Reformatting macbook pro with a dead superdrive?

Should I use a friends mbp to rip the install disk, put it on an external hard drive and boot from that? Can i even do that? Or is getting a 50$ external dvd drive a good idea for the long run?

I need to reformat because i have some firewire issues that seem to be software related and a verification failure is preventing me from getting rid of a partition and getting space back.

Such such such bad luck

Install Carbon Copy Cloner on your friends MBP, and then insert your install disk, and use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone it onto your external HD.
Then you can boot your MBP off that external HD by holding option when you boot, and selecting it when you boot.
I would still suggest just spending the $50 on an external DVD drive, or just getting yourself a new internal one, as they are not overly pricey.
Search Results for macbook pro superdrive at MacSales.com
This isn't the same MBP that your logic board was fried in is it?

Yeah, it is the same one. The guy told me a new logic board would fix my firewire problems, and my superdrive seemed to be fine before the repair. As for the HD problems, well I just found out about that. So now I'm really kicking myself for getting the repair and just hoping to make the best of it.

We live and learn!
No point kicking yourself.... as you say, just gotta make the best of it now!

When booting off the external, should the install stuff be the only thing on the external HD? Should I create a partition just for it?

You can create a partition, or just have that!
I have one external HD with time machine partition, CCC bootable copy of of my system partition, and a CCC bootable copy of my install disc partition.
When I boot with option, I have the 2 CCC bootable partitions and my internal HD show up, and the time machine partition doesn't show up as it's not bootable.
In other words, you can have as many partitions as you like, and only the bootable devices (partitions) will show up.

So I used CCC to get the install dvd to a bootable external and when I turn on the computer and hold option to choose what to boot I can see it, but when I click the external drive it does the exact same thing as before, which is the apple logo followed by a grey screen telling me to turn it off in different languages. Dead hard drive?

When it was being repaired the apple tech phoned me and said he snapped the cable connecting mother board to HD, HD seemed fine before, i'm wondering if he could have damaged it. Does anyone think apple will help me out at all?

firewire issues, spinning gear, and that call you just mentioned..... all sounds related!
I would call Apple, explain what's goin on, including the call you got re the snapping of the cable, explaining that since you got it back, all of the above has been going on!