HP Classic Calculator (HP-65) back label

[albertofenini]

Hi everyone,
we would like to complete our HP-65 restoration
HP-65 restoration
by putting the original label back on the calculator.
We have cleaned all the residual glue, from both the label and the calculator chassis,
we tried a ultra thin double adhesive tape but while it sticks well onto the chassis
it doesn't stick to the label so we removed.
Also we weren't able to get the label very flat, it keeps some curves and this doesn't help.
So we would like to ask you help for the following :
How do we get the label flat ?
(We already tried the suggestion to use a spoon giveon in the forum a while ago
and we already tried to put it in between to flat tables and put them under the bed leg ))
Which glue can work the best result ?
Thanks for help !
   
   

[CY-CL]

He sells new back labels:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-Calculators-...b6BKE:rk:1f:0

[albertofenini]

Thank you so much,
I knew this, but I want to restore and put in place the original one,
which is complete and being a restoration it makes more sense to me
Thanks !!

[AndiGer]

Did you try the spoon method to get it flat described here?
http://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/...i?read=293
I never removed the label completely, just lifted the corners. So I have no idea which glue to use. Would be interesting somebody has a good experience.

[Maximilian Hohmann]

Hello!

(01-20-2019 10:36 AM)albertofenini Wrote:  Which glue can work the best result ?

I would try with any kind of contact glue ("adesivo a contatto") because this is what they used originally from the look ot it. Here in Germany I would take "Pattex" (back in my days in Italy "Bostik" was a well known brand for such glues) but I guess they are all the same.
Be careful because you only have one attempt when putting the label back into place after the glue has been applied!

Saluti
Max

Edit: Just did a quick google search - "Bostik Superchiaro" is the kind of glue I would look for in Italy.

[AndiGer]

One thing I forgot .... Leave the 2 screws under the label out. So if you have to reopen the calculator once you don't need to remove the label. The remaining 4 screws are enough to keep the calculator closed and working.

[teenix]

(01-20-2019 10:36 AM)albertofenini Wrote:  Hi everyone,
we would like to complete our HP-65 restoration by putting the original label back on the calculator.
Which glue can work the best result ?

Maybe...

3M Scotch-Weld 3798 LM Gummy Glue

Gummy glue is a low temperature adhesive that you have seen numerous times in action. It is commonly used in marketing applications where one object (a sample, coupons, credit cards, etc.) is glued to another surface.....

Not sure how to get it tho

cheers

Tony

[Dave Frederickson]

To flatten the label I first stuck it to a piece of release paper, then flattened it with a nifty nylon burnishing tool and a piece of glass.

Click to zoom


Dave

[albertofenini]

Thank you very much for all these ideas !!
We'll try them out and keep posting results or failures ...
As for the glue, we were thinking about this :

or similar, I think a spray glue may be easy to apply, what do you think ?
take care Alberto

[Harald]

(01-21-2019 10:20 AM)albertofenini Wrote:  Thank you very much for all these ideas !!
We'll try them out and keep posting results or failures ...
As for the glue, we were thinking about this :

or similar, I think a spray glue may be easy to apply, what do you think ?
take care Alberto

I had good results with speayable contact glue. I tried both 3M and Tesa brand glue. The 3M is probably slightly better, but for the label it does not make any difference.

Cheers,
Harald

[albertofenini]

Hi everyone,
we have ordered the 3M glue today,
will keep posting results
thanks again for all the hints !!

[Jurgen Keller]

(01-28-2019 09:04 PM)albertofenini Wrote:  we have ordered the 3M glue today,
will keep posting results

As a 3M employee my completely unbiased opinion is: that's a good choice ;-)
Looking forward to see the results!

[albertofenini]

Hello Jurgen !!!

Nice to hear from you again, hope you remember me, you were my first helper in this forum
many years ago.

Everything ok ?

