Leatherette fixing on vintage cameras.

MartinJvilla

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Hi. Have just acquired a vintage Minolta off Ebay and need to just do a tiny bit of a fix on the stick-on Leatherette grips where it's started to peel away from the body. Never done it before. What's the best glue or method to apply a fix.
Cheers.
 
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Hi. Have just acquired a vintage Minolta off Ebay and need to just do a tiny bit of a fix on the stick-on Leatherette grips where it's started to peel away from the body. Never done it before. What's the best glue or method to apply a fix.
Cheers.

Well, I suppose it depends what sort of state it's in. If it's going to need a CLA I'd be inclined to leave it for them to sort out.
 
Evostik Contact Adhesive. I've completely recovered several cameras over the years,

Ian
Evostik Contact Adhesive. I've completely recovered several cameras over the years,

Ian
I was thinking some superglue but wasn't sure it would (a) do the job and (b) not react with the materials so I thought I'd ask the question of people who know infinitely more than me.
 
Well, I suppose it depends what sort of state it's in. If it's going to need a CLA I'd be inclined to leave it for them to sort out.
Mechanically it seems sound. Shutter is perfect, winder is fine etc. Just a bit of very minor lift of the grip
 
As above, contact adessive. We used Bostic back in the day. Make sure you clean both surfaces well, again back in the day we used lighter fluid on a cloth.

I can't remember when Bostik changed the name on the Impact/Contact adhesive to Evo-Stik. Probably when they greatly expanded their product range.

Ian
 
Another vote for Evo-Stik here. Used it many times to reattach camera coverings.

No Superglue! It is a Cyanoacrylate. Adhesive expert colleagues at the reseach company where I used to work told me that it only performs properly in very thin (a few molecules) layers. Hence good for things like broken pottery where the surfaces match well but not for things like leather to metal camera coverings.

To be honest I just rejoice in the fact that I am still able to buy Evo-Sitk without having to justify why I want it and complete endless risk assessments before I use it.
 
I can't remember when Bostik changed the name on the Impact/Contact adhesive to Evo-Stik. Probably when they greatly expanded their product range.

Ian


Evo-Stik has been Evo-Stik for as long as I can remember - Dad used to use it when I was a small child (mid '60s).
 
Another vote for Evo-Stik here. Used it many times to reattach camera coverings.

No Superglue! It is a Cyanoacrylate. Adhesive expert colleagues at the reseach company where I used to work told me that it only performs properly in very thin (a few molecules) layers. Hence good for things like broken pottery where the surfaces match well but not for things like leather to metal camera coverings.

To be honest I just rejoice in the fact that I am still able to buy Evo-Sitk without having to justify why I want it and complete endless risk assessments before I use it.
I once walked into the foyer of a 24 cashpoint and there was a kid slumped in the corner with a plastic bag in his hand - the smell of Evo-Stik was overpowering.
 
I tried Gorilla glue contact adhesive on this - complete waste of time. Tap water would have had more effect on it.
 
Two questions.

How long did you leave it to go tacky after application to both surfaces and how long did you leave it clamped after joining the surfaces.
 
Two questions.

How long did you leave it to go tacky after application to both surfaces and how long did you leave it clamped after joining the surfaces.
Two minutes as recommended on the tube and held under finger pressure for a minute or so. It's in a really awkward place so it's difficult to apply sustained pressure but the instructions didn't specify a period of time but as soon as I let go - boing! - parted like the dead sea.
 
On another Forum there was a recommendation not to use the Gorilla adhesive.

I restore wood & brass, as well as other, large format cameras, Often I have to glue bellows in place, Evo-Stik has always worked perfectly. I've also used it when recovering MPP MicroTechnical cameras.

Back in 1977 I had some bag bellows made by Camera - now Custom bellows, I had to make the plates and the company attached the bellows using Evo-Stik, when I sold the camera about 5 years ago they were still perfectly attached.

Ian
 
On another Forum there was a recommendation not to use the Gorilla adhesive.

I restore wood & brass, as well as other, large format cameras, Often I have to glue bellows in place, Evo-Stik has always worked perfectly. I've also used it when recovering MPP MicroTechnical cameras.

Back in 1977 I had some bag bellows made by Camera - now Custom bellows, I had to make the plates and the company attached the bellows using Evo-Stik, when I sold the camera about 5 years ago they were still perfectly attached.

Ian
Thanks Ian. I have seen Evo Stiik mentioned in despatches on more than one occasion but I hadn't got any so Gorilla it was. Maybe not next time.
 
Two minutes as recommended on the tube and held under finger pressure for a minute or so. It's in a really awkward place so it's difficult to apply sustained pressure but the instructions didn't specify a period of time but as soon as I let go - boing! - parted like the dead sea.


When I've used impact/contact adhesive, it's taken closer to 15 minutes to go properly tacky, then I've clamped it for several hours. Getting the mating surfaces as clean as possible helps get a good looking result too.
 
Beach towel clips or similar would do the job for the op, with a small pad of wood to spread the pressure over the whole glued area.
 
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