Need a solvent?

[ultimatekaiser]

Epoxy does have a solvent, but it'll eat the host too. Heat is impractical due to the threat of damaging the optics but doable. depending on how much is there, taking care to scrape it off is usually the only real option. most of the PGLs I do I just scrape it off without damaging the threads. There's a trick to it that's hard to describe but often its shear strength is less than its tensile strength so you can chip it then 'push' it out of grooves and holes if you're clever.

 

[GSS]

All the two part epoxies I have used won't dissolve in alcohol, acetone or many organic solvents either. I doubt there is a good solvent for most of them. Heat seems like the only real option.

Wondering if these glue company's have a secret reversal formula locked up like Coca Cola.
BobMc while i'm off the cuff a bit when your on the road truck driving which one of your lasers do you bring?

 

[BobMc]

Might try a dremel/rotary tool, but before that I'd try some alcohol, and see if a scraper or just a knife will give it a bit of luck. If not try some acetone, I have no idea if any of this would actually work but I'm throwing things that I've heard. Maybe even paint thinner would be able to soften/loosen it a bit.

Like BowtieGuy said a lot of heat can do the trick but that can be tricky to work with as well. I'd say if you take this route use a heatgun if you have access to it.

Heat gun and googles seem to be the best option. I have a friend that tried to get into a Arctic once and soaked it in paint thinner and acetone all night and nothing, didn't work at all. So I'm searching the internet for ideas?

 

[BobMc]

Wondering if these glue company's have a secret reversal formula locked up like Coca Cola.
BobMc while i'm off the cuff a bit when your on the road truck driving which one of your lasers do you bring?

Hello again GSS, how goes things? Yea, heat seems like the way to go. Found a video on you tube of someone dismantling a Arctic, shows it in pieces but not how he got it there. So at least I know which pieces come apart. It's a start.?

 

[BobMc]

Wondering if these glue company's have a secret reversal formula locked up like Coca Cola.
BobMc while i'm off the cuff a bit when your on the road truck driving which one of your lasers do you bring?

Lots!! I Try to park in the middle of no where. So I'm not bothering anybody. It's seems to work out real well because when I'm home I can't light out the night sky like I can when I'm on the road. Last time I was out took hwy 54 in N.M. it goes over a mountain can't see any lights from any citys (at all ) so I lite up the night sky in such a big way! tried to get some beams shot but could juggle everything. So I'm planning on my next trip out to take some tri-pods and beam expanders with me so if I get the chance I can get some great beam shots! Lord willing!!

 

[BowtieGuy]

I think heat is going to be your best option at this point; in many instances, if you're dismantling a laser or flashlight for use with different internal components, you may not be worried about any damage the heat causes anyway.
None of the units I've taken apart so far, have had much of any fumes given off from the heated epoxy, although it's still a good idea to be in a well ventilated area.
One thing to be careful with is that even with heat, you're still going to need to use some force to get it to move.
If your host is anodized, you don't get any second chances if you slip with pliers or what ever you're using to grip with. Unanodized or bare aluminum can be re-polished to fix any slips.
Be sure to have gloves or oven mitts to protect your hands, it wil, be hot!

 

[Benm]

It depends, alcohol is not likely to dissolve any kind of resin or plastic. After that it varies - some resins will absorb some solvent and become softer so you can then mechanically remove them.

I'm not sure what expoxy they have used. It even depends on the ratio of hardener to polymer though, some resins can settle rock hard and will take a long time to soften even when using DCM.

 

[BobMc]

I think heat is going to be your best option at this point; in many instances, if you're dismantling a laser or flashlight for use with different internal components, you may not be worried about any damage the heat causes anyway.
None of the units I've taken apart so far, have had much of any fumes given off from the heated epoxy, although it's still a good idea to be in a well ventilated area.
One thing to be careful with is that even with heat, you're still going to need to use some force to get it to move.
If your host is anodized, you don't get any second chances if you slip with pliers or what ever you're using to grip with. Unanodized or bare aluminum can be re-polished to fix any slips.
Be sure to have gloves or oven mitts to protect your hands, it wil, be hot!

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions, not in a hurry but need to find something that works.

 

[BobMc]

It depends, alcohol is not likely to dissolve any kind of resin or plastic. After that it varies - some resins will absorb some solvent and become softer so you can then mechanically remove them.

