Sinclair ZX Microdrive Disassembly - The Easy Method

I couldn't find a video that showed how to take apart a Sinclair ZX Microdrive clearly and simply - so I made this one.
The Sinclair ZX Microdrive was released in July 1983 so we are going to see more of these on eBay as lofts get emptied.
The actual technology was pretty unreliable anyway so there won't be many people looking to actually use them today - but you can swap the old drive mechanism for an SDCARD reader which works with Interface 1 and behaves just like the real thing.
Only it works and it's reliable!
If you try and disassemble the ZX Microdrive any other way then it'll be much more difficult, and you are much more likely to break something.
Remember that these devices are 40 years old (at the time this video was made!) so the plastic could be brittle. Sinclair screwed directly into plastic holes which were slightly smaller than the screws they used - so it's really easy to over tighten and strip the threads the screws made in this plastic when they were originally put in.
They also use an alarmingly large number of different screws too - so make sure you don't mix them up and put the same screw back into the hole it came out of.
See here for more info about why doing this is a good idea:
vdrivezx.com/vdrivezx/
I'm not affiliated or sponsored by vRetro in any way - I just think it's brilliant and this video will help you take an old Microdrive apart so you can fit one.
:)
I'm never going to get rich from this, but it is nice to get something... So if you've watched this video and it influenced or helped you then please click Like and Subscribe.
You can also buy me a coffee using the Ko-fi link if you think I deserve one...
ko-fi.com/nicbunting

[@edoardomassari688]

Thank you for your excellent video. I can suggest a very quick method, just heat the metal part, even with a hat dryer. The glue melts a little and comes off very well.

[@sterntechdaddy]

Other people have suggested using heat… I’m a bit reluctant to apply heat to 40 year old plastic… 😜
I found the glue used had deteriorated so the metal plate came off pretty easily without having to risk anything.

[@icraftcrafts8685]

Thanks for posting. I just got one of these with a dk tronics unit. Still going to test them.

[@sterntechdaddy]

Glad it helped.

[@peddersoldchap]

Any reason why for not using a rework station to warm the double sided tape before using the plastic prying tools?

[@sterntechdaddy]

You could… but you would need to be careful. I doubt the 40 year old plastic and internals will like excessive heat.
Note that due to the age of these devices, the double sided tape is going to have deteriorated anyway.
So you won’t need any heat when teasing the metal off.
I didn’t. 😜
Similarly for the face plate in the rubber keyed Spectrum - after 40 years a gentle lift with a plastic pry tool is going to be enough.
EDIT: Forgot to mention that GooGone or lighter fuel are both pretty good at dissolving glue - and they both evaporate. A few drops or either can release more troublesome glue without using heat.
I tend to use GooGone for sticker residue and lighter fuel for cardboard box joints. Both are effective as cleaning agents too.

[@peddersoldchap]

@@sterntechdaddy THANK YOU for your thorough reply.

[@koenielinux3131]

Where's the erase head?

[@sterntechdaddy]

It uses one head… see this for a schematic…
spectrumforeveryone.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/ZX-Interface-1-2-Microdrive-Service-Manual.pdf
Page 28.
🙂