SP-445 sticker / glue removal

[helios]

Hi All,

My SP-445 came with instruction sticker attached to it. The sticker itself seems to be essentially that sort of cheapest, ugliest stuff that gets damaged after 2-3 times of use and leaving glue traces that are very hard to remove without special chemistry (which I find a bit disappointing given cost of the tank... but whatever ... ). I know I could remove glue traces with special glue removing liquid, but it is sold in large quantities only and I don't want to buy a big can just for the sake of cleaning SP-445 due to space issues. Did anyone face the same issue and maybe has a simpler idea on how to remove the glue?

Thanks,
Alex

[martiansea]

Have you tried denatured alcohol? It usually works well for sticker glue. Acetone as well, though I wouldn't use it on plastic, because it could damage it.

[Kiwi7475]

I got rid of it with a combination of running hot tap water and rubbing with my fingers, and alcohol wipes. Took time but it went away.

I agree it’s really unnecessary for them to use this glue or even to glue anything to it.

[Bob Salomon]

Hi All,

My SP-445 came with instruction sticker attached to it. The sticker itself seems to be essentially that sort of cheapest, ugliest stuff that gets damaged after 2-3 times of use and leaving glue traces that are very hard to remove without special chemistry (which I find a bit disappointing given cost of the tank... but whatever ... ). I know I could remove glue traces with special glue removing liquid, but it is sold in large quantities only and I don't want to buy a big can just for the sake of cleaning SP-445 due to space issues. Did anyone face the same issue and maybe has a simpler idea on how to remove the glue?

Thanks,
Alex

Have you asked the company that applied the sticker in the first place?

[Molli]

Smear with peanut butter, leave overnight, wipe away. I've yet to come across any of those gummy sort of glues that it won't remove.

[ltbphoto]

Don't use Goof Off.

Also, don't ask me how I know that. :eek:

[Kodak]

I use lamp burning oil. Don’t know if this is the correct word, but I mean the oil you put into a lamp in where is a lint that you can put a light on.

Put the oil on a piece of tissue and rub with it on the surface. Works very well.

[Nodda Duma]

I use lamp burning oil. Don’t know if this is the correct word, but I mean the oil you put into a lamp in where is a lint that you can put a light on.

Put the oil on a piece of tissue and rub with it on the surface. Works very well.

Called Kerosene in the US

[Fred L]

naphtha, or Coleman fuel is my go to work glue removal. works like a charm

[martiansea]

Called Kerosene in the US

This is also sold in smaller bottles just called "Lamp Oil".

[martiansea]

Have you asked the company that applied the sticker in the first place?

Mine didn't have this. I wonder, was it purchased directly from Stearman Press, or through a retailer like Freestyle? Maybe they put it a sticker on the ones sold through other vendors? I bought mine directly from Stearman to make sure he maximized his profit on it. Their online shop works fine.

[Paul Ron]

wd40

[Kodak]

Called Kerosene in the US

Thanks, didn’t know if. :-)

[ernie57]

“Goof Off” (not joking on the name) is a solvent made specifically for removing stickers, adhesives and such.

[Kiwi7475]

Mine didn't have this. I wonder, was it purchased directly from Stearman Press, or through a retailer like Freestyle? Maybe they put it a sticker on the ones sold through other vendors? I bought mine directly from Stearman to make sure he maximized his profit on it. Their online shop works fine.

Mine was directly from them, a few years ago. They may or may not have changed this since.

[Conrad . Marvin]

Goo Gone on a paper towel will remove it without desolving your plastic into a gooey mess.

[tim48v]

Sorry, we had no idea the stickers were causing an issue! In fact, we have trouble with them falling off during our inspection! I suppose after sitting in a warehouse, the adhesive bonds tighter.

We'll start putting them on the bubble bags or find a non-stick label.

Not sure the best way to remove them but DO NOT use anything with acetone in it. If it's too late and you've already damaged the finish, email us. We'll get you a replacement tank.

