recycle old laptop display

rich1812, lets start with this:-) What is the number on the back of the LCD (manufacturer or model number)? Armed with that, you can look for a datasheet and see what other devices uses that model LCD. You will most likely need an inverter circuit, a video circuit and a driver circuit. There are universal LCD Display driver controller boards out, that may help you to convert a display to a monitor. I purchased one through an online auction a couple of years ago, for something like $30, and it worked for me. Check on something like this.