Help in disassembly of a built model

[slusher]

I have a built model i want to safely take apart with out damaging anything.  I could use some ideas...

[TECHMAN]

???

CARL

Others may have better ideas, but, my method is to put the model into the freezer for a couple of days, and basically "freeze" the model, this normally makes the glue "turn loose"......   Good luck

DJ

[NOBLNG]

Hi Carl. Good to hear from you. What type or glues did you use to assemble it? Super glue joints can be undone using a “debonder”, but it will destroy chrome. If you used a glue like Tamiya thin or the old Testors tube glue….good luck. A good set of photo etch saws can be used to cut some joints apart and they will remove next to no material. 

[R. Thorne]

Consider purchasing something like this.

[R. Thorne]

Oh, by the way, Carl, thank you for all the encouraging comments you have contributed on this forum.

[R. Thorne]

Also, I have weakened the bond by simple dousing the joint with Tamiya cement, waited a minute or so, then trying to separate the joint.

[Tcoat]

  On 4/26/2023 at 12:21 PM, R. Thorne said:

Also, I have weakened the bond by simple dousing the joint with Tamiya cement, waited a minute or so, then trying to separate the joint.

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This ^.  It works surprisingly well if any of the thin cements that weld parts was used. Doesn't work quite as well if super glue or any of the thick bonding glues were used but still will help. 

[atomicholiday]

Some good advice up there.

The only thing I’ll add is don’t force it.  It’s been my experience that if you try to separate parts by force, the plastic will almost always break in an area you don’t want, and the glue joint will hold strong.  I’ve ruined a couple of glue bombs through impatience.

[thatz4u]

Carl, I use mineral Spirits & an artist brush, soak the glue joint & wait ...carefully apply light pressure & see if it loosens...repeat as needed....or sometimes a soaking in the Purple Pond will do it....

[SfanGoch]

If the model in question was built using tube glue or something similar, no amount of freezing or soaking will cause the parts to loosen and separate. The aforementioned glues/cements weld the styrene. Using a PE saw is the only way to separate them.

[peteski]

There is no single method guaranteed to work.  As others have already mentioned, methods differ depending on adhesives used. Often combination of methods or tools have to be used. Sometimes no method will be 100% successful. 

[Bugatti Fan]

You really get lucky if a previously built model comes apart without a bit of superficial damage to repair.

Par for the course taking old models apart.    All the suggestions posted previously are good ones and it is a matter of suck it and see to a certain extent what works best depending on the model being worked on.

[James2]

Hi Carl, hope your well!

Got any pictures of the afore mentioned project? Would love to see what you're working on.

I spent a few years just buying glue bombs and re-building them and the best way I found to disassemble them was slowly and gently prying the parts until the let loose. Some solvents can be used but 9 out of 10 times the old glue did what it was designed to do, MELT plastic together. If it looks like the parts are going to break while working them apart, I would scribe a line that would allow them to come apart cleanly. Your hardest pieces will be the glass and taillights. And if something gets damaged beyond repair, I'll just bet someone here on the forum will help you out!

[slusher]

  On 4/26/2023 at 10:28 AM, NOBLNG said:

Hi Carl. Good to hear from you. What type or glues did you use to assemble it? Super glue joints can be undone using a “debonder”, but it will destroy chrome. If you used a glue like Tamiya thin or the old Testors tube glue….good luck. A good set of photo etch saws can be used to cut some joints apart and they will remove next to no material. 

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I used testors orange tube glue but not heavy. i want to reuse the painted body because its painted great by me 23 years ago of a discontinued paint..

[Dave G.]

I've gotten Glued models apart that were assembled with the Testors orange tube glue by me on assembly. I wouldn't put any bets on doing the same if Model Master black bottle glue was used. The Testors orange tube glue today isn't what we had back in the 1960's, plus I'm kind of a sparing user of glue in general. But I just pried the parts apart, as mentioned above, gently, however persistently. I got body parts, under frame and engine parts off that had been glued two years prior. They really were not welded very much at all unlike when using the black bottle. Or Testors tube glue I remember from decades ago.

And of course there are many variables.

[iBorg]

I think the question to ask is what are you wanting to separate from the kit. You mentioned you painted it 23 years ago. If the paint is good, then I'd leave the glass alone if at all possible as well as the chrome. Separating the chassis from the body is typically easier than removing the glass or some small part. 

[slusher]

  On 4/28/2023 at 1:18 PM, James2 said:

Hi Carl, hope your well!

Got any pictures of the afore mentioned project? Would love to see what you're working on.

I spent a few years just buying glue bombs and re-building them and the best way I found to disassemble them was slowly and gently prying the parts until the let loose. Some solvents can be used but 9 out of 10 times the old glue did what it was designed to do, MELT plastic together. If it looks like the parts are going to break while working them apart, I would scribe a line that would allow them to come apart cleanly. Your hardest pieces will be the glass and taillights. And if something gets damaged beyond repair, I'll just bet someone here on the forum will help you out!

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James, brother its a 60 Chevy Apache i built 23 years ago. I want to reuse the body i painted then with Boyd's Pacific Blue. Paint is excellent. i had it in a case all these years. i built it with testors tube glue. i would like to use some of the truck if possible..

[slusher]

  On 4/28/2023 at 8:48 PM, iBorg said:

I think the question to ask is what are you wanting to separate from the kit. You mentioned you painted it 23 years ago. If the paint is good, then I'd leave the glass alone if at all possible as well as the chrome. Separating the chassis from the body is typically easier than removing the glass or some small part. 

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I plan on leaving the glass and reusing the chrome, thank you for your advice..

[ncbuckeye67]

I've had success brushing Goo Gone on glue joints, and letting it penetrate for a few minutes. Then using an exacto knife to gently separate the parts. Make sure you wash everything with Dawn, before you store the parts. It does affect paint, but I'm not sure about chrome.