Thread: Perplexing perspex

kero.

The older it is the longer you need to leave it. You may need to keep applying it several times or ideally soak it for a day.

Soak it in eucalyptus oil?

Sand it off?

Try methylated spirits or mineral turpentine, they should soften the glue, hopefully. Goodluck

buy a new bit and dont be so tight.........bob

Thank you all for interest and for your ideas!
As I mentioned I have 2 pieces of perspex, the smaller one i started on, and then whistled up the forum gurus for help.
So I tried a soak with turps,water (cold), aerostart (ether based) petrol(had no kero) eucalyptus oil as well as thinners. Sanding was never an option because I need to have the stuff clear. Because this piece was particularly grimy and i had previously been soaking in the other alternatives I gave it a pressure wash hoping maybe to shift the paper off the glue then finding a substance that would work on it. Well thinners was the best but it would turn the glue slimey and move it around but didn't dissolve it. Now what? Kitchen sink (wife has been away since Thursday due home on train at 4.15) Hot soapy water? Na!.....Youngest daughter..."Have you tried 'Bam'? its an acid you know." Guess what...Bam, and the glue is gone! I wouldn't have believed it either. But I have the proof
Now the other piece, twice as big (700 X 300) was a lot cleaner as it had been stored along with sheet stuff in a rack (for 10 years?) I took it to the bath. HOT water (finger burney) dribbled over the surface and the paper did come off as it should but in small strips. It took about an hour to do both sides.
CONCLUSION: For all those Julius Sumner-Miller types....If you do a job today with new perspex and put the off cut away for future use (10 Years) do your self a favour ......and remove the protective paper first and if you need to protect it wrap it up in, say, newspaper for safe keeping!!!! That's my recommendation

Originally Posted by robyn2839

buy a new bit and dont be so tight.........bob

Us Moonbi-ites might not be so tight if certain Ningis would stop tempting us with bargains

Originally Posted by sjm

Soak it in eucalyptus oil?

2 votes for eucalyptus oil ... it works a treat and smells nice!

fletty

Originally Posted by chambezio

...CONCLUSION: For all those Julius Sumner-Miller types....If you do a job today with new perspex and put the off cut away for future use (10 Years) do your self a favour ......and remove the protective paper first and if you need to protect it wrap it up in, say, newspaper for safe keeping!!!! That's my recommendation

And transfer the newspaper image to the perspex.

Originally Posted by chambezio

G'day
Being a child of parents who went through the depression I have been instilled with a "don't throw anything away" kind of outlook on things. I have had for many years 2 pieces of 3mm perspex. They were out of a full sheet I got to a job with and of course these off cuts were put aside for a rainy day. They are of a size that will be just right for a job at hand BUT....... how do I realise the protective paper????????? I have tried soaking in water. Na Soaking in thinners. Na Using a razor blade to try and remove after both soakings. Na Managed to scape a bit off but scratched the surface as a result. I tried heat from a heat gun. Still no joy
Has anyone one got a sure fire remedy? Or will it be like the protective plastic applied to colorbond that when left for too long is impossible to remove?
The protective paper is so dry that it crumbles at the edges but is firmly stuck to the surface

Hi Mate
Try using Prepsol I have been using It for all sorts of cleaning jobs. They use it in the Spray Painting industry let us know how you go with it.
colbra

The plasticizing solvent in the adhesive on the paper has dried out. You need to dissolve that in something else which will be relatively easy to clean off. Cheap kitchen-grade olive oil, soak it and be patient. Dish soap and warm water clean-up. "Solvent partition."

Could try windex!

I have some perspex I ma hoping to use in the windows or my shed! It has paper all over it too, so I hope you find what works for me.

I have been using small pieces of perspex from the scraps bin at work for years. Some of the pieces must be 40 years old so the protective paper is dried hard as rock. After trying most things, including many of which have been mentioned above, about 20 years ago our now retired and passed away senior technical officer told me about using kero and it is by far the best thing to use.