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Author Topic: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing casing?  (Read 4849 times)

lowep

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Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing casing?
« on: December 28, 2013, 05:04:05 pm »

Taking my Sinarback eMotion MFDB out of the dry cabinet this morning I found the casing has become sticky, as if a light coating of adhesive has been applied to the surface. Or a drunken mouse had crept into the dry cabinet and spilled a glass of sherry on the MFDB. But apart from this cosmetic issue the MFDB continues to work perfectly as it has always done.

I initially thought the problem was with the rubber casing but looking at this more closely after the good advice from Yaya and others can now see that it is more likely the paint or metal the casing is made of and have modified this post accordingly. Note that the useful replies from Paul and Eric just below were responding to the first version of this thread I posted when I thought the problem was with the rubber not the ?metal? body of the casing.

Yesterday I sent off an email to Sinar asking if they have heard about this before and/or have any suggestions or advice on what to do about it. But this is a legacy product so am not holding my breath until they reply.

So would like to ask if anybody else has encountered this problem and for advice about what to do and also what not to do. For example how about hair spray, rubbing alcohol, talcum powder... (just a few of the treatment options for legacy camera gear mostly lenses with sticky rubber I have come across on the internet but am reluctant to try on my MFDB before I hear from somebody who has had a similar problem and found a viable solution).
« Last Edit: February 08, 2014, 03:43:37 am by lowep »
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Paul2660

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing rubber surface?
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2013, 09:50:31 pm »

It is a sign of old rubber and I believe what occurs over time is the as the rubber ages, it breaks down and the sticky feeling is one of the compounds that comes to the surface.  It's a catch 22 situation since as you clean off the sticky layer, you expose the rest of the material and it tend to dry out quickly, yellow and crack, but if you leave it alone, then the sticky smearing just tends to get worse. 

Cleaning it with Acetone will work, or rubbing alcohol, then you might try a rubber conditioning solution like the stuff in auto parts stores.  Best solution is to have the rubber parts replaced, but as you pointed out due to age, it may not be possible.   

Paul Caldwell
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lowep

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing rubber surface?
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2013, 09:57:07 pm »

Thanks Paul, this is very helpful
« Last Edit: December 28, 2013, 11:03:20 pm by lowep »
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EricWHiss

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing rubber surface?
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2013, 03:03:40 am »

Mineral oil is what I've been told to use on rubber eye cups and things like that.  Try a small section first with whatever you use.

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yaya

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing rubber surface?
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2013, 03:20:06 am »

Are you talking about the casing's paint? I'm guessing it is urethane-based and that the 2-component solution is breaking down. It should have a distinct smell. I would try not to touch it with bear hands. I'm also guessing that Sinar will offer to replace the casing.

BR

Yair
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lowep

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing rubber surface?
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2013, 09:55:02 am »

You are right Yaya: looking at this more closely the two pads on each side of the casing that are made of rubber or some other synthetic material are not sticky. The LCD screen is also fine. But everything else is so sticky I could use it as a fly catcher. Quite a concern.... but I haven´t lost any fingers yet.
« Last Edit: February 08, 2014, 03:22:46 am by lowep »
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lowep

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing casing?
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2014, 03:42:02 am »

Sinar customer service replied very promptly to my query but no official recommendation was forthcoming that is not surprising as my MFDB is a a legacy model that I bought secondhand several years ago. Despite this the Sinar rep did take the trouble to discuss the issue with a service technician who suggested it may not be a good idea to apply Acetone or alcohol, as this may make the problem worse, and gave me the tip that Plasti-dip may be worth trying?

Plasti-dip also replied very promptly to my follow up email indicating they had never heard of their coating product that is mostly used for car bodies being used for this purpose but since it was being used for thousands of other applications it was not initially designed for then who knows maybe it could also help stabilize the adhesive residue appearing on the surface of the casing of my MFDB that I now suspect is most likely being caused by the breakdown of the material the casing is made of, even though I am still unsure what that is and what the cause could be?

So far looks like metal is not just metal, and also if you buy a secondhand legacy MFDB you are on your own when the casing starts to ooze adhesive gunk. But maybe Plasti-dip can help?  
« Last Edit: February 08, 2014, 03:44:48 am by lowep »
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lowep

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing casing?
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2014, 10:55:17 pm »

actually the casing is not made of metal it is a very hard plastic or some other synthetic material that does not seem to be painted, so the problem is almost certainly being caused by the adhesives coming to the surface as the plastic or whatever the casing is made of breaks down.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2014, 11:01:25 pm by lowep »
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BobDavid

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing casing?
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2014, 11:08:29 pm »

I have the same problem with my 20-year old Sony high-8 camcorder.
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uaiomex

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing casing?
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2014, 11:50:42 pm »

I found out yesterday that I have the same problem with my 6 year old Canon EF Fisheye focusing ring.
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lowep

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing casing?
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2014, 05:12:59 pm »

so you are years ahead of me... did the sweating out of the adhesive occur over a short time then stop or has it been gradually becoming worse over a long period of time, and have you made any attempt to clean it off?
« Last Edit: March 15, 2014, 05:15:15 pm by lowep »
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neilwatson

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing casing?
« Reply #11 on: March 21, 2014, 09:37:57 pm »

I had the same problem with am 80 mm Mamiya AFD lens. The body of the lens became sticky.
I bought some black plastic tape and covered the body of the lens with the black plastic tape.
Does not look so good but functions perfectly now and I like the feel of the new plastic tape.
( also my old sony  8 camcorder has the problem )

You may not be able to stick a new plastic cover on the digital back as it heats up during use and needs to cool.

Regards

Neil
« Last Edit: March 21, 2014, 09:42:25 pm by neilwatson »
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lowep

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing casing?
« Reply #12 on: March 21, 2014, 09:52:15 pm »

thanks Niel I have also thought about trying something like this as a stopgap solution and am also considering trying some form of non-solvent-based cleaner that can tackle the adhesive without excaberating the underlying problem
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mal mcilwraith

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing casing?
« Reply #13 on: March 23, 2014, 03:58:43 pm »

Is this plastic cover, just a cover or is it really part of the chassis of the DB?

Just thinking, is it possible too.

1. Get someone to make a new one using a 3D printer?

2. Cast a new one using fibreglass resin?

Just some thoughts to consider, sure there are even better ones.



Mal
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lowep

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Re: Treatment for legacy MFDB with decomposing casing?
« Reply #14 on: April 22, 2014, 10:42:35 am »

After waiting over easter hoping for divine intervention used hot water on a damp rag to remove all the horrible adhesive gunk that had built up on the casing, which made it look nicer but left a thin layer of sticky adhesive on the surface, then after watching this youtube video brushed the casing with talcum power. Problem (seems to be) solved (for now and will be interesting to see if the stickyness returns in the future or not?)... and in the process learned from googling "talcum" and "rubber" more about how to restore latex underwear than anybody would ever want to know.
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