solvent for silicone

[rat52]

Is there such a thing?

My son is making a stand for a fish tank which he aquired complete on ebay. He stored it in the extension I am building and I hit it with a scaffold plank while flushing the plaster board.

I tried to slice the silicone with a stanely knife but there was not enough gap between the glass and the side panel cracked.

How can I get these panels apart without destroying the whole thing.

[jmk89]

Don't know about a solvent - perhaps ask Selleys etc.

But I reckon slowly slicing is the answer. I would use a single-sided razor blade to start it off, that should get into any gap! You can find them in the painting section of the hardware store.

[rat52]

Thanks, I remember those now but I havent seen them for a long time.

Will check the green shed on the way home tonight

[RETIRED]

I think there is a solvent made by Selleys at Bunnings as well.

Thinners works well too.

[petersemple]

Bunnings do sell a solvent, but I've never used it so don't know how it works. I have had some decent results with orange based spray and wipe, but that was only to remove residue after it had mostly been cut off - not to remove large lumps.

Peter

[rrobor]

Car paint thinners or failing that, paint striper should burn the blazes out of that.

[rat52]

I have never known how to do searches but I noticed the tag at the bottom of the thread and it lead to previous posts of the same problem.

The sellys product looks to be the go so I'll get some with the razor blades tonight .

Thanks for all your replies and help.

Some times I get in a rut and didn't know what to do but talking to others helps me to think outside the square. I feel more confident about tackling this now.

[BobL]

Stanley knives are too thick, use a razor blade to separate the parts.

BTW pure "glacial acetic acid" (GAC) is a good solvent for Silicone and is very useful (but not essential) for cleaning off the remainder. While acetic acid is the basic constituent of vinegar, domestic vinegar is too dilute and full or other crap to work properly.

[wheelinround]

Stanley knives are too thick, use a razor blade to separate the parts.

BTW pure "glacial acetic acid" (GAC) is a good solvent for Silicone and is very useful (but not essential) for cleaning off the remainder. While acetic acid is the basic constituent of vinegar, domestic vinegar is too dilute and full or other crap to work properly.

BobL thanks I have been sitting here going back many years when using sealers for windows and I kept coming up Vinegar also brilliant softens it up use the blade and it eats away as you cut/clean it off.

[rat52]

I got it apart ok.

I let the gel sit for 24hrs then used the thin razor. I'm not sure but I think the gel softened the silicone between the glass joints but definately destroyed the bulk of it on the surface.

An extra trick suggested by my son was silver glide on the razor blade to reduce the drag caused by the silicone.

[Luddite]

BTW pure "glacial acetic acid" (GAC) is a good solvent for Silicone and is very useful (but not essential) for cleaning off the remainder. While acetic acid is the basic constituent of vinegar, domestic vinegar is too dilute and full or other crap to work properly.

Hi Bob,

I would be careful of GAC, it is dangerous in that you do not know it is doing you harm until some 3 or so hours hs elapsed, and conventional rubber gloves are no protection. I know it smells so strongly that it is unliekly somebody would spend too much time with it, but it is an acid afterall and should be treated with respect....stick with the vinegar.

Anthony

[BobL]

Hi Bob,

I would be careful of GAC, it is dangerous in that you do not know it is doing you harm until some 3 or so hours hs elapsed, and conventional rubber gloves are no protection. I know it smells so strongly that it is unliekly somebody would spend too much time with it, but it is an acid afterall and should be treated with respect....stick with the vinegar.

Anthony

Sure I expect people would be careful using GAC as they should with all acids and would refer to an appropriate MSDS. I guess I have spent too many years making, distilling and purifying highly concentrated acids including HF, HCl, HClO4 etc so I assume people will do this.

[FXST01]

Petrol will turn the silicone to a jelly like substance.

[Big Shed]

Petrol will turn the silicone to a jelly like substance.

Boy, can I confirm that!

Some years ago we went for an extended trip up to the Birdsville, through Borroloola and Roper bar, the Gulf of Carpentaria, across to the Kimberleys and back down through the Tanami Desert.

I installed a 100l long range tank under the 4WD and sealed the fuel sender in with silicone. Halfway up the Birdsville changed over to the auxiliary tank and within a few km's the engine started coughing and spluttering. Sounded like fuel, looked in the carbu bowl and it was full of "snot", you guessed ti silicone.

Wasn't until we got to Mt Isa that I could clean out the system and get a couple of decent (bowl type) fuel filters. All through the trip we still got snotty bits from time to time, they at times actually passed through the paper filters!

[RETIRED]

When it first came out silicone was a major factor in engine failures.

As it was supposed to be the "be all and end all" of sealing parts, mechanics used it on sumps and various other engine bits. The excess squeezed out inside and clogged the oil pick up.