News:



  • May 26, 2024, 07:56:15 AM

Login with username, password and session length

Author Topic: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?  (Read 1194 times)

Offline Will Hinton

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 2772
    • www.authorwillhinton.com
can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« on: November 29, 2007, 04:44:41 PM »
Hey guys, I need some wisdom here.  I've often separated parts glued together with Titebond and/or epoxy by heating to soften the glue.  Have any of you done this with Gorilla glue?  I have a critical removal to do that was assembled with the great stuff.
Thanks,
Will
John 5:24   www.fcmodelers.com

Offline Steve Helmick

  • AMA Member and supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 9950
Re: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2007, 05:21:10 PM »
Dunno. Why don't you make a test piece similar to the joint you need to undo, and give 'er a try. Don't f'get to report back.  H^^ Steve
"The United States has become a place where professional athletes and entertainers are mistaken for people of importance." - Robert Heinlein

In 1944 18-20 year old's stormed beaches, and parachuted behind enemy lines to almost certain death.  In 2015 18-20 year old's need safe zones so people don't hurt their feelings.

Offline Will Hinton

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 2772
    • www.authorwillhinton.com
Re: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2007, 09:21:27 AM »
Roger that, Steve.  I have a piece set up to do that very thing, but thought maybe someone has already done the dirty work for me.  Then I find I can go a different direction with the problem and no removal is necessary, but I still plan to do the experiment so we'll know for future use.  That way we'll never need the information, right?! #^
Blessings,
Will
John 5:24   www.fcmodelers.com

Offline phil c

  • 21 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 2480
Re: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2007, 01:43:29 PM »
Doubt it.  Gorilla glue cures like epoxy.  It won't melt until it starts to burn, along with the wood.  Fortunately, it isn't as hard as epoxy, so you can usually slice through a joint with a thin knife and some work.
phil Cartier

Offline Will Hinton

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 2772
    • www.authorwillhinton.com
Re: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2007, 04:22:34 PM »
I did the test today, used a piece of walnut glued to maple.  I deliberately applied too much glue so it would foam out of the joint so I could test that "free section" first.
I first used my MK heat gun and was very encouraged as the free section just sort of went gooey right away with very little heat.
Ha!  This will be a cinch.
Not so - while that was very easily melted I went on to heat the 1/2" thick piece of walnut to separate the two pieces.  Heated, and heated, and heated and....... mw~  No go.  Then I heated a thin putty knife with a torch, got the edge very hot, and tried to press it through a bit at a time without forcing it.  Nope, not that way either.
As Phil said, I can do it with a very thin knife as I've done before, but the problem I was facing was in a situation where a thin knife cannot reach into the joint.  So I was fortunate that I found another way for the repair in question.
I have melted epoxy before with only a part of the amount of heat applied to the Gorilla, and Titebond with the same amount of heat I used, but the big ole ape says not today, sucker!  n1
Now we know.
Blessings,
Will
John 5:24   www.fcmodelers.com

Offline Ralph Wenzel (d)

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Captain
  • *****
  • Posts: 848
Re: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2007, 05:19:29 PM »
Absolutely no guarantee on this, but I think I remember hearing that undiluted vinegar will loosen the polyurethane glues.
(Too many irons; not enough fire)

Ralph Wenzel
AMA 495785 League City, TX

Offline Steve Helmick

  • AMA Member and supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 9950
Re: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2007, 05:36:23 PM »
Huh! I woulda bet as much as a dollar, that heat would work. It works on epoxy and CA, after all. To tell the truth, I don't recall ever having to peacefully disassemble a glue joint. The usual amount of violence (crash) generally suffices.  y1 Steve
"The United States has become a place where professional athletes and entertainers are mistaken for people of importance." - Robert Heinlein

In 1944 18-20 year old's stormed beaches, and parachuted behind enemy lines to almost certain death.  In 2015 18-20 year old's need safe zones so people don't hurt their feelings.

Offline Bob Reeves

  • 2016 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 3415
    • Somethin'Xtra Inc.
Re: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2007, 08:14:03 AM »
Almost set my 2nd Nobler ARF fuselage on fire trying to soften the glue that held the motor mounts in. Finally gave up and left the stock mounts. A commercial heat gun gets really hot  ;D

Offline Will Hinton

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 2772
    • www.authorwillhinton.com
Re: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2007, 12:20:59 PM »
I read Ralph's post just before leaving for church this AM and rushed down to the shop and put a strip of Gorilla in a small glass of pure vinegar to soak while I was gone.  we had a youth group fund raiser after service so I didn't get home until after 1:00.  Zipped down to the shop and plucked the strip from the juice - no change.  Phooey, I thought maybe we had something there.
I'm just very glad the situation I was concerned with was solvable another way!
Thanks all you guys for your answers to this post, I guess we all know a little more than we started with even if it's not exactly what I wanted to learn.
Blessings,
Will
P.S. Please don't burn any ships down to experiment - the earth is hard enough on them!
John 5:24   www.fcmodelers.com

Offline Ralph Wenzel (d)

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Captain
  • *****
  • Posts: 848
Re: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2007, 10:03:22 AM »
Sorry Will. Here's the word "from the horse's mouth (I emailed Gorilla)". You are SoL.

Dear Ralph,

Thank you for your e-mail. Unfortunately, there are no known solvents or cleaning agents to remove Gorilla Glue once it is dry. We have looked at and tested many different agents but none have worked.
Cured Gorilla Glue is like a plastic when it has cured (100% hard and 100% solid). Therefore, the only way to remove cured Gorilla Glue is mechanically, such as sanding, plucking, chipping or chiseling.

If you have additional questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us. You may e-mail us at this address or contact us on our toll free number at 1-800-966-3458 (USA and Canada only) or 513-271-3300. We are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Regards,
Pat
Gorilla Support Group
(Too many irons; not enough fire)

Ralph Wenzel
AMA 495785 League City, TX

Offline Bootlegger

  • 22 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 2710
Re: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2007, 10:10:14 AM »

  Will, Maybe try soakin' in some Acetone. Course keep a lid on it so it doesn't "dissapear" (evaporate).
  Let us know how this works... :!
8th Air Force Veteran
Gil Causey
AMA# 6964

Offline Will Hinton

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 2772
    • www.authorwillhinton.com
Re: can you separate Gorilla glued parts with heat?
« Reply #11 on: December 03, 2007, 02:21:04 PM »
I'm chuckling at myself for not thinking of going the route Ralph took!  Duh on me! %^@ n~ HB~>
Thanks Raplh, once again I'm glad another avenue of repair was acceptable in this situation.  I think I'll toss my test unit in the scrap wood barrel and get back to the current stunt project!  (The other repair is already gone from the shop.)
Thanks again, guys for your input and support. y1
Blessings,
Will
John 5:24   www.fcmodelers.com


Advertise Here
Tags:
 


Advertise Here