Epoxy removal
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,948
Likes: 12,362
From: NE South Carolina
Found this info on the net-never tried myself but may be worth considering: Take a rag and saturate it with the paint stripper. The chemicals used in paint strippers are formulated to not dissolve epoxy resin but more like melt it. Ball up the rag and put it on top of the epoxy resin. Hold it in place for a minute and then quickly use the plastic scraper to work at the leftover epoxy resin. Work quickly because the epoxy resin can harden quickly.
Perhaps soaking in paint thinner prior to prying them apart may help.
I have been a big epoxy fan since I used it to support the small copper pipe that held an oil temp gauge added to my modified '67 Corvair! Held till I sold it! I also used it to install the CB mount to the roof of my 260Z. Recall in the Z Club News a member said his held during a crash! It was fine and there when I sold the car 7 years later! Good stuff, I can still feel my arm hurting as I pushed up on that mount on the cleaned space on the roof for about 8 minutes as I waited for the 5 minute Devcon to harden! Felt like an airplane pilot with the coiled microphone cored hanging from the roof as I sounded like an 18 wheeler asking for bear sightings on I77 going from Erie to Pittsburgh!
I use epoxy now for a product I make. Never tried dissolving it!
Last edited by JerryU; Aug 24, 2015 at 08:52 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 4,788
Likes: 683
From: Austin Texas
St. Jude Donor '15
Most epoxies will break down with heat. Could be a touchy thing for you to try, but using a hair dryer or heat gun on a low setting might be enough to weaken the epoxy. The epoxy will not re-harden as it begins to turn to powder from the heat.
The paint stripper will only work on epoxy that it comes in contact with.
I can not think of an easy way to remove epoxy, maybe others will post ideas for you, good luck.
The paint stripper will only work on epoxy that it comes in contact with.
I can not think of an easy way to remove epoxy, maybe others will post ideas for you, good luck.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,941
Likes: 499
From: Northern Virginia
Yeah, heat is the only way I know of, but I think it would need to get hot enough to melt the plastic before the epoxy would fail. Hair drier is worth a try, though.
Or you could just decide what you have isn't bad after all.
Or you could just decide what you have isn't bad after all.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 11,825
Likes: 2,474
From: Ft Lauderdale
Tech Contributor
Forget trying to pop them off and use the base again, too much hassle and youwill be partially destructive splitting the epoxy off.
You can still pop the whole TSW cap that you glued to… I'd pop them off and order new center caps from the TSW. Creat two sets of diff colored caps you can switch in snd out if you want, change somethingelse.
You can still pop the whole TSW cap that you glued to… I'd pop them off and order new center caps from the TSW. Creat two sets of diff colored caps you can switch in snd out if you want, change somethingelse.
Last edited by Glen e; Aug 24, 2015 at 09:26 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 1,106
There are a number of epoxy removers like "Attack" but this stuff will also attack a lot of surfaces and finishes so I wouldn't use it around the car. Although a lot of chemicals can be dangerous if misused most products designed to break down epoxy require far more caution than the typical "over the counter" products so don't ignore the safety warnings. Most will cause irreparable eye damage in addition to being truly carcinogenic unlike those California proposition warnings that appear on everything.
I would spend a little more time trying to decide whether you are really unhappy with what you have now because it is likely any attempt to remove the epoxy is going to create the need for purchasing more parts.
I would spend a little more time trying to decide whether you are really unhappy with what you have now because it is likely any attempt to remove the epoxy is going to create the need for purchasing more parts.
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,948
Likes: 12,362
From: NE South Carolina
There are a number of epoxy removers like "Attack" but this stuff will also attack a lot of surfaces and finishes so I wouldn't use it around the car. Although a lot of chemicals can be dangerous if misused most products designed to break down epoxy require far more caution than the typical "over the counter" products so don't ignore the safety warnings. Most will cause irreparable eye damage in addition to being truly carcinogenic unlike those California proposition warnings that appear on everything.
I would spend a little more time trying to decide whether you are really unhappy with what you have now because it is likely any attempt to remove the epoxy is going to create the need for purchasing more parts.
I would spend a little more time trying to decide whether you are really unhappy with what you have now because it is likely any attempt to remove the epoxy is going to create the need for purchasing more parts.
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