I'm not sure what expoxy they have used. It even depends on the ratio of hardener to polymer though, some resins can settle rock hard and will take a long time to soften even when using DCM.

Thanks working on solving the problem. Will post my finding by experience (sink or swim )

 

[steve001]

I have a Wicked Laser that I need to opened up. I know their epoxied together, was wondering if anyone would know of a solvent that would eat the epoxy or how I might get into them? Thanks

There are solvents, but you need to know what type of epoxy is used to know the appropriate solvent. But there might be one that will work, methylene chloride. What this chemical will do to the metal I do not know. Heating isn't an option I think because the amount of heat needed may be higher by a lot to soften the epoxy than this laser can tolerate.

 

[BobMc]

There are solvents, but you need to know what type of epoxy is used to know the appropriate solvent. But there might be one that will work, methylene chloride. What this chemical will do to the metal I do not know. Heating isn't an option I think because the amount of heat needed may be higher by a lot to soften the epoxy than this laser can tolerate.

Ok thanks! will do some research and see if I can find some! thanks, hope it works, got a couple to get into.

 

[GSS]

Maby practice on a cheapie 301 first. I took the first step on my weakest output one "even though I hate doing it because it still works" and so far just took it apart in the pieces that aren't glued. I did try a first a low squeeze attempt but nothing yet and ended there for now.
I realize though that all hosts don't probably use the same epoxy. This 301 looks like its more of a red thread lock type than a glue cause the excess that's showing is a bit flexible but still not sure.

 

[BobMc]

Maby practice on a cheapie 301 first. I took the first step on my weakest output one "even though I hate doing it because it still works" and so far just took it apart in the pieces that aren't glued. I did try a first a low squeeze attempt but nothing yet and ended there for now.
I realize though that all hosts don't probably use the same epoxy. This 301 looks like its more of a red thread lock type than a glue cause the excess that's showing is a bit flexible but still not sure.

. That's a great idea!! I've got a couple of dead 301 lieing around ( don't ask you'd only laugh ) there's another member that gave me the name of a solvent that might work. So I'm going to try to get some and I'll try it out first on a dead one. Thanks super advice!

 

[HydroSean]

There are solvents, but you need to know what type of epoxy is used to know the appropriate solvent. But there might be one that will work, methylene chloride. What this chemical will do to the metal I do not know. Heating isn't an option I think because the amount of heat needed may be higher by a lot to soften the epoxy than this laser can tolerate.

I highly recommend getting an adhesive solvent before you go messing around with pure organic solvents as you can injure yourself very easily. Generally you want to break physical bonds with heat first and see if that works because using solvents becomes dangerous very quickly especially with adhesives and messy as well. If heating it and twisting it with some clamps and pliers doesn't work then go to the hardware store and get some adhesive cleaner like this one
https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-19595/Adhesives-Glue-Epoxy/3M-08984-General-Purpose-Adhesive-Cleaner-1-Quart?pricode=WY489&gadtype=pla&id=S-19595&gclid=Cj0KEQjwvIO_BRDt27qG3YX0w4wBEiQAsGu3eeBDuAXry7U-t-vA68fOqHgQZzbdYt6z0qistluka7caAqh78P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[paul1598419]

That solvent is only going to work on certain adhesives that they don't tell you which it is effective against. It is ineffective against vinyls, so it seems like a gamble for a quart that costs probably around $35.00, as it only gives wholesale prices for quantities. I wish I had actually tried to find a solvent back when I was in organics lab.

 

[BobMc]

I highly recommend getting an adhesive solvent before you go messing around with pure organic solvents as you can injure yourself very easily. Generally you want to break physical bonds with heat first and see if that works because using solvents becomes dangerous very quickly especially with adhesives and messy as well. If heating it and twisting it with some clamps and pliers doesn't work then go to the hardware store and get some adhesive cleaner like this one
https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-19595/Adhesives-Glue-Epoxy/3M-08984-General-Purpose-Adhesive-Cleaner-1-Quart?pricode=WY489&gadtype=pla&id=S-19595&gclid=Cj0KEQjwvIO_BRDt27qG3YX0w4wBEiQAsGu3eeBDuAXry7U-t-vA68fOqHgQZzbdYt6z0qistluka7caAqh78P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thanks for the advice, I'll see if I can find some . Thanks