Question ScubaPro G250 Blue Rhapsody with Sticky cover

[Nemrod]

Is that a symptom of all Rhapsody covers (maybe even all the hand painted ones)?

I just received one which is sticky as well and it pulled a strand of cardboard from the box it came in

I’ll let the cover soak in water for now as I rebuild it (seller toldme it was last used 20 years ago) so the paper “melts” away but I’m very afraid to move beyond that point
(I do wanna give it a 2k coat to preserve the paint as I have seen @Nemrod suggested in another thread)
@RickFDA any luck on your side?View attachment 856662

I would shoot that thing with the SprayMax 2K clear in a heart beat. I would shoot gloss, not the matte. But that is a preference. Pull the purge button out.

Recent dips:





And double dipped Veil camo on a Benjamin M-Rod .25 air rifle with matte 2K clear over:



Shot this with the 2K, Scubapro hand painted Mardi Gras cover:




The Scubapro hand painted covers I have held, none were sticky. But the paint is not very durable. However, once over coated with a 2K clear the durability is much improved. Dragging regulators across the deck on an unsecured long hose will bugger up anything and especially if other divers are walking on it and dropping tanks on it as drug across the deck.

 

[Mobulai]

How beautiful— I like the glossy ones esp on the dipped ones, but probably would prefer a matte on the blue rhapsody

How did you get the purge button seat red on that CF film one? Taped over?

Probably it was some direct sun that made them sticky (Idk how being STORED, in Germany)

Didn’t start that salt water soak as I got my hands in too many parallel projects (mainly missing out on a CE156 and beating myself over it )

 

[RickFDA]

Is that a symptom of all Rhapsody covers (maybe even all the hand painted ones)?

I just received one which is sticky as well and it pulled a strand of cardboard from the box it came in

I’ll let the cover soak in water for now as I rebuild it (seller toldme it was last used 20 years ago) so the paper “melts” away but I’m very afraid to move beyond that point
(I do wanna give it a 2k coat to preserve the paint as I have seen @Nemrod suggested in another thread)
@RickFDA any luck on your side?View attachment 856662

No particular luck so far. I decided to leave as it is and I'm not using it, if you find a way to fix the issue please let me know.
Thanks

 

[RickFDA]

How beautiful— I like the glossy ones esp on the dipped ones, but probably would prefer a matte on the blue rhapsody

How did you get the purge button seat red on that CF film one? Taped over?

Probably it was some direct sun that made them sticky (Idk how being STORED, in Germany)

Didn’t start that salt water soak as I got my hands in too many parallel projects (mainly missing out on a CE156 and beating myself over it )

I did manage to buy a very nice CE156, but missed a very good Crystal this week... It was looking like new, 90 Euros for first and second stages...
Shame on me...
Being on holidays on a different time zone I saw it too late!

 

[Mobulai]

I did manage to buy a very nice CE156, but missed a very good Crystal this week... It was looking like new, 90 Euros for first and second stages...
Shame on me...
Being on holidays on a different time zone I saw it too late!

congrats on the 156 -- and I know exatly how you feel
the 156 looked almost mint, for 150eur for it with an mk20

 

[Mobulai]

No particular luck so far. I decided to leave as it is and I'm not using it, if you find a way to fix the issue please let me know.
Thanks

Promising actually:
I soaked it a bit in warm salt water (like 2 hours), got it out and the stickness turned into... grime/clumpiness
I then started "shaving" the clumps with my finger nail by pushing forward (don't get grime stuck in your nails) (I wanted to try a razor but felt it was too sharp)
then I felt a bit more courage
I tried some dish soap and lemon drops on the back to check how the paint reacts -- all good

I used a very soft toothbrush + soap for a bit
soaked again in warm salt water (a lot of salt); kept using my nail to pull the clumps out

about 80-90% less sticky/grimy stuff now; soaking it again at the moment for the final round

The only part that's not as "safe" from the peel/shave method is the silver lettering -- but I don't mind it that much as the actual paint job

I might even try a very fine grit of wet sandpaper/micromesh for the final layer -- I will again try it out on a "hidden" part

 

[RickFDA]

congrats on the 156 -- and I know exatly how you feel
the 156 looked almost mint, for 150eur for it with an mk20

Same price I paid for mine... 150 euros with his MK20

 

[Nemrod]

Same price I paid for mine... 150 euros with his MK20

That is a grail regulator, the large valve CE approved 156!

How did you get the purge button seat red on that CF film one? Taped over?

When hydro film dipping the item being dipped has to have a base coat for the film to adhere to. On those two, one has a blue metallic base coat and the other a red metallic base coat.

 

[Mobulai]

my lil heart

Same price I paid for mine... 150 euros with his MK20

 

[Mobulai]

I found a slightly less disgusting technique -- I break a wooden dowel (or incense stick end) and use it to rub against the cover surface, it's like a very soft abrasive
bad news is, you have to break it every 5-10 rubs; gives me confidence in using micromesh

Edit: after 20 mins of this I would say 99% degrimed of all that sticky crap now
final round of smooth polish and then off to that 2k matte spray