OT: Fix/renew scanner rubber roller wheel

On 6/27/2016 1:47 PM, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:


You can try "Rubber Renue" [sic] but, IME, it's usually easier to find
replacement rollers than fight with jams and misfeeds/crooked feeds.

On 06/27/2016 04:47 PM, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:


I'd try diluted chlorine bleach as a start.  If it's too strong it'll  
make the rubber too sticky.  (Drag racers do bleach burnouts to make  
their tires stickier just before the race.)

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote...


 I'm not sure you want it sticky, you want it like
 it used to be.  The longtime trusted solution for
 this widespread problem is Fedron rubber restorer.
 Apply liquid with the included cloth and let it
 dry.  "Any Machine that uses Paper Needs Fedron."

On 27/06/2016 21:47, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

  A wire brush or coarse sandpaper will do the trick

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wrote:



No.  That reduces the rubber contact area to the paper, which causes
slipping.  Gouging the roller introduces cracks and crevaces, which
collect filth, grease, goo, and whatever, which also causes slipping.
It also accelerated surface oxidation, which hardens the surface, and
causes slipping.

WD-40 is likely to make things much worse, rather than better.

The methods I know of, to remove the oxidized layer of the rubber and
allow it to "grip" again, are things like:

-  Sandpaper.  Use a fine-grit (200- to 400-grit), and very light and
   careful pressure.  Sand side-ways, evenly all the way around the
   roller, in order to scuff off some of the oxidized rubber and
   provide a bit of "tooth" to the surface.

   The disadvantage to this approach is that you may remove too much
   of the surface, or do so unevenly, leaving the roller too small or
   "out of round" and unable to grip reliably.

-  Rubber Renue (sold by MG Chemicals).  This is the most common
   commercial product for the purpose, I believe.

   It's a somewhat-hazardous mixture (toxic and flammable): 50-70% of
   xylene, 20-30% of ethylbenzene, and 15-30% of methyl salicylate
   ("oil of wintergreen" which gives Rubber Renue its characteristic
   odor).

You could probably home-brew a Rubber Renue substitute, but I doubt it
would be easier or less expensive than buying a bottle.  A little goes
a long way - unless you're into repairing equipment as a profession,
you'd probably find that one small bottle of Rubber Renue (125 ml)
will last you a life-time.

On Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:47:46 -0700 (PDT), snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com
wrote:



Before attacking, rub the surface of the roller with a dry cloth (not
a paper towel) to remove any accumulation of the clay coating commonly
found on paper.  It will appear as a white powder.  If you have a UV
LED flashlight, you can make it visible.



As others have suggested, there are commercial products available that
do the job well.  I would avoid household chemicals because most of
them are solvents.  That last thing you want to do is clean the roller
with alcohol or stronger solvents.  That removes the oils in the
rubber roller that make the roller pliable and "sticky".  It also
eventually causes the surface to oxidize, causing the rubber to
harden.  The usual result from a solvent cleaning is that it works
somewhat for maybe a ream of paper.

I currently mix a potion similar to Rubber Renue from MG Chem.  It's
about 75% xylene, 10% ethyl benzene, 15% oil of wintergreen (methyl
salicylate).  You can probably mix your own.  The problem is that the
stuff is toxic if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.  It
also stinks horribly forcing me to do the work outdoors.  If you
absorb some into your fingers, and then touch some ABS plastic, it
will leave your fingerprints in the plastic, even if your finger seem
like they're dry.  I also have a suspicion that it accelerates
de-vulcanization, where the rubber roller turns into a sticky black
blob of goo similar to the 1958 movie, "The Blob".
<
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdUsyXQ8Wrs
(1:55)
Ethyl benzene is also highly flammable.

If you don't want to mix your own, there is Fedron Rubber Restorer:
<http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=fedron+rubber+restorer
I haven't tried it, mostly because I didn't like the formulation.

The instructions for use for Rubber Renue are quite sane but fails to
mention that one should NOT rub it into the roller:
<http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/cleaners/specialty-cleaners/rubber-renue-408a/

On Tuesday, 28 June 2016 01:09:29 UTC+2, Jeff Liebermann  wrote:

Hi all

Thank you for the good advices, I will give it a go :-)

Thanks

Klaus

On Monday, June 27, 2016 at 1:47:51 PM UTC-7, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:



Automotive brake fluid.   Rub on, let sit for an hour, wash off.

On Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:47:46 -0700 (PDT), snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com
wrote:



Try scuffing them with sandpaper or Scotchbrite.