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I'm currently in the planning phase of my project to strip down and repaint my Warhound and Reaver, but by "strip down", I mean to disassemble as much to the original components as possible. I've been told that acetone, or nail varnish remover, is a good way to dissolve superglue bonds, yet I've tried this but to no success. I applied a rather liberal coating to a small superglued part on the Warhound, and only after a fair deal of prising and force did the piece come apart, with a little bit snapped off.

I know that the acetone has had some part in dissolving the glue but this was just on a tiny panel joint, I can't imagine how it'd be able to break down the larger joints.

Is there any other chemical in the UK market that can do the job better, or instead is there a specific technique to dissolving the glue?

Do NOT put anything except pure metal into acetone.

The chemical cleaner I use that is plastic safe here in the US is called Super Clean. I'm not sure if there is a UK counter-part, but while it doesn't completely break down superglue, it does turn it brittle and un-stick the pieces so they basically crumble apart (the super glue crumbles, not anything else). This will only work with super glue (cyanoacrylate) though. Since it's metal and plastic safe, I leave my figures in there over a week and it's easy as pie.

Put it in the freezer.

Plenty of threads on the topic already, if you do a quick search. Freeze/thaw cycles (my weapon of choice) and plastic-safe paint strippers (I didn't find SG to be particularly effective) both weaken CA glue bonds, allowing the parts to be snapped apart more easily/safely.

Super clean or purple power would be my recommendation if you're OK stripping the whole thing. Simple green doesn't do much on super glue, and I haven't stripped enough models with LATA to give a recommendation on that.

Dunk it in water then put it in the freezer - the water will expand in the gaps & help break the bond + the cold will help make the bond more brittle.

I don't know if this'll work but my friend said he got the glue off with a dentist type of scalpel tool.
Hope it works.

Purple power is proving pretty effective in breaking CA joints in the Tau I'm stripping right now.

Freeze it. Superglue is weak to cold temperatures.. chances are it will pop apart by itself, if not it will be weakened consideraby..

I'll throw my vote in for freezing, as well, but I do it after I've stripped as much paint off as I can with LA's Totally Awesome. Often, the LA's will break down the superglue, and it takes next to nothing after freezing to break the joint apart..

 Valkyrie wrote:
I'm currently in the planning phase of my project to strip down and repaint my Warhound and Reaver, but by "strip down", I mean to disassemble as much to the original components as possible. I've been told that acetone, or nail varnish remover, is a good way to dissolve superglue bonds, yet I've tried this but to no success. I applied a rather liberal coating to a small superglued part on the Warhound, and only after a fair deal of prising and force did the piece come apart, with a little bit snapped off.

I know that the acetone has had some part in dissolving the glue but this was just on a tiny panel joint, I can't imagine how it'd be able to break down the larger joints.

Is there any other chemical in the UK market that can do the job better, or instead is there a specific technique to dissolving the glue?

Odd question, but a pertinent one nonetheless: are you sure you used CA superglue for the original build, and not an epoxy adhesive?

I used epoxy for the major joins such as the arms and body but everything else was done by normal CA. Regarding the freeze-idea, does this involve submerging it in water and freezing the whole thing or do you just freeze the part as it is?

12-24 hours in the freezer is the safest way to break superglue.

I've had components in the freezer for about 24 hours, and frankly there's no change apart from now I have a Plasma Blastgun-popsicle. Even if it does work there's the matter of dissolving the superglue residue. Acetone-free nail polish remover appears to do this but with very little efficiency, requiring a whole bottle just for a couple of hull parts. Is there a better product, possibly Dettol, and would it help to soak it for a couple of days? I'm a bit reluctant to soak it as even the acetone-free stuff has melted a few of the plastic test-pieces I used.

Freezing it isn't going to magically make the bonds break, it simply loosens them so you can break the bond apart yourself.

CA glue is moisture activated, and because of that small bits of moisture are trapped in it. Freezing it causes those small bits of moisture to expand and create tiny fissures throughout the bond.

Pull the model out and apply pressure to the bond -- if it's an arm you want to get off, apply pressure as though you're trying to rip the arm off -- and bring the model up to your ear as you do. There is a very distinctive sound of CA glue breaking apart, so you should know if it's working, even with very minimal pressure.

The idea is that the weakened CA bond will be weaker than the plastic it's bonding together. If you have to apply enough pressure that you're worried about the plastic, it's not working.

Oh I know that it requires pressure, etc, it's just that it doesn't seem to be working at the moment.

 Valkyrie wrote:
I used epoxy for the major joins such as the arms and body but everything else was done by normal CA. Regarding the freeze-idea, does this involve submerging it in water and freezing the whole thing or do you just freeze the part as it is?

Just making sure, but you aren't doing this are you? If you are then this is not the idea.

 SalamanderMarine wrote:

 Valkyrie wrote:
I used epoxy for the major joins such as the arms and body but everything else was done by normal CA. Regarding the freeze-idea, does this involve submerging it in water and freezing the whole thing or do you just freeze the part as it is?

Just making sure, but you aren't doing this are you? If you are then this is not the idea.

Obviously I'd ask around before trying this out.

OK good, do not turn your titan into ice lollies, just put them in the freezer by themselves dry and then try to break the pieces away from each other, a small chisel like thing would help to break the glue.