Advice for removing glue from camera top covers

[boneskid1]

Hopefully the title makes sense, but I have a few cameras (Konica c35V, Canonet, Nikon FM2) That I would like to be able to remove the factory glue from plastic pieces on the top shell. Main one being the clear plastic finder window on the c35 and Canonet. What should I try to use? I repaired a Canon P&S last year and I tried IP Alcohol on the plastic lens in the shell and it did nothing... Especially since after applying the Alcohol I realized the glue was holding nothing.

Either way. I need a safe way to remove the glue and small plastic pieces from the metal and I guess recommendations for reapplication once I am satisfied with my cleaning. (potentially repainting if I can get an airbrush).

Side question too, What material is the clear plastic that protects the rangefinder/viewfinder on the front of the Canonet? Mine is cracked and I have some lexan laying around from an old project. I imagine it would scratch really easily, but would be better than cracked.

 

[xkaes]

The clear material on viewfinders or rangefinders can be clear (or colored) glass or various types of plastic. Glass, in some ways is easier to deal with, regarding glues. How to get the glue off of anything depends a lot on what the glue is -- which is usually not know. Alcohol is probably not going to help with strong glues, but stronger stuff can cause problems -- like "melting" the plastic.

Naptha (lighter fluid), desolves a lot of glues -- and "goo". Acetone (nail polish remover) does too. There is even stronger stuff, like paint remover/stripper -- only use that with good ventilation.

With any strong stuff it's best to test it on a scrap piece of material.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Acetone will melt many plastics. And will dissolve most paints. I'd really discourage using it on camera bodies unless you have a good idea of what it does and how thin it is and how easily it goes where you don't expect it to.

Lots of glues holding small pieces of acetate in place are best simply pried or chipped away. And then remake the part. Clear packaging for batteries and such will often have clean enough sections of clear plastic for replacements.

Most viewfinder windows, especially from the Canonet era, will be glass. Usually very thin glass. All in all best to try to find glass, not a plastic. Hard to get optical clarity in most plastics commonly available at that small size. Maybe you can find some old glass slide mounts? Or measure the thickness of the glass and ask here and other camera places, someone might have a piece.

 

[_T_]

What exactly is the problem with the cameras that you are trying to fix?

 

[Chuck1]

Goof off, will take paint off, so don't use that (but it removes old hard grease easily)
I' ver been wondering what's the best thing to use to remove leatherette and the contact cement holding it to an F2 prism

 

[250swb]

Naphtha or White Spirit is good for removing glue, apply with a soft cloth or a cotton bud. Sometimes it can make the area look cloudy, especially alarming on clear plastic, but it polishes up again. Viewing windows are usually injection moulded and finding a material that matches can be tricky, but often rigid plastic containers can offer something close. You could try using microscope slide glass which would be better. For not much money you get a large box of slides and with a glass cutter can afford to break a few before the perfect piece is cut.

 

[boneskid1]

Microscope slides is a good idea! thanks! I have lighter fluid but may look into a bottle of goo gone and see where that gets me.

As for whats wrong... The c35V actually has nothing wrong anymore(was an intermitent shutter fire issue, but I found a cam to be gummed up with grease and I took care of it), but the top is really beat up and I recently purchased a media blaster..... so I was thinking a paint refresh is in order. That particular version does not have alot going on with the top plate so it seems like a good jumping off point for that type of project. The Canonet on the other hand has the cracked viewfinder window that I am hoping to replace along with a general clean and light lube. It is working but the shutter blades stick every 10 shots or so. Not the end of the world. I understand what needs to be done to solve the problem.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Quick note, in case you don't know- super glue, cyanoacrylates, will frost plastics. Do not use to re-attach windows, etc.

 

[xkaes]

A lot of times you don't need to remove old glue, even if you are using the old parts. If things fit together "dry" OK, then that actually helps the new glue work better.

And if you have a "Dremel" that can sometimes be used to remove (sand off) really hardened glue -- if you can reach it.

 

[boneskid1]

Quick note, in case you don't know- super glue, cyanoacrylates, will frost plastics. Do not use to re-attach windows, etc.

Oh yes! I used to have R/C cars and learned that pretty quickly with lexan bodies and super glue. I do not even have super glue near my workbench just to be safe.

 

[Chuck1]

If you use superglue to fix your eyeglasses, let them sit for a while before putting them back on.
It kind of burns.

 

[Tel]

Goof off, will take paint off, so don't use that (but it removes old hard grease easily)
I' ver been wondering what's the best thing to use to remove leatherette and the contact cement holding it to an F2 prism

I use a heat gun or hair dryer to remove camera leathers (judiciously--you don't want to burn the leather off) and a small chisel or dull x-acto knife to work the leather free and peel it off.