help my space navigator has a skin disease....... serious!

[wavemaster]

My space navigator is 2-3 years old and the black rubbery material has become kind of sticky and is shedding its outer skin.

It looks and feels gross, I am concerned about the hygiene of this thing.

What is going on?

[Barbara]

Hello wavemaster -

The Space Navigator has a 2 year hardware warranty. For a problem with the surface of a Space Navigator that is still under warranty you would need to contact our Technical Support

If it is instead something external adhering to the surface, it can be carefully cleaned as you would clean the exterior of any electronic device.
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Barbara

[wavemaster]

I tried to scrape away some of the sticky gooey stuff. Underneath I find the hard plastic slick surface of the main part.

It appears the rubbery stuff is coming off.

I am out of warranty.

[Loki]

I have a chair that is like that, the armrests specifically which are rarely used but de-laminate over time anyways. The comfort of this chair is the best I've ever owned, so much so that I went through the trouble of tracking down the maker to special order replacements lol. Even though it was out of a little over a year past it's warranty expiration date, they shipped them to me completely for free. These are the kinds of businesses which are really worth supporting and recommending.

Unfortunately that's the thing with most products nowadays. They're all designed to last just a bit past their warranty period. Companies test everything they sell and have a pretty good idea how long each of their products will last under typical usage. Your only options will be to clean it carefully, as in the case of goo build up from your hands, or to replace the rubber piece yourself. You could get someone to lathe a bit of wood (or do it yourself), then wrap foam around that. Insulating pipe foam from the local plumbing depot, similar to the foam grips you can purchase for bicycles, might be one option. I haven't received mine yet (just a few more days!) so I have no idea if this is even possible.

The third option, and the one businesses certainly like the most, is for people to just go out and buy a new one. This is the joy of living in a wasteful world where everything we create is disposable. This is also why I created a small side fund and put a little money into it every month. It inexpensive and builds up faster than you'd think, obviously very useful whenever an emergency comes along.

[Loki]

I continued thinking about this after I posted and realized that instead of wood, get someone to machine lathe an aluminum knob, or brass if you want to give it more weight. It should be easier to clean because you won't need foam, plus it would probably look pretty good if polished or anodized. I had someone do this for a pair of speakers which only came with four floor pads when they really needed eight to prevent damage to wooden flooring. Didn't cost me a dime in my case and they came out perfect.

[wavemaster]

The thing with a chair is you can sit on it but don't have to touch it.

The know feels gooey, and I am wondering what kind of bugs live on there and if they are bad for my health.

3Dconnexion has shown little interest in this issue.

[Loki]

What kind of environment do you live in? Warm, cold, dry, wet, etc. If it's warm and humid in your home, that can definitely wreak havoc with certain types of synthetics and glues. The oily residue from your hand can be pretty acidic too, especially when it builds up over time on the device your using. It would probably be wise to clean the knob once per week with a very gentle soap diluted in warm (not hot) water. Even though I do clean them, my mice never last more than six months because of my clammy hands lol. Hopefully someone who knows more about these products will respond to your questions. I wouldn't mind knowing if there are any nasty chemicals which might be leeching in through my skin as well actually.

[Fred]

If the device was in warranty we would have replaced it.

Sorry I dont have info regarding chemicals but i can offer a suggestion.

Clean the knob with a Clorox toulette let it dry.
After words i would try using a fine sand paper gently remove any of goey remnants.

The hardware stores sell (Plasti Dip synthetic rubber) This is used to coat screwdriver handles in a rubber base to make it easier to grip.

You would have to carefully dip the puck in the Plasti dip or brush it on (dont put too much on or overdip). otherwise it will change the calibration.

After it dries you'll have a red, or orange cap instead of Black not sure if it comes in different color choices.

Next plug in the device start the driver
Open the 3DControl panel
calibrate.
Test the device.

[Loki]

The hardware stores sell (Plasti Dip synthetic rubber) This is used to coat screwdriver handles in a rubber base to make it easier to grip.

After it dries you'll have a red, or orange cap instead of Black not sure if it comes in different color choices.

Now that is a great idea and I'm jealous I didn't think of it lol. As for getting a specific color, one could always mix them together. Not sure if it would just be more economical to buy a new 3dx (or used if anyone is selling theirs). I suppose it might be possible to add a dye as well, but I'm not sure which one would be appropriate so that it didn't change the chemical rubber characteristics too much.