Undoing Epoxy

[gerryr]

I'm making some pens from some Berea acrylics for a customer. One of the blanks turned out be a LOT more translucent that I expected and I had to cut if off the tube. I have tubes glued into another blank of the same color. The tubes were glued in with 15 minutes epoxy. Is there a way to break the epoxy bond? Seems that I read somewhere that heat will break the bond, but does anyone know how much or for how long? I can't put them in the oven, but what about boiling water? I would rather not have to buy more blanks, but will if that's my only option.

 

[ashaw]

Epoxy is waterproof. The only method is to turn the material off and try to turn off the epoxy. That is why I always buy extra tubes.

 

[KenV]

It depends on the epoxy and the quality of the bond. The two things to try are the freezer and heat. Boiling water is not bad to try. The difference in the expansion and contraction may break the bond.

The other effort is to mount the vise coaxially with a drill bit (use a letter D bit for a slimline for instance) and then drill out the tube with a larger bit. Drilling out the epoxy is a good idea, and then painting the inside of the tube. Then glue in the replacement tube. I have had mixed success in drilling out tubes. Best success was in use of a 4-jaw chuck (independent jaw adjustments) in a metal working lathe alighing the blank onto a tight fitting drill pit held in the tail stock chuck.

Blessings and good luck.

 

[Randy_]

I have read the same thing about epoxy; but don't know the temperature where it softens up. You could try boiling water; but I have a feeling you might need a little more heat than that.

I agree with Ken that one alternative would be to drill out the tube. You could also try deep frying the blank in vegetable oil at about 300°. I think the blanks should be able to tolerate such a temperature; but can't be sure so this would be experimental. needless to say you would have to be very careful to protect yourself from burns!!!

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

Once, I epoxied a glue block on to a bowl blank. After I roughed out the inside, I soaked the blank in DNA. The next day when I removed the rough out from the bath, I found that the epoxy had dissolved.

Worth a try on a pen blank, good luck.

 

[gerryr]

DNA, why didn't I think of that. I use it to clean up epoxy "oopsies" so it might work. It is at least worth a try and shouldn't damage the blank.

 

[kirkfranks]

Here is one other way that I have used accidentially (when I wasn't trying to remove the tube)[:I]

If you have a pen mill with correct pilot bit for the tube (no spacer allowed) try running it in the tube at high speed for a while to get some friction heat going. I have had a tube come out this way before.