in which we continuously add new thoughts when we only meant to proofread what was already there.
Please, keep Instructables a place of collaboration and inspiration. This is a kind of a safe space in that we are all here for the love of knowledge. We all benefit from an atmosphere of encouragement. No one will want to contribute if they fear they will be attacked or shamed for their efforts.
We come in peace. Let's stay in that same spirit.
??? Keep building and breaking-down. Keep that curiosity well-fed. Encourage the spirit of wonder and the drive for innovation alive in this lovely corner of the Interwebs. ???
AnnFosnacht 7 years ago
Wonderful tear down. Thank you.
DorothyW26 7 years ago
M-M-M where can I get an old DVD? I am jealous of those magnets!
Dcfcf 7 years ago
Dcfcf 7 years ago
GANGSTARSS 7 years ago
it is helpful
ClaudioK3 7 years ago
Techovator0819 7 years ago
Thanks for this, it'll be very helpful