Best way to reattach loose labels

[Room 34]

Now that I am close to completing my "basic" (i.e. one of each game, not all label variations) collection of the pre-silver-label-era Atari-made 2600 games (to me, the core collection to get!), I am beginning to focus on the condition of the cartridges, to preserve and, in some cases, restore them.

 

The most common issue I have is loose end labels, particularly on the text label carts. Almost all of the end labels are curling back a little, and some are barely hanging on.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations for the best way to reattach these, i.e. the best kind of glue to use, and techniques to get the label completely and securely attached without leaving visible glue residue?

 

And as a follow-up question, I also have several duplicate carts that apparently were in a flood... the labels showed severe water damage. I decided to take these carts apart to perform some devious Frankensteinian experiments on (which I haven't really started), but I am finding the labels on many of them exceedingly difficult to remove completely. So, the other end of the spectrum -- what's the best technique to completely remove labels?

 

Thanks!

 

[ 05-10-2002: Message edited by: room34 ]

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Okay...I can answer these questions with my own experience of doing what your doing now.

 

For reattaching loose end labels...or even main top labels I use a nice spray adhesive. It basically appears to be like rubber cement in a can, at least that is what it smells like. I take the label and put it face down on some cardboard. Then I spray it once with the adhesive and wait a minute or two. Then I reapply it to the cart. I wait a minute or two for the glue to become tacky so it is easier to work with and stays in place better. I have redone several cart labels this way, and can't even tell I did it after it was a dry.

 

As long as you don't saturate the label with glue it should be pretty close to the same method Atari themselves used back in the day.

 

 

Now for removing labels there are a couple of options. If you want to keep the label intact...then you have to use a hairdryer to soften the glue underneath the label to allow easier peeling of the label. If however the label means nothing to you and you just want it completely removed. Then may I suggest going to your local Wal-Mart and picking up a bottle of De-Solv-It. This stuff is concentrated Citric Acid and Mineral oils. Basically this stuff will remove wax, bug guts, gum, and of course...various glues. I actually use this stuff to clean my carts and units...but I have to take special care not to get any of it under the label or on the label as it will take the printing right off.

 

Basically you spray some of that stuff around the label edges and wait for it to seap underneath. It will do its own thing in time.

 

Hope that helps!

[Albert]

In the past, I have used a glue stick to reattach labels that have come off, but the glue doesn't seem to be very strong so I don't care for that approach. I now have a can of 3M's Super77 spray-glue, which is what Joe Grand used to attach the SCSIcide labels at PhillyClassic3. Seems to work very well, although you need to take care where you spray the glue so you don't get it all over your fingers and everything else.

 

I'm not sure exactly how Joe managed this with the SCSIcide end labels, maybe I can prod him into responding here. I haven't yet used Super77 to attach any labels, but it will be my first choice the next time I have to attach one (and I do have several candiates now!) I'd probably stick the label upside down on a piece of paper, spray the glue on the back of the label, use one finger to "grab" the label, and then stick it on the cart, using another (clean) finger to press the label firmly against it.

 

Oh yeah, if you can remove any existing glue residue on the cart with something like Goo Gone before reapplying the label, that will probably help it stick better.

 

Removing labels seems to be easiest with a heat gun. This will soften the glue, allowing you to more easily peel off the label, while at the same time allowing you to burn your fingers.

 

..Al

[Room 34]

Thanks for the great tips!

 

As for removing the labels, in this particular case I have NO reason to salvage them because they were already fairly destroyed. The carts themselves were really dirty, so I disassembled them and soaked all of the plastic pieces overnight in a mild soap-and-water solution. That of course ruined the already-ruined labels even more, but didn't make them any easier to remove!

 

I think I'll use the glue spray approach to also apply my new replacement labels I made for a couple games (including Raiders of the Lost Ark) that came to me in broken cartridges. (Thank God for a stack of extra Combats with the easy-peel plastic labels!)

 

[ 05-10-2002: Message edited by: room34 ]

[ATARIPITBULL]

I was going to ask the same question, thanks for the info.

[NorbytheRobot]

I have been producing Warring Worms carts here for a while. I have been recycling carts and I found that the hair dryer works best on most labels, except for combat carts with the really dark black labels with dark red lettering. I also have found that there is absolutely no need to completely remove the adhesive from the old cart, in fact sometimes if the label didn't come off all the way, I'd just slap the new label over it!

[beatles2001]

On 5/10/2002 at 10:43 AM, Albert said:

In the past, I have used a glue stick to reattach labels that have come off, but the glue doesn't seem to be very strong so I don't care for that approach. I now have a can of 3M's Super77 spray-glue, which is what Joe Grand used to attach the SCSIcide labels at PhillyClassic3. Seems to work very well, although you need to take care where you spray the glue so you don't get it all over your fingers and everything else.

 

I'm not sure exactly how Joe managed this with the SCSIcide end labels, maybe I can prod him into responding here. I haven't yet used Super77 to attach any labels, but it will be my first choice the next time I have to attach one (and I do have several candiates now!) I'd probably stick the label upside down on a piece of paper, spray the glue on the back of the label, use one finger to "grab" the label, and then stick it on the cart, using another (clean) finger to press the label firmly against it.

 

Oh yeah, if you can remove any existing glue residue on the cart with something like Goo Gone before reapplying the label, that will probably help it stick better.

 

Removing labels seems to be easiest with a heat gun. This will soften the glue, allowing you to more easily peel off the label, while at the same time allowing you to burn your fingers.

 

..Al

Thx for this works perfect.

Edited January 18 by beatles2001
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