[BrianShaw]

Not sure if this is an option or not, but the home canning business (Ball jars is the one I use) has water-soluble labels. They stick to the glass jars, last a long time as long as they are dry, and wash off quickly with just water.

BTW: the sticker on my tank practically fell off somewhere between your shop and my home. :)

[helios]

Sorry, we had no idea the stickers were causing an issue! In fact, we have trouble with them falling off during our inspection! I suppose after sitting in a warehouse, the adhesive bonds tighter.

We'll start putting them on the bubble bags or find a non-stick label.

Not sure the best way to remove them but DO NOT use anything with acetone in it. If it's too late and you've already damaged the finish, email us. We'll get you a replacement tank.

Thanks folks for all your suggestions - didn't expect so many :) And thanks Tim for chiming in and even offering a replacement in case of damager, that's awesome!

I ordered cleaning petrol here [1] but did not receive it yet - not sure if the link is visible outside Germany, it is cleaning petrol and seems to be suitable. I'll check if it contains acetone. People posted positive reviews on removing glue rests, also from laminated surfaces, so I assume it should be OK. I'll try very gently with microscopic area first and see if it does any damage.

Earlier I tried hot bathing the tank in water + rubbing, many times. No chance.

[1] https://www.amazon.de/-/en/dp/B079BQH19Z/ref=twister_B089B18TSY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

EDIT. Actually I just noticed that it says "for solvent resistant synthetic materials", so if the finish is not solvent-resistent, it will probably damage it...

[helios]

FINAL UPDATE: I used cleaning petrol to remove the glue traces. Tank finish is not solvent-resistent, so now the cleaned area is silky smooth :) Though that is not a big deal, because the finish got rubbed off anyway in various locations of the tank, e.g. in places where it is held by hand during agitation etc. I thank again Tim for offering the replacement, but I am happy with mine. After all, for me it's a functional tool, not a beauty object, and it works very well :)

Finally, wanted to share one more unrelated tip which I did not read about anywhere before. When only single negative is loaded into the holder (e.g. for single-negative processing), then there is very high risk that negative parts will rub against and jump off the holding brackets during development (agitation). Emulsion will be damaged on the edges of negatives. Solution is to always have two negatives in the holder, e.g. using "dummy" film sheet. This way negative will seat properly in the holder and won't be damaged. It took some time and a few damaged negatives to figure that out. I think it deserves to be in the instructions manual, as SP-445 is probably the best available (most compact and economic) tank for single-negative development.

[Ulophot]

Helios, re: extra sheet in the tank.

I mentioned this a while back in regard to avoiding added density, on an inward-facing neg, from developer passing through the slots of an empty second holder. When I have a single neg to develop, I do now put a dummy sheet in the other holder, and with either one or two sheets, face them outward as extra insurance. I had been having some uneven development issues, which were finally cleared up by using Tim's "flipping" method for agitation, rather than my smooth end-over-end (like a 35mm steel tank) method, AND including a direction reversal, which seems to make a difference.

[helios]

Helios, re: extra sheet in the tank.

I mentioned this a while back in regard to avoiding added density, on an inward-facing neg, from developer passing through the slots of an empty second holder. When I have a single neg to develop, I do now put a dummy sheet in the other holder, and with either one or two sheets, face them outward as extra insurance. I had been having some uneven development issues, which were finally cleared up by using Tim's "flipping" method for agitation, rather than my smooth end-over-end (like a 35mm steel tank) method, AND including a direction reversal, which seems to make a difference.

Interesting, thanks Ulophot. Seems to make a lot of sense. I hit uneven development issues only on very rare occasions and could never correlate them. I'll pay more attention now, it could indeed be related to what you're explaining.

[tim48v]

Be sure to agitate quickly. I also alternate between moving the top away from me and toward me.
You should flip the tank in about 1 second but you don't have to get violent (yeah, you Jason Lane, I've seen your video).
Here's our video: https://youtu.be/aTrtU0bhArQ