How do I open this?

[ertyu]

A couple of months ago I bought a blender - the cheapest one I could find because it doesn't make sense to buy anything high quality when my lifestyle means I'd likely be doing an international move again soon. The mini-blender has a bunch of attachments and I've been using the coffee grinder one almost daily.

The other day as I was grinding my coffee, there was a burnt smell - burnt electronics - so I unplugged immediately and accepted that this cheap machine is now dead.

I would like to open it to see what's inside, and to see what happened. If I can repair it, I will, but chances are this will simply be me opening it for curiosity's sake. However, I can't find any identifiable screws. How do I open this?

1. Tight seal around the bottom


2. Top view


3. Bottom view - no identifiable screws, even down the holes


Advice appreciated

[jacob]

If you stick a screw driver (likely Philips #2) into the little holes, do you not find anything. Somehow I think the bigger holes are related to attaching the motor that sits on top of the fan you see on the bottom.

If it's not held together with screws, it's possibly glued between the grey plastic and the white plastic. You may be able to melt that with a hair dryer. Put it on high and prepare to spend 5-10 minutes lighting up the seam and prying. To reassemble, reverse the process: heat the glue again and press it together. Wipe off the squeeze-out.

If all else fails: Hacksaw!

[sky]

Pull off the rubber suction cups, there may be screws under them. Are you sure there are no screws at the bottom of the holes? They will either be a philips screw type or some star security screw type.

[basuragomi]

Most likely clipped into place around the bottom seam. Slide an old plastic card or putty knife up and around the edges to test this or to pry the top off the clips.

[ertyu]

Update: nothing under the suction caps, they hook into the back (similar shape on the inside). It's not glued, but trying to pry a card and then a knife into the seam reveals anchor-shaped hooks, aopprox a third of an inch apart, which would be easy to snap into place on the way in but once in, would drag on the way out. There might be a trick to undoing them, but the tl;dr seems to be, hacksaw it is. I'll need to cut through the stems one by one.

[jacob]

I'd give prying another chance. Of course, this is where "being equipped" is helpful.

For larger projects, keywords are "auto trim panel removal kit". This is probably the size needed here. Smaller pry bars are often part of smartphone/computer repair kits (also called a spudger). Of course, a flathead screwdriver can also be a prybar

[basuragomi]

The trick is to leave a card in place between the hook tip and the receiving surface, allowing the clip to slide out without engaging the hook. Multiple cards will be needed, you could also use a blunt knife to start and insert the cards once you discover the hook location. Start in the middle of a side and work outwards until an entire edge pops out, then the cards can be removed as everything on that side may stay disengaged. Keep working outwards so that gradually more of the edge is freed until the whole top pops off. You'll probably accidentally pry off a few clips this way too, that's a normal outcome.

[candide]

Of course, a flathead screwdriver can also be a prybar

I find a flathead screwdriver to be one of my most used tools, easily in the top ten and placed where it is always accessible, but I almost never use it for driving screws.

[Sclass]

It’s done. The smell is the shellac on the windings melting. You’ve converted the windings into a solid mass of copper.

Use a hacksaw or hammer to open it up and verify and educate yourself.

[ertyu]

It’s done. The smell is the shellac on the windings melting. You’ve converted the windings into a solid mass of copper.

Use a hacksaw or hammer to open it up and verify and educate yourself.

Shall do, thank you, did not know what the smell indicated beyond "this should be unplugged immediately." Hacksaw it is

[sky]

Hammer and chisel, go medievel on it.