ungluing glue joint

[Paul M.]

I recently bought a building off eBay that I had planned to convert into a building flat. It came today, and I found out that it was harder to unglue the joint that the previous owner had glued than I thought it would be. I'm not sure what type of glue this is, but it's waterproof. Any ideas on how to unglue where it had previously been glued?

[gardenrail]

Hello

You are not very specific as to what the building itself is made from - plastic, card, wood etc.

When you have sorted that out then they take a look at :

   http://www.thistothat.com/

This may well give you an idea of what it may have originally stuck together with. This in turn will give you an idea of an appropriate solvent - for example acetone for ACC.

[Seasaltchap]

Have you tried using a cheese/saw wire on it?

[Paul M.]

It's plastic...

[Paul M.]

It's probably something like model glue or plastic cement.

[Jim Banner]

I have had reasonably good results using Testor's liquid cement for plastics and Weldon #3.  Wetting the joint with either of these will help soften the glue or cement used to hold the plastic together, allowing you to pry the pieces apart.  Just don't keep the joint wet for too long or the plastic may start to soften along with the joint.  Weldon #3 works a little faster but is harder to find.  Using either in the quantities required for disassembly should be done outside or in a ventilated spray booth.

[WoundedBear]

Another car tip......lol....

I have found the best way to pop old glue joints is to freeze the model overnight......take it out and immediately apply pressure close to the joint and it should "pop" right free.

I have dismantled many an old automobile kit like this.....even glue bombs can be restored.

Sid

[Seasaltchap]

Both Testors Liquid Cement and Weldon #3 are for styrene, where the solvent is Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone (MEK), for vulcanizing, rather than gluing of joints.

I doubt if pulling apart would work for a vulcanized joint.

A craft knife is more likely to be needed to cut the styrene made soft, to where you want the division to be.

[HoboHarley]

I have had good success ungluing plastic joints of many different kinds of plastic by carefully heating the joint with my wife's hair dryer. Styrene will melt easily so be careful. Use of a box cutter in conjunction with the heat saeems to work the best

[Jim Banner]

Both Testors Liquid Cement and Weldon #3 are for styrene, where the solvent is Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone (MEK), for vulcanizing, rather than gluing of joints.

I doubt if pulling apart would work for a vulcanized joint.

Sheldon, I suspect you meant "solvent welding," not "vulcanizing."  The latter is heating rubber together with sulphur.

Secondly, Weldon #3 is actually a liquid cement for acrylic that happens to also work with styrene and a few other plastics.  It contains no Methyl Ethyl Keytone (MEK).  It has a Methylene Dichloride base, which is quite a different animal.  (Testors does include MEK along with Ethyl Acetate and Methyl Ether.)

Thirdly, I agree that pulling apart would not work for a vulcanized joint.  I suspect you would know how well Weldon #3 and Testor's liquid can unweld a solvent welded joint if you had ever tried it.  I believe Paul M. was looking for facts, not guesses and maybes.

[Paul M.]

Wow, thanks for all the replies...

I think I'll try freezing it first, then try the Testor's Liquid Cement method and if those two methods don't work, I'll try the hair dryer.

Thanks

[Seasaltchap]

Jim : It's Stewart.

In using the word vulcanizing, I was using it in a more general sense. Of the two parts joined in a bond, rather than held together by a glue.

I believe MEK is the solvent for Styrene to provide a bond: used it for 40 years. Others will work too.

Regards

[Jim Banner]

Jim : It's Stewart.

My appologies to both you and Sheldon.

Many things will bond styrene.  Common lacquer thinner works well, particularly for large areas.  As an example, laminating multiple 4' x 4' sheets of thin styrene to make a thick, strong mockup of a full size locomotive boiler. 

You may use the word "vulcanization" any way you wish, but don't let Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and volcanos hear you using it in ways that do not include fire and brimstone (heat and sulphur if you prefer.)  You might also upset Charles Goodyear's ghost if you apply the term to anything but rubber.  Actually, Goodyear's serendipitous discovery of the process of vulcanization is an interesting story in itself.

[jsmvmd]

Jim,

Too, I believe Chas. Goodyear's homestead has been transported and reassembled at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI, not too far for a Canadian friend if he rides the rods from "wherever the heck it is you are."  lol

The Ford Museum, to my knowledge is the only one of its kind that makes the transition from the American agricultural to the industrial age. Their very large single cylinder steam engines with huge flywheels are a sight to see.

Best, Jack

[pdlethbridge]

I had to do they same thing last week with a building I wanted to modify. The glue joints were very solid but using a sharp x-acto and carefully scribing where the joint was helped to separate them cleanly.