At 1:53 PM +0000 11/8/03, olympus-digest wrote:
>Date: Fri, 07 Nov 2003 14:55:23 -0800
>From: Jim Brokaw <jbrokaw@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Re: [OM] ( OM ) The saga of the "broken" eBay Stylus Epic - continued
>
>on 11/7/03 12:23 PM, Brian Swale at bj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > I wonder if anyone can tell me what traps there are for the unwary, if the 4
> > screws holding body front to body middle are removed? What spring-loaded
> > things will pop out; what fiddly bits move to create huge re-assembly
> > problems, etc.
> >
> > I am trying to decide whether I should disassemble the body and glue the
> > broken bits with Araldite, or just squeeze the body parts together (no pun
> > intended ;-) ) and hold together with a dark self-adhesive tape on the
> > outside?
> >
> > Brian
>
>Taking things apart is pretty easy... the reassembly can get tricky
>sometimes. If I recall, you don't have too much $ invested in this so it
>might be worthwhile to experiment... so far we have learned that they don't
>bounce well.
>
>I think the body of the Stylus Epic is molded from ABS, that's what it looks
>like to me. This is similar plastic to that used for plastic plumbing pipes
>and fittings, which are assembled with "ABS Cement". That's what I would
>suggest using to seal up the cracks. This stuff works as a solvent, it
>dissolves and melts together the plastic bits. You can also 'glue' some
>kinds of ABS with MEK (methyl-ethyl-ketone, available at chemical supply or
>some hardware stores).
I think that if the body were ABS, it probably would not have cracked. More
likely is that it's made of "high-impact" polystyrene. The "high-impact" is
relative to ordinary polystyrene; ploycarbonate and ABS are *far* tougher.
Those plastic pipes are made of vinyl, not ABS, if memory serves. Even if the
cement is in fact ABS dissolved in solvent. I'll take another look next time
I'm in the hardware store.
That said, the solvents in such cement will dissolve polystyrene as well, so I
would be very careful about how much cement I put on the camera body. Black
epoxy may be easier to use.
>I've not disassembled a Stylus Epic, so I can't offer specific advice with
>regard the springy bits that will launch across the room to end up buried in
>the carpet... but this does happen, ask me how I know <g>. I'd work over a
>light-colored towel, and move carefully. If you can spread the cracked bits
>slightly with a pin and then drop or squirt in some ABS Cement, let the
>cracks spring back in place and press lightly, this might rebuild the
>shattered piece, while sealing the light leaks as well...? To rebuild the
>threaded hole, try stuffing a glue-smeared sliver of ABS in it and
>reinserting the screw while it is partially softened...
I think this could be hard to do, as the cement has no strength until dry, so
things will just fall apart.
>Its pretty much an experiement at this point... good luck.
Yes. If the intent is to have fun trying to fix the camera, then go ahead. I
once bought a box-of-parts Le*ca III for just that reason. It still works just
as well as it did when I got it.
If the intent is simply to use the camera, just fill the holes through which
light leaks, and let it go at that.
Joe Gwinn
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