Advice please - removing Araldite/epoxy glue

[JollyBob]

As per the title, really.

I have recently acquired some RT era Ork vehicles, bikes and buggies, and they have been badly assembled using a two part epoxy glue.

I can chip some of it off as its old and brittle, but wheels have been attached to axles with great gobbing spoonfuls of the stuff. This wouldn't be a problem if they been put on straight and didn't need stripped anyway...

I'll be dunking most bits in Dettol for that antiseptic shine, but will that loosen the epoxy as well or do I need something more corrosive?

What's the word? Anyone have any advice from similar rescue projects?

[zemjw]

When it comes to glues and epoxies I generally reach for the exacto knife and settle down for a session that I hope ends with the same of fingers as I started with.

I've never really had any luck dissolving the big glues, so curious to see what others say.

[bluewillow]

Acetone will break it down, otherwise heat , boiling hot water

[Cubs]

Dettol will loosen it a bit, so you might get lucky and be able to pull it away with tweezers. But yeah, what they said.

[snitcythedog]

Ditto on Dettol and heating but I would also add freezing in there too. 

[Gundamentalist 5.56]

When I did a introduction to conservation course many moons ago, araldite was skipped over switfly with the comments that "mechanical" means of removal were the only reliable ways of removing it. Best of luck.

[JollyBob]

Thanks for the replies chaps, much appreciated.   

I guess I'll see how I get on with a good long dunk and some aggressive chipping.

I wonder if a dremel might help break up some if the bigger chunks...

I'll report back from A&E in a few days...

[Westfalia Chris]

I've been doing quite a bit of mini stripping recently and I would also suggest giving pure Acetone a try.

I switched to it from using nail polish remover, and it got rid of almost everything, and softened up that which it didn't dissolve to a point of making it pliable. Not suitable for plastic, of course.