Bondo Blues

[Hrothgar]

Avast, mateys!
 
I am looking for some advice on un-stickifying figures from bases that have been textured with bondo (automotive body filler). Thus far, no chemical I have used has made even a dent in the stuff, and I am not happy about using a power tool on them for fear of damaging the figures.

In the meantime, this sullen lot of Denizen 25mm troopers that I acquired are giving me guilting looks every time I walk past their spot on my workbench.

Any suggestions for an old salt down on his luck?

Yar,
     Jason

[FifteensAway]

Oh, man, I'm not sure there is a good solution for your problem.  Is there any way you can use the figures on their current bases?  If not, I think you are in an impenetrable corner with seven or eight hungry Bengal tigers looking for lunch - and they just spotted you!   

[Billchuck]

What are the bases made of, and do you want to keep them intact?

[FifteensAway]

Looked a little further into this and it appears that a blow torch will work - or maybe even a heat gun combined with a prying tool.  The blow torch is likely to drastically alter the shape of the figure.  The heat gun, maybe not, but take some serious time and effort - and the pry tools will need multiple cleanings and might be trash when done.

[Gun bunny]

can you post a picture or three of them for idea reference?

[Tactalvanic]

Car based suggestions

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/quick-bondo-removal.51780/

or

even suggestions of Acetone - as its supposedly a plastic based filler,

Not sure what the figures are made of so the suggestions may be extreme, heat, acetone (maybe careful application of smaller heat source - a fine soldering iron maybe etc, or angle grinder, last probably not useful at the scales we deal with!

[Dr. The Viking]

Dichloromethane!

There you go.

[FramFramson]

Dichloromethane!

There you go.

^This is among the less toxic solvents, but can still be lethal if too much is inhaled. Even though you're probably using it in very small quantities, normal safety rules still apply. If you go this route, please use the stuff outdoors or in a well-ventilated area as you would with any strong solvent!

[Dr. The Viking]

^This is among the less toxic solvents, but can still be lethal if too much is inhaled. Even though you're probably using it in very small quantities, normal safety rules still apply. If you go this route, please use the stuff outdoors or in a well-ventilated area as you would with any strong solvent!

There's almost no problem or can't solvate though

[Mindenbrush]

Have you thought of sticking them in the freezer for a while?

Similar situation at work where someone had used a 2 part resin epoxy to bond some doublers on a component, unfortunately he put them on the wrong side. Materials & Processes group suggested using dry ice or a heat gun and then pry the doubles off.

Freezing the Bondo should make it brittle.

[Svennn]

Two pairs of pliers. Hold the base on opposing sides of the figure and twist one side up and the other down. The figure should ping off as the basing cracks. You have not said what they are based on but this technique works with two pence coins.  It may ruin the coin though and put down a towel or similar to give a softer landing - you won't have a spare hand to catch the figure.