Hint Protect Your GPS Screen

[+briansnat]

I got a nasty scratch on my Etrex's screen, so I came up with an idea to protect it (a little too late). I took one of those thin plastic screen protectors designed for Palm devices, cut it to size and applied it to the face of my GPS. Works great. It also protects it from damage if you have a DEET based insect repellent on your fingers and accidently touch the screen.

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Keller

[+Dekaner]

I'd recommend that if you put on a liberal dose of bug repellent (this had DEET in it), that you wipe down your GPS when you get home. My black III+ now has a few grey areas where the DEET has worn away some of the plastic!

 

- Dekaner of Team KKF2A

[The Artful Dodger]

My GPSMAP 76 is comfortably protected by a scratch-free plastic stick-on shield I picked up at the local dive shop.

 

If you happen to have a scuba diving shop nearby, ask for the plastic protector for the Oceanic DataMax dive computer. Its a rectangular plastic that can be cut to fit most GPSs.

[+Team Golden]

Why not just use the case? I have one for my map76s and I know they make one for the etrex line. The case doesn't effect the reception and the entire unit is protected....

[+Team Golden]

Why not just use the case? I have one for my map76s and I know they make one for the etrex line. The case doesn't effect the reception and the entire unit is protected....

[+ionekoa]

if it's coroding your equipment which is built to be tough, and last a long time why put it on your skin???

[+yrium]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BrianSnat:

I got a nasty scratch on my Etrex's screen...

---

 

My fellow geocacher Vagabond has told me that there is a polishing powder/paste that you can pick up at small airport's maintenance shops that can polish out scratches on glass. The pilots use them to polish out scratches on their windshields.

 

--- yrium ---

[+briansnat]

I think the screen is plastic, so I don't think the polish would work. I was thinking of sending it back to Garmin (the scratch is a deep and large one) but I can't do without my GPS for long.

 

Funny how an item I barely knew existed a year ago has become so indespensible and not just for Geocaching.

 

At least with the protective cover I used, it won't get scratched further.

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Keller

[+CYBret]

There was a similar thread on a Palm newsgroup I used to read. Apparently there's a product made in Germany to polish scratches out of cellphone screens. It would work on Palms too, so I would suppose it would work on a GPS.

 

However, if the scratch is that deep, I wouldn't even mess with it. Call Garmin, see what can be done (if it bugs you that much). If it doesn't, then just consider it a battle scar.

 

Bret

 

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he hid it again."

Mt. 13:44

[+culpc]

BrianSnat writes:

quote:

---

I think the screen is plastic, so I don't think the polish would work. I was thinking of sending it back to Garmin (the scratch is a deep and large one) but I can't do without my GPS for long.

 

Funny how an item I barely knew existed a year ago has become so indespensible and not just for Geocaching.

---

Sounds like a reason for another GPS (always need a backup, right?)

 

Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son!

[+culpc]

BrianSnat writes:

quote:

---

I think the screen is plastic, so I don't think the polish would work. I was thinking of sending it back to Garmin (the scratch is a deep and large one) but I can't do without my GPS for long.

 

Funny how an item I barely knew existed a year ago has become so indespensible and not just for Geocaching.

---

Sounds like a reason for another GPS (always need a backup, right?)

 

Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son!

[+Byron & Anne]

quote:

---

Originally posted by vash the stampede:

if it's coroding your equipment which is built to be tough, and last a long time why put it on your skin???

---

 

Cause my skin aint plastic. If yours is, don't use DEET.

 

Byron

[+JAR]

BrianSnat,

 

If the scratch isn't too deep and you want to try to fix it yourself, have a look at Novus Plastic Polish. A quick search will reveal many dealers who sell it online, and it's also stocked in many plastic shops if you have one in your vicinity. I've used it on quite a few different items (although never a GPSr screen) with good results.

 

Of course this is no substitute for a replacement from Garmin, but you always have that as an option anyway.

[+Ltljon]

Nothing seems to beat Clear Packing Tape. Cheap, no residue & easy to use. One roll would probably last forever!

[+Katetrex]

Try your local computer or music store and look for a cd repair kit. It containes all you need to polish cd's back to their original shiny selves. I don't see any reason this would not work for the gps screen.. I have polished scratches out of numerous music and computer cd's with great success, actually no failures to date. It has certainly saved a lot of headaches. Also a good effective and safe alternative to Deet is Caactus Juice Bug Repellant.