[MickB]

OK, I have screwed up big time & need some help.

Over the weekend after the lens cap falling off my 70-300 lens yet again, I decided to put into action a plan I had come up with earlier last week. I had a spare UV filter that was scratched, so had no use for it. My idea was to super glue the lens cap onto the filter, which I can then take on & off the lens by simply screwing / unscrewing it. Simple I thought & I don't have to spend a penny.

Well yesterday whilst watching the footy I decided to give it a go. I had decided to put the filter on the lens & then glue the cap to the filter, that way I would not get any glue on my hands etc. I even put newspaper in the dining room on the table to stop any mess. What could go wrong !!

I had the lens, the filter, the cap & the super glue. I was ready for action. Just as I was about to start I could hear people cheering in the lounge. Someone had scored, so I leapt up to go see the action. After 5 mins I returned. I put the super glue on the lens cap & fitted it to the filter on the front of the lens. Perfect !!. I felt really proud, until I caught the sight of something on the floor by me. IT WAS THE FILTER !!!! . In all the getting up to watch the football I had knocked it off the table. When I returned I obviously didn't see it on the table & must have assumed I had fitted it I HAD ONLY GLUED THE LENS CAP ONTO THE LENS DIRECTLY

Now I've tried everything to get it off to no avail.

Can anyone advise of anything that will melt the superglue ? Will boiling water or white spirt work, or would this damage the lens ? My wife bought me this lens as a present, so will go ballistic if I tell her what I have done.

I blame this all on the world cup

[DaveG]

I'm an optician and see every week the result of somebody trying to fix their glasses with superglue.

Lenses and superglue don't mix....sorry but I think the lens is a gonna

[Venomator]

Oops - agreed, don't think you can do much about that !

Worse comes to worst you could always cut around the edge of the lens cap with an artists knife or something ? Maybe you could still use the lens then ?

[stupot]

just did a quick search on google, 1 suggestion was to soak the object in warm water then some light rubbing with sand paper hmmmm i dont think thats gonna help you

a couple of sites did suggest nail varnish remover works quite well but at your own risk i'm affraid

try googling "superglue remover" yourself and see if you can find something

good luck

[dazzajl]

I'd like to think that there is still some hope here.

Superglue is strong but brittle and you might just be able to get it to break between the lens and the cap with some very careful prising. There will probably still be some glue left on the lens and it may well not be able to take filters after this but you never know, with some time and attention you could still be lucky.

[noah]

definately wqorth trying a few different methods. some superglue is water soluble! so may be worth the warn water route. nail polish remover may do the trick but may damage the plastic. i'd go down the light prising and pulling route.

[Steve]

Ohh dear I do hope you manage to get this sorted without doing some serious damage

I would follow the advice given above starting with the least destructive suggestions first, take your time and keep your cool, losing it and becoming angry will end up with more damage to the lens.

I hope you find a way, best of luck

Ohh and let us know how you get on!

[ChrisB]

There is actually a product by Loctite which is a superglue remover - think you can get it from places like Halfords - but i'm not sure how it would react to the plastic on the lense... might be worth having a look at the destructions on a packet to confirm?

HTH

Chris.

[Dave]

Can't really add to the above. Hope you get it all sorted. On a flip side it will be a great story to tell down the pub in years to come.

[MickB]

Thanks guys for all your advice, what a great community you have here. I can see the funny side of it now & had the guys in stitches down the pub last night with the story.

I'm surprised no-one took the mickey on here to be honest. You can take the "micheal" now

[Toonie]

MickB
This is the funniest thing I have read in a long time. Why not just use a good lens hood then you wouldn't need to mess about with lens caps ever again, I can't remember the last time I used one.

Regards Toonie

[dod]

Originally Posted by Steve

Ohh dear I do hope you manage to get this sorted without GETTING some serious damage

Amended for accuracy

[Dave]

Come on then, spill the beans, how much alcohol was involved when perfoming your delicate camera surgery Glad you can see the funny side, as it's the funniest thing I've heard for a long while

[Mike Aiken]

Last but not least, take the beating

[Steve]

He's not been back for a while, I wonder if his wife has found out

[MickB]

I'm still alive & the wife still doesn't know

OK, maybe a little bit of beer had been drunk before trying the "surgery"

The cap is still stuck by the way . Will have a think what to do next Maybe I could use it for something else .lol

[MickB]

OK, the guys in work won't stop taking the mickey, so I thought I'd share a limerick one just sent me

There was a young guy called Mick
Who's mind wasn't always that quick
He tried to save some dough
By using Superglue you know
When his wife finds out she'll cut off his D***

I'd laugh if only the last line wasn't so true

[Pixalo]

Pam Ayres eat you heart out

[MickB]

LOL. Is she still alive ?

[stevec]

Hi mick I dont know if this is any help but freezing the gluded cap and then appyling vibration the cold makes the superglue very hard the vibration then crackes it but dont know how the lens would stand up to this hope you get sorted
steve c

[Samstan]

Could you not put the lens in a vice and use a thin hack saw blade to saw through the glue between the cap and the lens? You might end up with a few scratches on the very end of the lens though. or did you glue it right in the middle so you've glues plastic to glass?

Good luck!

[MickB]

Thanks for tips guys but the missus found out last night & hit the roof

Basically she went on & on at me to take some shots of the kids, so I went along with it hoping I could make out battery was flat or something. I've got the camera out with the dodgy lens on it & put it up to my eye & before I could oops the battery is dead she told me I had the lens cap on. Caught me out completely & she knew something was wrong when I started stammering (always do this when I lie ) . So I had to tell the truth . That went down like a . I ended up on the sofa last night

Anyway today for my punishment I had to take her shopping & she has spent same amount on clothes as my lens, on my credit card. She said we are quits now

Darn expensive this photography stuff

Oh the superglues in the bin btw.

[Dave]

Glad your OK though

[Steve]

Hi Mick

Did you try any of the suggestions offered?

[MickB]

Sorry guys, missed this one, or was I trying to forget it

I tried a few of the less destructove ones but no use. Someone has said they saw some stuff in B&Q that dissolves the superglue. Will pop down there in next few days to try it out. Will keep you posted.

Thanks again to all those tried to help & took the ******