Replacing D3 hdmi rubber door? DIY?

rocketman122

Senior Member
Bought a beat up d3 cameras from my friend yesterday.
Shutter died at 850k clicks and was replaced by mack not to long ago.

Anyways this is what i have and its fine but the door on the left (hdmi) rubber door got stretched out and i wanted to replace it. Just wondering how hard a job it is to diy?

part can be bought from ebay for $15 bucks or so.

​Im going to try something else first and thats to use a hair dryer to heat the rubber and when it soft, try to fit it in place
 

wud

Senior Member
I too have a problem, although in the other side, I used my camera for lots of hours in bright sun and now the glue dont stick (see picture). I would love to hear how yours comes out, with the hairdryer.

Dont have one myself, although I am a girl hmm, but could borrow one, if it seems to work. Think I will have to get some glue in there as well, thought I would pop by a photoshop and ask if it can just be whatever glue.


Untitled-1.jpg
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I too have a problem, although in the other side, I used my camera for lots of hours in bright sun and now the glue dont stick (see picture). I would love to hear how yours comes out, with the hairdryer.

Dont have one myself, although I am a girl hmm, but could borrow one, if it seems to work. Think I will have to get some glue in there as well, thought I would pop by a photoshop and ask if it can just be whatever glue.
Most any general purpose glue will work for plastics/rubber but I'm thinking you'd be best off using something like Gorilla Glue (Home Depot, Lowes even Wal*Mart would probably have it); you need something that grabs quickly since clamping that piece is pretty much out the question. Last word of advice, should you decide to use Gorilla Glue, or something similar, GO EEEEASY and try not to let any adhesive ooze out from around the edges; if it does you'll probably wind up with a white haze that will be next to impossible to remove without using something like an angle grinder. Not the end of the world but certainly a less-than-attractive addition to your Nikon.
 

wud

Senior Member
Most any general purpose glue will work for plastics/rubber but I'm thinking you'd be best off using something like Gorilla Glue (Home Depot, Lowes even Wal*Mart would probably have it); you need something that grabs quickly since clamping that piece is pretty much out the question. Last word of advice, should you decide to use Gorilla Glue, or something similar, GO EEEEASY and try not to let any adhesive ooze out from around the edges; if it does you'll probably wind up with a white haze that will be next to impossible to remove without using something like an angle grinder. Not the end of the world but certainly a less-than-attractive addition to your Nikon.

Have none of those shops or brands over here, lol. I know what you mean, I will of course use a good glue.

Have you tried it? Its not the worst that could happen to the camera, right..?
 

rocketman122

Senior Member
I have quite the experienxe with nikon rubber. I will say that public should be happy they dont make condoms. We would have a lot of unwanted pregnancies on our hands.

Ive done surgery on an n90s, f100 and 3 f5s. What i did was using eegular cyanoacrylate super glue And a dremel with a plastic brush tip attachment. Also a nail file or something to scrap the double sided adhesive tape they use.

Process was remove the old grip. Take it off slowly Not to stretch the rubber too much. Use the nail file to scrape and remove all the adhesive film/tape. Slowly pry it from under and pull it off as much of a big piece as possible.
Then take the dremel and scuff the back off the rubber piece with the rush attchment. Do the same for the body and try to remove everything from the body and rubber so therent any ridges bumps when remounting.
Use alcohol and wipe down the back of the rubber and body but dont pour it on the body. Pour a little at a time on a rag and wipe down. Dont saturate it.
Slowly use the glue on both body and rubber and start at one corner. Put it in place and hold it with your fingers firmly for 2-3 minutes. Bend back a bit of the rubber so you can keep putting more glue on the rubber and body. Dont use too much so it doesnt drip all over and down into the creases. Small thin consistant layers spread thin! Do this over and over. Apply thin layer of glue, hold in place and again. The end corner will have to tucked in place as the rubber was stretched over time but it will go in place. Just tuck in as the rubber will compress a bit. But ive done it a few times already and it has yet come part on anything i did. Sorry typing from iphone. And all the cameras above, i did the whole body. Came out kick azz!
i will get the door rubber as well and do that and will video it but its some time because i live o erseas.


The hdmi port is my concern now as it hangs out and it annoys my eyes to see it like that :)
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Have none of those shops or brands over here, lol. I know what you mean, I will of course use a good glue.

Have you tried it? Its not the worst that could happen to the camera, right..?
Well it's not that Gorrilla Glue is a particularly GOOD glue, it's a specific KIND of glue... Are you familiar with Krazy Glue? It's basically the same stuff.
I'm suggesting it because it grips pretty much instantly. Which is both a good thing and a bad thing. If you could figure out a way to use something less aggressive, like Liquid Nails, I'd suggest that instead but you'd need to be able to figure out a way to gently clamp the rubber pad in place using rubber bands and padding of some kind. You'd also need to be patient -- as in overnight patient -- while the adhesive cures.

And no, this is nothing catastrophic... This is quite minor.
 

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rocketman122

Senior Member
Anyone ever hear of Contact Cement? Works quite well on plastics and rubber. :) Just sayin'. ;)

Contact cement is t strong enough imo although ive only used super glue type.
​The problem is the adhesive tape they use is garbage and humid places suffer And fall apart. Will post a vid when i can. Very easy to do just need time
 

fotojack

Senior Member
Contact cement isn't strong enough IMO although I've only used super glue type.
​The problem is the adhesive tape they use is garbage and humid places suffer and fall apart. Will post a vid when I can. Very easy to do, just need time

Isn't strong enough? If it's good enough to hold down laminate counter tops, just imagine what it will do for a little rubber grip pad! It just has to be applied properly. Let both sides dry, then bond the two surfaces together for a permanent bond.

I agree that the tape they use is garbage.
 

wud

Senior Member
Well it's not that Gorrilla Glue is a particularly GOOD glue, it's a specific KIND of glue... Are you familiar with Krazy Glue? It's basically the same stuff.
I'm suggesting it because it grips pretty much instantly. Which is both a good thing and a bad thing. If you could figure out a way to use something less aggressive, like Liquid Nails, I'd suggest that instead but you'd need to be able to figure out a way to gently clamp the rubber pad in place using rubber bands and padding of some kind. You'd also need to be patient -- as in overnight patient -- while the adhesive cures.

And no, this is nothing catastrophic... This is quite minor.

Nope. I got a Hybrid Glue, which dries pretty fast. Good glue, I just mean, something that holds good, dont take 40 hours to dry and so on.

I'll see if we can find something to clamp it together with :encouragement:
 
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