Stripping glue from models?

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**Paladin Blake**

Hi all.

I've got some questions about getting glue off models. A friend of mine is offering to sell me his Marine army from his (much) younger days. It's a pretty good deal, and I'm thinking I'll take him up on it, as I can strip the paint off the models.

The problem is, he wasn't very good with glue, apparently. A lot of the models have superglue caked at the joints, and he even put some together with hot glue! I'm not holding out much hope, but is there any easy way to dissolve superglue/hot glue in hard to reach areas without just carving away at it? I'd like to get these models from him, but I don't want to buy them only to find that the vast majority are too far gone to be useful.

**Cohocat**

I'd also like to know.

**Dragonchef**

Soak them in Simple Green for a few days. the Glue will be weakened to the point to where you can just apply a bit of pressure and it will pop off.

**Paladin Blake**

Are you talking about the super glue or the hot glue?

**sickening**

Hot glue is very easy get off, I use it a lot on models that I want play with but still be able to take apart to paint later. If the glue is old you should be able to pull or scrape it off.

**Nalyd**

A simple hot water soak will make the hot glue very easy to pull off.

**Samus_aran115**

Dragonchef wrote:Soak them in Simple Green for a few days. the Glue will be weakened to the point to where you can just apply a bit of pressure and it will pop off.

Wrong. Simple green has never worked for getting off glue. I've been using it for a year now, and only weak things come off (like a flag or a purity seal). I've had terrible luck trying to get the arms (or any other part of a model,like legs or heads)off of marines,which should be easy to disassemble anyway. Simple green always disappoints me...

**Leigen_Zero**

Super glue has very good push-pull strength but terrible shear strength, try VERY gently twisting the two parts you want to separate until the glue gives.

PVA glue is removed by soaking in warm water, not even dish soap is needed.

Hot glue is rubbish for stick miniatures together, very good for terrain, crap for models, I'm suprised the stuff hot-glued together is even still in one piece! that can simply be picked off with fingers and/or suitable tool (for the more evolved gamer!

)

Plastic glue melts the two components together so the usual removal technique involves cawing/cutting at seams.

Paint is a rubbish glue (seriously got a big mek off ebay and the backpack was stuck in place with globs of paint!) and can be removed by coughing in the vicinity of the model.

Solder... don't ask... trashed a killa kan when I first got into the hobby with that one... *grumble*bloody rubbish metal PITA assembly dodgy mold but very cool model */grumble*

Hope this helps!

**Samus_aran115**

ooh,eek. Soldering? That stuff is hobby poison. Never use soldering for anything except circuit repair. Its great for that!

**Leigen_Zero**

Found that out the hard way....

THough it was a long time ago 8D

**chromedog**

Soldering can be done ... but:

Requires a specific low-melt solder.
Requires a temperature controllable soldering iron (I.E. a good one - most serious electronics/radio enthusiasts use them).
Requires a knowledge of what particular metals are in the alloy you are trying to solder. They each have an effect on the metal's properties, and a synergistic effect together (so two ingredients will do 'these effects' when used on their own, AND 'THIS as well' when combined).

Freezing is a relatively chemical solvent free way of loosening superglue bonds. Superglue traps water molecules (encapsulates) as it cures (it's part of HOW it cures). Water expands when frozen (yes, even small amounts) and forms ice crystals. These will create fracture zones inside the bond. Repeat a couple of times and some superglue bonds have been known to simply fall apart.

**Paladin Blake**

Thanks, all. I didn't know that bit about freezing them. When I get the minis from him, I'll try that.

**Samus_aran115**

Oh,really? That works? excellent! I'm trying that right now! I've got a carnifex waiting to be taken apart!