Solvent for epoxy adhesive

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

I mean a solvent that will dissolve STILL RUNNY epoxy, as I doubt there are any for set epoxy!

I need to repair several broken china items. The professionals recommend epoxy adhesives over cyanoacrylate types. I have now obtained some of the recommended specific adhesives, all of which are the slow setting variety. When assembling the broken pieces, I shall definitely find that some epoxy will squeeze out of the joints. I have yet to find any solvent that will remove this. so any help would be much appreciated.

I find that the drawback to model engineering is that family seem to think you can fix anything. I get lumbered with some very difficult repairs. I should really practice the art of telling people NO WAY! But I guess I am too soft!

Andrew.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

[Martin WParticipant @martinw]

I have in the past used acetone to remove epoxy resins from objects, see this web page.

Hope this helps.

Martin

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

The recommended procedure would appear to be to allow the epoxy to partially set and then use something like a razor blade to carefully cut away the excess adhesive. Methylated Spirits appears to be a solvent when freshly mixed, at least that's what I use to clean spatulas etc.

I quite agree with being lumbered with all sorts of repair jobs. I suppose that's the penalty for being practical! All you can do, I think, is to pretend that your expertise doesn't extend to such matters. Alternatively, start talking vaguely about insurance, ie you don't want to be responsible if it, whatever 'it' may be, fails again.

Good luck,

Peter G. Shaw

[John PParticipant @johnp77052]

You could try on here look in section for "resins"
down the page 2 products for cleaning and thinning resin.

https://www.bucks-composites.com/categories/resins

John

[Martin WParticipant @martinw]

Like Peter I have used methylated spirit to clean epoxy resin from tools before it sets, currently I tend to use IPA, not the beer, isopropyl alcohol as I have a couple of litres to hand.

Cheers

Martin

[martin haysomParticipant @martinhaysom48469]

it will depend on what glue you are using. read the manufacture paperwork. one i use at work is cleaned off with water. would do you job very well except the colour is a bit off putting, its green

[Martin WParticipant @martinw]

John

One lives and learns, I did not know until reading the the pages you linked to that epoxy resins could be thinned using IPA.

Thanks for that.

Martin

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Thanks gentlemen! I do have meths, acetone and IPA to hand so I shall see which is best! I should have tried these solvents before I posted, but I hate unhardened epoxy (I seem to get it everywhere!) So I was put off experimenting.

Thanks again,

Andrew.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Thanks gentlemen! I do have meths, acetone and IPA to hand so I shall see which is best! I should have tried these solvents before I posted, but I hate unhardened epoxy (I seem to get it everywhere!) So I was put off experimenting.

Thanks again,

Andrew.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

How about carefully masking the edges of the breaks.. perhaps with a paintable product. Then it's (hopefully) just a matter of trimming down any proud excesses.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I have used spray carburettor cleaner to get still sticky epoxy from my fingers. The brake cleaner is not so good.

[Norfolk BoyParticipant @norfolkboy]

In Model Radio controlled aircraft I have used Methanol successfully for thinning epoxy and cleaning up.

[Richard MarksParticipant @richardmarks80868]

I used a thin superglue to repair a broken cup, I put some on each side of the join and let it soak in for a moment before putting it together, it has stayed together and been washed with no problem.

[MacolmParticipant @macolm]

Not quite relevant to the present requirement, but many years ago we used a chemical disintegrant for cured epoxy resin. It was Ardrox branded, and various products are still available. I recall that it had a protective liquid floating on top, and the article was hung by a wire through into the active fluid. No doubt something as useful will long since be banned!

[KhefinParticipant @khefin]

Andrew,

A timely request methinks! I can say that after getting that d%mn poxy epoxy on my hands yesterday, surprisingly a vinegar soaked rag removed it swiftly from my mitts, tools and the box the epoxy came in…. I blamed on the wind, as I applied it to the objects outside….

**LINK**

Not really a solvent, but useful stuff!

