How to remove Hot Stuff ca glue

[Pat]

Feb 24, 2018 16:34:00 GMT -5 grumpybill said:

No. Heat the piece instead of soaking it in acetone...not while soaking it.

Won’t that harm the stones?

[grumpybill]

Silversmiths use torches up against stones for soldering, don't they? Way hotter than boiling water or a toaster oven.

[Pat]

Don’t think so. All soldering is done first. Stones set last. Even my little butane torch gets to 2300F.
grumpybill

[toiv0]

Feb 24, 2018 16:41:50 GMT -5 grumpybill said:

Silversmiths use torches up against stones for soldering, don't they? Way hotter than boiling water or a toaster oven.

I would only use a torch next to a saphire, ruby or diamond and at that they would have to be free of fractures, carbon, and oils. Torches will jack up most other stones.

[grumpybill]

Thanks, Pat and toiv0 . Proves I know nothing about silversmithing.

[Rockoonz]

Feb 24, 2018 16:36:21 GMT -5 Pat said:

Feb 24, 2018 16:34:00 GMT -5 grumpybill said:

No. Heat the piece instead of soaking it in acetone...not while soaking it.

Won’t that harm the stones?

About the only thing harmed by heat is opal. Hot water or a toaster oven on low heat were suggested because both are under 250 degrees. I dop on aluminum rod with Epoxy or CA and heat the rod with a propane torch to release it, never had a problem and I have to grab the stone with an oven mitt.

[Pat]

Do you think that I could put my still glued sandwich in boiling water?

I should say put the piece in the water, then turn up the heat.

It’s been more than 24 hours, and the three sandwiched pieces are still together.

[hummingbirdstones]

Pat, I think it would be fine to do that.  Put the stones in cold water in a pot on the stove and bring it up to a boil.  Turn it down to a low boil until the stones release.

Let the stones and water in the pot cool off for a bit before you take the stones out and then let them cool to room temperature by themselves.  CA and water don't like each other and with the heat, I bet that would do the trick.

[Don]

Hell, I've cracked quartz on a polishing buff. Torching stones is just plain stupid. Soak in acetone overnight. Easy peasy and ya don't fubar your stones.

[Pat]

Don. It’s been sitting in a closed canning jar of acetone for more than 24 hours. If it is still glued in the morning, I’m going to heat it up as hummingbird suggested. It’s gotta give sometime!

[minerken]

Well i guess that would be a very good recommendation for Hot Stuff's bonding power, and you must have had a very nice fit between the pieces to be able to form that good of a seal, a job well done if you didn't want it to come apart, will make good intarsia glue. Just a theory you might try freezing it for a while then just drop it in the acetone while it's still cold unless it's agate should be okay, never tried or even heard of doing this but it may contract from freezing then expand when thawing fast creating cracks allowing the acetone to permeate( if you have not already run out of patience) or just leave it in and forget about it for a couple more days or so it will let loose sooner or later.

[pizzano]

I thought I'd chime in here....

For quite a few years I built (and flown) RC aircraft.....many different types. I've used the following to thin and remove all kinds of CA glue.....:

www.caglue.com/US-1-bSuper-Solvent-2ozb-debonder-for-CA-glue-will-remove-super-glue_p_35.html

Now I haven't tried it on stone, but it has worked quite well on metals and graphite/poly/glass material and did not screw-up the finishes at all..........just a thought...!

[minerken]

pizzano I read through that description I think it has very good points thanks for posting.

[Pat]

If my stones aren’t loose tomorrow afternoon (24hrs), I’ll try the hot water treatment. If that doesn’t work, I’ll get the solvent. I had been eyeing that solvent as a backup. Good to hear your recommendation.

Sigh! I’ve learned a lot.

[aDave]

Feb 25, 2018 0:21:51 GMT -5 Pat said:

If my stones aren’t loose tomorrow afternoon (24hrs), I’ll try the hot water treatment. If that doesn’t work, I’ll get the solvent. I had been eyeing that solvent as a backup. Good to hear your recommendation.

Sigh! I’ve learned a lot.

I did not read about the solvent.  Could be a good thing...don't know.

That said, do not place your stones in boiling water after it is up to temperature.  If it wasn't clear from before, place your piece in the water at the very beginning, and let it come up to temp with the water.  Not doing so may cause breakage due to thermal shock.  You want to be as gentle as you can be in the heating process.  

Quite frankly, and I really don't know one way or the other, I would personally be leery of boiling rocks.  Depending on the composition, you might be dealing with different expansion ratios of differing material, so there could be a chance for failure/breakage in my limited, don't know what I'm talking about, but it seems to make sense to me opinion.    Imperfections or fractures may also come into play.

For me, heat would be my last "go to" option.  Whatever you do, good luck.  Am really interested in seeing what works for you.  Best regards.

[Peruano]

Acetone evaporates fast. It will work but it only works on surfaces it can contact. Rockoonz was on the best track from my view. Heat the stone on your work lamp or something else to get it warm (boiling water if you trust your stone to take the shock). The heat will probably soften the glue enough to allow you to pop the pieces apart -- and then soak it in acetone (I use the commercial goof off glue remover) to remove the residue of the glue. I would not try to reglue without trying to remove residue from the old glue job. Heat is your friend with these glues.

[hummingbirdstones]

Pat - the ca solvent may be the way to go if you're worried about heating the stones.

aDave - I've personally never had a problem with heating.  The problems usually happen if there is thermo shock involved, i.e., changing the temperature too fast.  Letting them get up to temp and then cool back down without any help usually avoids the problem.  I get opal too hot to touch all the time when I'm dopping and I've never cracked one.  I just let it cool down by itself before I work on it.  I'm sure one of these days I'll kill one that had some internal fractures or something, but that would crack anyway eventually.

Pat, what type of stones are in this sandwich you have glued up?

[Pat]

I just ordered the solvent from Satellite City. One day shipping.

I think the main stone is a jasper which is glued to basenite which is glued to basenite? (something black-- maybe obsidian).

I was going to do the water heating trick, but I don't have a pan I am willing to donate to the cause.

What is the safe way to dispose of the used acetone? I will keep the jar of it (about 1 cup) for future use for small glue removal jobs, but I figure that eventually it will lose its strength. Is that true? Thanks.

[gmitch067]

Feb 24, 2018 21:57:58 GMT -5 Pat said:

Don . It’s been sitting in a closed canning jar of acetone for more than 24 hours. If it is still glued in the morning, I’m going to heat it up as hummingbird suggested. It’s gotta give sometime!

I used to use cheap metal holders to mount 30x40mm cabs with CA glue. Later I removed some cabs by soaking them in the solvent (Acetone based - in a small rubber maid container)... sometimes for up to 4 days(!!!). Each morning I would go out to the garage and swirl it around to allow the solvent to undercut the glue a little more until the stone was released. 

...Just needed patience

I hope this helps.


Glenn 

[pizzano]

Feb 25, 2018 11:23:44 GMT -5 Pat said:

I just ordered the solvent from Satellite City. One day shipping.

I think the main stone is a jasper which is glued to basenite which is glued to basenite? (something black-- maybe obsidian).

I was going to do the water heating trick, but I don't have a pan I am willing to donate to the cause.

What is the safe way to dispose of the used acetone? I will keep the jar of it (about 1 cup) for future use for small glue removal jobs, but I figure that eventually it will lose its strength. Is that true? Thanks.

Depending on the amount, I've placed paper towels in a flat plastic container, poured the solution onto the towels and let sit in a safe place outside. It will evaporate pretty quickly. Once dryed out, put towels in a zip-lock bagging and toss into the trash.