We have received today the glue from 3M, so we will posto very sono the results

Take care Alberto

[albertofenini]

Eventually we had a chance to open and repair an HP-45 of our collection.
We used the occasion to test the glue, we removed the label, we tried to get it as flat as possible,
and we sprayed the back with the 3M glue.
Than we put some paper clips and some cork sheets to get homogeneous pressure on the label
and this is the result.
It is not bad being our first try but it is far from the original look.
There are noticeable wrinkles and we believe the in order to have a very good result the label must
be perfectly flat (our was not ...)
Any comment or advice is always welcome ...

   

[rprosperi]

(03-03-2019 09:49 PM)albertofenini Wrote:  It is not bad being our first try but it is far from the original look.

I agree, not perfect, but this is quite good, better than almost all I've seen, after the corners have been pulled down to access the screws. I've read one successful technique for preparing the label (to flatten it) is to slowly rub it with a teaspoon on some kind of flat metal surface (stove, piece of thick sheet metal, etc.).

But it does appear the spray glue worked well, the edges do not appear to be lifting or peeling. Can the edge of the label be felt in your hand while holding/handling the unit?

[albertofenini]

Sorry it took so long ...
So far so good, the label is quite flat, except for some wrinkles, and the corners stay flat.
Today we did it on an HP65
I must say the we purchased an HP65 on ebay almost immaculate, and most important of all
never opened, thus the label was like new.
Removing the label has created very few wrinkles, and it was by far in a better condition that the last one.
It is in German since the HP65 came from Germany, but we applied to one of the old HP65 we restored this winter.
The one we acquired will probably get a replacement label since I want to have it in English and new.

We have used different technique to get it as much flat as possible including ironing but with little results.
Still the spoon is the best method so far.
We use it on the curved side to smooth the wrinkles and at the final on the opposite side to
give the label a inward curve, which helps to stay down in the drying process, hope I explained this clearly.

Than we cut some cork material, the exact size of the label, this will help to apply a uniform pressure
however a more rigid material will probably more effective.
The advantage of the cork is that we can use to move it along the label to push it down without ruining the printed surface.
So we will probably need both, cork and plastic.

We clamp some paper clips and periodically we check that not bubbles are under the cork.

Finally remove the excess of glue with some solvent that is usually used to dry clean clothes
(word fail me for this)

This is what we got so far :

   
   
   
   
   

[albertofenini]

Hi Guys, just wanted to tell you that on the HP65 restoration described in this post :
HP65 Extreme Makeover S/N 1333S07557 - Advice requested
we wanted to try a different glue for the black label.
The label was completely removed, flattened but differently from the other tries
we sprayed the glue on both surfaces, the label and the back cover after masking everything.
The result is pretty good, better then before :

   
   
   
   


we want it to share the experience, maybe it can be of help for someone, thanks for reading !!

[rprosperi]

Looks very nice! Thanks for sharing these pics.

What technique did you use for flattening the label? This is typically the hardest part, but it appears you have used an excellent technique.

[albertofenini]

Hi Bob
we improved a little on these points :
1. heated more than other times the back case with the label
2. being more continue and regular in the movement of peeling the label off
3. used a wood tool (we may post a youtube video) for flattening the label once put in a plastic badge holder
4. changed glue brand
5 for the first time we have put glue on both surfaces
6. used some soft wood cork material to press the label

over the weekend we have more label to to do and will share the results
take care and thanks for the appreciation

[rprosperi]

(05-31-2019 12:32 PM)albertofenini Wrote:  Hi Bob
we improved a little on these points :
1. heated more than other times the back case with the label
2. being more continue and regular in the movement of peeling the label off
3. used a wood tool (we may post a youtube video) for flattening the label once put in a plastic badge holder
4. changed glue brand
5 for the first time we have put glue on both surfaces
6. used some soft wood cork material to press the label

over the weekend we have more label to to do and will share the results
take care and thanks for the appreciation

Thank you Albert for these notes. I think a video is an excellent idea, as the key to success for this process seems to be the technique used, more than the tools. Of course there's no rush.

Although often there is not much feedback on your rescue/repair posts, I really appreciate reading them and I'm sure lots of other folks do too. It's also cool that you share this time with your son; he'll have an appreciation for these old school products and technologies that very few peers his age would have!

Thanks.