P2 Crystal Replacement

[LEDluvr]

Hi,
I know this subject has been covered before, but I have a quick question that I don't think was mentioned.....
I have a P2 crystal that has some of the original brown epoxy on the edges. What is the best way to remove this? I tried baking it for 10 minutes at 300 F= no change. I tried using mineral spirits (paint thinner) and the stuff wont budge.
Any tips?

[BENRUS]

I used an exacto knife, and it worked quite well...It also worked well on cleaning up the left over brown/black goo inside case.

[LEDluvr]

Thanks Bernus, I was worried about scratching it. Not that big of an issue when scraping the side edges of the crystal, but here are some blobs of epoxy on the underside 'flat' portion that I want to get off without creating scrathces.

I'll just got at it the same way as scraping off a sticker from a car window.....

[Handy]

Just take your time. Baking the case helps to decay the epoxy so that it is much easier to remove.
Ian

[LEDluvr]

Thanks Handy - what to think is the best temperature/time combination to bake the case? I was thinking 350 F for 15 minutes?

[Handy]

Hi,
100 degrees C, whatever that is in Farenheit! Our cooker is in Celsius.
As the crystal is already out, just scrape the epoxy away.
Ian

[retroleds]

Just my $0.02(two cents, USD)
A flat, sharp razor is hard to scratch a piece of glass...you know, like removing paint from a window. It's the corner of the razor that is your enemy.

For scraping the case - I'd suggest grinding a small screwdriver or such to a pointed blade, so you now have a mini-chisel. A sharp, [u]thinly pointed[/u] item like an Exacto will just dig in(due to the tip) and then decide to hop out of the case groove on you. Or stab you in the hand. Hold everything steady(case and chisel), and always push AWAY from you, just like with whittling (carving of wood by hand). Much better control that way.....my mother taught me that, my grandfather and Uncle Joseph were exquisite carvers of wood. Do all your case scraping, obviously, before re-brushing the outside, just in case you hop out of the groove.

Scrape the bottom of the groove, then the sides, then go back and make sure you haven't left a speck. And NEVER force a piece of glass into a case - it will give you a nice bulls-eye chip of glass in repayment.

I know this is controversial, but I personally advocate over-baking, versus underbaking the case. Epoxy is generally not very heat resistant, so my theory is that if you overbake and allow to cool, you are dealing with a crumbly(if stubborn) product, versus a sticky and stubborn product. Crumbly eventually gives(in my thinking), sticky stays "sticky". There are no solvents that work on dried, hardened epoxy. Short of industrial acids that would be impractical.

May the Force be with you!

[LEDluvr]

Thanks Ed for your 2 cents......... it's worth far more than that to me. I am familiar with removing pait and stikers from glass using the side of an razor blade - so I'll take that approach with the P2 glass. Just wanted to check with y'all before going forward. These crystals don't grow on trees as you know.


And thanks for the case-cleaning advice too. I have some P2 cases and old crystals from the ebay auctioner of Pulsar Tom's old stock, so I'm trying to get one assembled and looking at least half-way decent.

[retroleds]

You're welcome Mike. On that subject, the rebrushing will sometimes push a small burr into the glass pocket, so after rebrushing, you may want to rake over the sidewall of the glass pocket with your sharp tool of choice, to make sure you don't have a burr hanging you up. And heed my warning on not pushing the glass...nothing is more disappointing than breaking a rare crystal. A finger inside the case so you can jiggle the crystal until it drops straight in is advised.

[LEDluvr]

Many thanks Ed.