# Iron Filings In My Cell Phone Speaker



## randyjaco

I was doing a bit of grinding the other day. I had my eye and breathing protection on, but didn't think about protection for my cell. The cell was in my shirt pocket and evidently a quantity of iron fillings also ended up on my cell. It seems that the small speaker collected them. The speaker now just produces unintelligible noise. Luckily the loud speaker works, at least until my next grinding procedure.
 I learned on the first phone that compressed air is not a good solution 8^(
The filings are so small I can't see them, so tweezers aren't an option.
Since this is the second phone I have ruined with filings, I was wondering if anyone has a method of removing them?

TIA
Randy


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## darkzero

I had the same thing happen to my previous cell phone. I had fine chips get stuck on the earpiece grill. Like an idiot I blew them off with air. Well some of the steel blew past the grill & got stuck on the earpiece speaker & there was an annoying rattle everytime I was on a phone call.

lucky for me a replacement speaker was only $2. When I disassembled it & got to the earpiece speaker I saw the chips sitting on the speaker. I probably could have wiped them off at that point & it might have been fine but since I had it open & a replacment speaker I just replaced it.

Lesson learned, the next times I saw chips on the grill, I just wiped them off with a cloth. Never happened to me again & has never happened with my current phone.


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## great white

If you can get to the speaker by removing its cover, I've had success removing filings from speaker magnets and such with a bit of masking tape.

Doesn't take much, just lightly touch the tape to the cone and filings should stick to it.

Be careful with cell phone "speakers", they're usually a pretty thin membrane.

Maybe consider putting your phone on the shelf next time or perhaps investing in a " life proof" style case?


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## silence dogood

As an experiment, I put my phone in a zip lock plastic bag.  I can still press the buttons and talk on it.  Mine is one of those that opens and closes, so I have to leave it open.  However,  that does not seem to make any difference since it will shut itself off after use.  Just an idea when you take it down to the shop.  Mark


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## Terrywerm

I leave my phone on the computer desk when I am at home, so it doesn't come to the shop with me and get exposed to "cell phone kryptonite". I've had the same phone for over four years now and it is still going strong. I suppose I should consider getting a new one pretty soon.


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## Dawner

randyjaco said:


> I was doing a bit of grinding the other day. I had my eye and breathing protection on, but didn't think about protection for my cell. The cell was in my shirt pocket and evidently a quantity of iron fillings also ended up on my cell. It seems that the small speaker collected them. The speaker now just produces unintelligible noise. Luckily the loud speaker works, at least until my next grinding procedure.
> I learned on the first phone that compressed air is not a good solution 8^(
> The filings are so small I can't see them, so tweezers aren't an option.
> Since this is the second phone I have ruined with filings, I was wondering if anyone has a method of removing them?
> 
> TIA
> Randy


Have you tried a very strong magnet in steed of air ?  Sounds like the iron filings are attracted to the speaker magnet.  As for aluminium. that shouldn't  be a problem but if it is can't help you on that one.


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## jasnooks

X3 on the magnet. I've been doing it for years. Probably won't help now if the chips were blown deep into the phone though.


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## GK1918

In the key of F#   take that phone and shove it  bah bah bah I don't want it no more       LOL   
seriously  my big problem is a ration of calls all day all night from timbuckto.   Is there anyway
to block these calls?  I dont know anybody from these places... to sleep I take phone off the hook.
then get up I got atleast 20 missed calls over nite.    geezzz


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## darkzero

GK1918 said:


> In the key of F#   take that phone and shove it  bah bah bah I don't want it no more       LOL
> seriously  my big problem is a ration of calls all day all night from timbuckto.   Is there anyway
> to block these calls?  I dont know anybody from these places... to sleep I take phone off the hook.
> then get up I got atleast 20 missed calls over nite.    geezzz


Depends on who the calls are from but this worked for my cell phone, also registered my home phone # too years ago. My Android phone also has a black list feature for calls & texts.

https://www.donotcall.gov/


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## jim18655

Won't help now but drop the phone in a zip-lock bag before you go to the shop. Also works good for calculators in the shop


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## Uglydog

I've lost track of how many times my Fire Chief has had my fire pager reguilt due to filings.
The plastic bag is a good idea.

Daryl
MN


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## randyjaco

Thanks guys, I tried the magnet and the tape.  Neither solved the problem. I am due a new phone next month.
Randy


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