melting Obi: anyone had this happen?

[jediscout]

In process of unpacking and setting up props--& found this. The o-ring appears to have melted on the underside of the emitter:

Anyone else seen this or had this happen? Haven't tried to clean it/fix it yet. It's weird and a bummer. Comments?

UPDATE:

Finally got around to cleaning this up. In the end I used plain old rubbing alcohol. It was plenty gentle and worked like a charm:

Wiped off stickiness 1st with papertowel:

Then wiped down with rubbin alcohol--beautifully clean again:

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

I've had o-rings do that over time. I took my old tattoo machines out and had what looks like the same thing. PITA to clean.

 

[Robiwon]

I've seen it here on the boards before. That's definately a melted o-ring.

 

[Contec]

Must be the oil in the rubber that has disintegreted

 

[CeSquared]

http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=42650

I think anyone who has owned an OWK E1 has had this happen. The same thing happened on 3 of mine.

 

[CeSquared]

I've had o-rings do that over time. I took my old tattoo machines out and had what looks like the same thing. PITA to clean.

I put mine in ice water, let it get cold and it peeled right off. Then I used an alcohol wipe to get anything left behind.

 

[jediscout]

I put mine in ice water, let it get cold and it peeled right off. Then I used an alcohol wipe to get anything left behind.

Brilliant! I'll do that too. Works for gum also.

You know, this is the only o-ring I've ever seen do this! I honestly thought it was a bead of paint. I've seen plenty of o-rings get brittle and crack--but never dissolve into such a sticky mess. So glad I posted pics!

 

[Delmustator]

It's the Andromeda Strain causing the rubber to disintegrate!!!

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

Brilliant! I'll do that too. Works for gum also.

You know, this is the only o-ring I've ever seen do this! I honestly thought it was a bead of paint. I've seen plenty of o-rings get brittle and crack--but never dissolve into such a sticky mess. So glad I posted pics!

Larbel didn't use regular o-rings, they were some sort of weird square rubber ring, so maybe that's why. Dan

 

[jhusel]

That happened to my Larbel about a year ago. I couldn't believe it. I cleaned it up with Windex, replaced it with a local O-Ring and haven't had any problems yet. It is WIERD.

It dripped off of the saber and was in a puddle on the glass shelf.

Jhusel

 

[CeSquared]

Brilliant! I'll do that too. Works for gum also.

You know, this is the only o-ring I've ever seen do this! I honestly thought it was a bead of paint. I've seen plenty of o-rings get brittle and crack--but never dissolve into such a sticky mess. So glad I posted pics!

Be sure to disassemble it first. I was dumb and dunked the whole thing. I then had to spend an extra 30 minutes disassembling it and drying it all out.

 

[darth_myeek]

Sun Microsystems had a similar situation with the rubber "feet" on their external disk packs back in the Ultra 2 days. Wish I had used the ice trick.

People also freeze candle holders to remove candle residue.

-DM

 

[jediscout]

Am grateful I had each sabre individually wrapped--or you're right, CeSquared, it would have oozed all over a bunch of props.

 

[thegreatgalling]

Something tells me its a reaction between the o-ring and either oil on the metal, or something on its surface. It prob sloooowlly ate it away to the current state. While you are at it, it might be best to clean any surface in contact with the o-ring with some alcohol before inserting a new one.

 

[Funky]

Venom's symbiote is trying to escape!
(you must have been playing your music too loud)


:lol

 

[Jedi Reali]

Yikes! This hasn't happened to my Larbel... yet. I might as well just replace the o-ring now before it does. Thanks for posting!

 

[jediscout]

The Great Galling: excellent point. Will do.

Funky Jedi: LOL!

Jedi Reali: Perhaps different types of o-rings were used, but probably won't hurt to update your o-rings. I have to replace several on other props that have become brittle over the years.

 

[obiwankenobi77]

I have two Larbel Obi-Wan sabers, an EL one and a regular one.
This happened to my EL one but the regular one is still fine even though I've had it years longer than the other.

 

[CeSquared]

Now that I think of it, it's only happened on my aluminum Larbel Os. My SS versions still have the o-rings in perfect condition.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Holy Melting Rubber ! Good thing you caught it in time.

Hopefully Larbel never made any condoms.