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I recently got a warsphinx that had a really rough glue job. I used the freezer technique to remove the head and howdah, but it looks like some superglue pooled into one of the gaps for the ribs, and I haven’t been able to chip it out. The attempt to do so with my dental pick resulted in some damage I would like to avoid.

Does anyone know of a good polystyrene-safe solvent for getting glue out of an area like this?

I hope for this warsphinx to eventually become a scarlet steed for Imrathepis.

Nail varnish remover doesn’t instantly melt plastic, how quickly does it melt super glue? So a quick exposure might work? I haven’t tried this though so not sure what the risk is

Green Stuff World have a product for removing superglue, I don't know how well it works.

Denatured alcohol/ methylated spirits can brittle the superglue enough to chip it off but it depends if you can get it under the glue.

Isopropynol. 70-80%. It doesn't hurt plastic at all but makes super glue incredibly brittle. and you can basically chip it off with your nail. You could leave a model in there for months and it won't hurt the actual model. It will kill any green stuff and paint though.

Not sure if you're looking to make a purchase or hoping that something you already have might work, but there are any number of purpose-made CA glue debonders that are safe for use on plastics (and skin, for those "whoops" moments...). A quick search will net you several options for online shopping, from Amazon to specialized modeling shops. You can likely find some at a local hardware store, as well, but be sure to read each product's description - some are plastic-safe, some have a big dose of acetone that will attack the plastic (also look out for this in nail polish remover - it's the classic recipe, but there are versions without it).

Have you tried freezing it? If I remember correctly superglue is very brittle. Freezing it does not help and it breaks.

The superglue removal solvent will stain the plastic that GW uses...it can also make the plastic soft and do surface damage.

I have used it on GW tanks and it works, it makes the superglue rubbery and leads to fairly easy removal. Wash your model where the remover was applied as soon as you get the superglue removed.

My two cents,

CB

Are you sure it’s super glue and not rogue cement glue?

mrFickle wrote:
Are you sure it’s super glue and not rogue cement glue?

I’m not sure. I’ve been assuming CA since I was able to freeze for disassembly, but it may be a cement instead. It was pretty built up.

Any tips on what to do if it is a cement?

Garambit wrote:

mrFickle wrote:
Are you sure it’s super glue and not rogue cement glue?

I’m not sure. I’ve been assuming CA since I was able to freeze for disassembly, but it may be a cement instead. It was pretty built up.

Any tips on what to do if it is a cement?

Get a knife and pray.

The cements don't work by acting as an adhesive. They melt the plastic and then fuse it when it dries. There is nothing you can use that will unfuse the now single piece of plastic.

Put down the neanderthal tools and get something more precise. A small scalpel will be much better for material removal than a dental pick. Get one with a fine point and you should be able to pick away any errant material with a steady hand a good side of patience.

It seems unlikely it is cement, because Cement is usually obvious because it usually looks like a pool of grey wax that looks like it's part of the plastic due to the solvent melting the plastic. whereas super glue will usually leave a frosty or clear substance with a more clear demarcation of material.

Even my exacto-knife is having difficulty as the affected portion is tiny.

It might yet be plastic cement, as the entire model is covered in a thick black primer.

I usually use simple green for stripping but don’t have any right now, I’ll try and update when I have more info.

 Lance845 wrote:

Garambit wrote:

mrFickle wrote:
Are you sure it’s super glue and not rogue cement glue?

I’m not sure. I’ve been assuming CA since I was able to freeze for disassembly, but it may be a cement instead. It was pretty built up.

Any tips on what to do if it is a cement?

Get a knife and pray.

The cements don't work by acting as an adhesive. They melt the plastic and then fuse it when it dries. There is nothing you can use that will unfuse the now single piece of plastic.

Yeah cement is a real pain when buying second hand stuff. I don’t think they explain how it works when your new into the hobby and it’s so easy to get it everywhere and it ruins the model.

Perhaps you could sand that part of the model into shape. Or green stuff over it with new details.

It was explained to me that freezing will (usually) weaken the bond as super glue is water based so freezing will expand any water (think roads/sidewalks with cracks caused by ice) It can usually be easier to get cleaner breaks that can then be cleaned up with some careful work with a hobby knife.