Seems to have plenty of uses and I recall rather good on the deep fried comestibles In moderation, of course!

Kevin

[JellyParticipant @jelly]

Posted by Macolm on 18/09/2022 21:53:41:

Not quite relevant to the present requirement, but many years ago we used a chemical disintegrant for cured epoxy resin. It was Ardrox branded, and various products are still available. I recall that it had a protective liquid floating on top, and the article was hung by a wire through into the active fluid. No doubt something as useful will long since be banned!

You can still get Epoxy Resin Strippers, not sure if that particular one (Chemset AP 1105) is the one you used, but it seems like it does the same job.

Looking up an SDS it's just 10% Methanol and 90% Dichloromethane, not particularly exotic but definitely the kind of thing which companies have been discouraged from selling to "Joe Public" over time.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

40+ years ago I was regularly stripping stainless steel mesh from aluminium screen printing frames, glued with a Devcon epoxy. I used a proprietary liquid whose name escapes me but I do remember that it smelt strongly of oil of wintergreen.

Rod

[Dick HParticipant @dickh]

Before it has set much acetone should do the trick. Restorers used to like epoxy for repairing ceramics because it could be removed once set by soaking in pineapple juice. I thought this was an old wives tale or something I half heard on the telly but have a look at < Link >.

Dick

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Very interesting, and nicely documented, Dick

Funny stuff, pineapple juice … it has some unexpected properties.

MichaelG.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Hello Richard,

I too have used thin cyanoacrylate to repair ceramics in the past. Some are still in one piece, but others have failed, washing in hot water seems to destroy the bond overtime.

This is why I did a search for how the professional restorers do repairs to ceramics. They all recommend various two part epoxies for a permanent job, they mostly agree that cyano is more of a temporary repair. My experiences seems to confirm that.

Regards,

Andrew.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Hello Richard,

I too have used thin cyanoacrylate to repair ceramics in the past. Some are still in one piece, but others have failed, washing in hot water seems to destroy the bond overtime.

This is why I did a search for how the professional restorers do repairs to ceramics. They all recommend various two part epoxies for a permanent job, they mostly agree that cyano is more of a temporary repair. My experiences seems to confirm that.

Regards,

Andrew.

[Martin WParticipant @martinw]

There are 'Dishwasher Safe' cyanoacrylate super glues available, see here, but there may be some limitations as to the materials being glued. The list of suitable substrates seem to be limited to glass, metal and ceramics which are all non porous which limits the exposure to moisture of the adhesive to the edge of the seam.

Martin

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Andrew Tinsley on 19/09/2022 21:37:08:

…

I too have used thin cyanoacrylate to repair ceramics in the past. Some are still in one piece, but others have failed, washing in hot water seems to destroy the bond overtime.

…

I often use cyanoacrylate acrylate (superglue) to stick discs and such to a flat-faced mandrel so they can be turned in a lathe. Heat is the best way of releasing the bond, and boiling in water works fairly well. The 'let-go' temperature varies considerably, I guess somewhere between 80° and 120°C. Some joints fail well below boiling point, others have to be boiled for several minutes, and a few stay solid despite protracted boiling and have to be released by gently warming with a blowlamp. I'm not sure why the release temperature ranges so widely, but suspect it's an age thing – old opened glue is inferior to newly opened glue.

Anyway, I think ordinary superglue isn't good for repairs that get hot. I suspect that repeated hot handwashing at 50°C would eventually break an 80°C repair and a dishwasher (90°C) would do it in short order. I doubt a 120°C repair would survive a large number of dishwasher cycles.

I don't repair china that might drop boiling water into my lap!

Dave

[JagerParticipant @jager]

I use Devcon to bed rifle actions into the stock and naturally some excess squeezes out. I keep an eye on it and after about an hour it begins to firm-up. At this stage I remove the excess with a thin blade and wipe the remains off with an acetone dampened rag. As for cleaning my fingers I have found a squirt of hand sanitiser works well.

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