sticky rubber.... any solution? \ VOGONS

sticky rubber.... any solution?

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First post, by ratfink

Posted on 2011-09-14, 18:56

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A bizarre and retentive topic perhaps 🤣....

I find that old rubber in various forms seems to degrade. For example the foam rubber inside an ibm selectric i bought other year had all gone nasty. Not much can be done except clean it out and replace it. Same happens with old cameras.

But now I've found my old MS Intellimouse that I'd put away in the hope of fixing one day, has got sticky all over the rubberised parts.

Is there any cure for this? Washing in soapy water doesn't help. Ironically an identical mouse of the same age that I've kept in use, doesn't have the problem. Nor has the cable gone dry feeling, like the one on the sticky mouse has.

Reply 1 of 4, by MaxWar

Posted on 2011-09-14, 21:26

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Maybe try to boil the parts 10 minutes in water + laudry soap, then leave to cool by itself. I used this trick for cdrom rubber bands that were on the dry side.

Works some Restoration, probably by removing denatured particules. But would not trust as a long term solution.

Reply 2 of 4, by Paddan1000

Posted on 2011-09-16, 16:43

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I wonder the same thing, since the rubber pick-up roller of my 17 years old printer sometimes picks up two papers from the tray at the same time. I figured the rubber had gone dry and that I need to dip it in some kind of potion of rejuvenation.

Reply 3 of 4, by Davros

Posted on 2011-09-17, 20:02

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isopropyl alchohol maybe ?

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Reply 4 of 4, by ratfink

Posted on 2011-09-18, 08:50

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Davros wrote:
isopropyl alchohol maybe ?

Thanks, I wondered this, but was worried it might dissolve the old rubber.

Tried it now, and it does seem to have taken off the surface, but no more. I'll check later whether the stickiness has gone.

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