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Author Topic: Removing Celluloid?  (Read 3930 times)

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Winston Smith

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Removing Celluloid?
« on: May 02, 2018, 12:27:58 AM »

Please tell me just how difficult/easy this is?
Up till now, I'm imagining that it will peel off, with varying amounts of success, under the heat of a hair dryer (no, not a painters paraffin burner) possibly leaving a gooey mess behind. Does that sound about right?
Or is it mega difficult and best left to someone else?
Or, is there a video of someone actually doing it?
The celluloid on my latest love is really quite tatty (here and there) and I'm seriously thinking of making it a keeper which isn't as embarrassing as the rest of my herd.
Any advice gratefully received, thanks.
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Rog

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2018, 07:42:37 AM »

Ed, I’ve often wondered, and this is slightly off topic, but where is Windy Nook?

Theo

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2018, 07:57:10 AM »

Edward, you have a nice oldvinstrument there.  The dark red celluloid that Hohner used is beautiful when it’s cleaned and polished.  Missing bits can be replaced. Try some cutting polish followed by metal polish and you might be surprised by the results.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Winston Smith

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2018, 08:27:47 AM »

Roger; as the crow flies, it's about 4 miles away (ENE) from our Beloved Leader at Marley Hill. Although we live in separate villages, they're now both classed as being just insignificant parts of the Nuclear Free People's Republic of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, up here in the forgotten NE wilderness where once flowed the lifeblood of the nation.

Here we are, in all our glory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windy_Nook

Theo, it's not very good! I'll bring it up one day and let you have a butchers.   
« Last Edit: May 02, 2018, 08:31:37 AM by Edward Jennings »
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Andy Next Tune

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2018, 09:25:50 AM »

I stripped the celluloid off a really battered Erica. It had deep gouges and burn holes in the celluloid and well beyond repair!

You don't need to heat it up, just carefully slide a thin, blunt knife between the celluloid and the carcass. It will lift and can be carefully peeled off. The edge by the bellows frames is a good place to start.

The wood used for Hohner casing under celluloid tends to be quite soft so care is needed not to cause further damage. Especially if you intend to rub it down, etc etc. There is a pic of my stripped Erica on Microbot's video collection - its called Octavia as he then bandoneon-tuned it for me.

Lester has also done this a few times with old Ericas.
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Henry Piper

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2018, 09:40:18 AM »

Please tell me just how difficult/easy this is?
Up till now, I'm imagining that it will peel off, with varying amounts of success, under the heat of a hair dryer (no, not a painters paraffin burner) possibly leaving a gooey mess behind. Does that sound about right?
Or is it mega difficult and best left to someone else?
Or, is there a video of someone actually doing it?
The celluloid on my latest love is really quite tatty (here and there) and I'm seriously thinking of making it a keeper which isn't as embarrassing as the rest of my herd.
Any advice gratefully received, thanks.

Edward, stripping celluloid is dead easy,... no need for heat or chemicals just a thin blade under an edge to get you started........  BUT, as Theo says the dark red Hohner Pearloid is beautiful and polishes up a treat, don't strip it unless its really, really, really beyond saving.
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Winston Smith

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2018, 11:22:51 AM »

Unless someone can tell me how to make these good, I think it's beyond saving.
These are just a couple of pics of the damage, I've tried to load them all onto an album in Flikr, but it seems to be beyond me!!!!
« Last Edit: May 02, 2018, 11:24:40 AM by Edward Jennings »
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Winston Smith

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2018, 11:25:34 AM »

And another for good measure:
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Theo

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2018, 12:04:04 PM »

That doesn’t look too serious.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2018, 12:16:33 PM »

Perhaps I should get some new glasses? I cannot imagine how those problems could be made good, it would certainly be beyond my capabilities.
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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2018, 01:11:26 PM »

Looks as if a previous owner had shares in one of the impact adhesive suppliers too Edward - put in an offer for next door yet to house your growing collection ??
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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2018, 04:02:03 PM »

I'm after removing the celluloid for merely esthetics. I got some pointers from Lester before starting the job.

I have a set of craft precision knives. I have a flat scalpel (looks kind of like a chisel in shape) that I found great. The blade was thin enough the contour to the curves of an Erica. Removing the celluloid is easy - start on a corner under the grill and start chipping away. The difficult part is really removing the bass mechanism as, you are probably already aware, on many Hohners you have to take it apart to get the buttons out. Once the celluloid is removed, I used a very fine grit (280+) sandpaper to remove any glue. Then stain and finish with two coats of polyurethane. I would recommend waxing them as well, before putting it all back together. I used a extra fine grit sandpaper (600) on the box after the polyurethane had dried and applied some finishing wax with 0000 grade steel wool. Here's a good article on finishing wax:

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/rubbing-great-finish-satin-gloss/
« Last Edit: May 02, 2018, 04:06:35 PM by ProperTing »
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Winston Smith

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2018, 04:53:03 PM »

"put in an offer for next door yet to house your growing collection ??"

I wish I could, but my mam lives there! She's 93, and doesn't look as if she's ready to depart quite yet.
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rees

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2018, 05:58:32 PM »

After all the celluloid is removed you will need to fit thicker bellows gasket.
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Winston Smith

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2018, 06:30:24 PM »

As there doesn't seem to be any on either of the mating surfaces, I have to ask, "Why?"
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ProperTing

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #15 on: May 02, 2018, 06:40:02 PM »

If the celluloid is folded under the bellows frame (when assembled), the removal of that 1mm of celluloid will cause air leaks between the gasket and box.
« Last Edit: May 02, 2018, 06:42:24 PM by ProperTing »
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Winston Smith

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #16 on: May 02, 2018, 06:45:15 PM »

But, as I said, there doesn't seem to be any on either of those two surfaces. I cleaned the old gasket (plus a layer of draught excluder foam) off last night.
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Lester

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #17 on: May 02, 2018, 06:51:03 PM »

But, as I said, there doesn't seem to be any on either of those two surfaces. I cleaned the old gasket (plus a layer of draught excluder foam) off last night.

The gasket is on the bellows frames but it mates with the edge of the casework which is , currently, covered in celluloid, when you remove it you WILL need thicker gasket, I know I have been there.

rees

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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #18 on: May 02, 2018, 07:06:11 PM »

If there is no celluloid there originally then there's no problem. Unusual though.
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Re: Removing Celluloid?
« Reply #19 on: May 02, 2018, 08:18:23 PM »

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