Need to remove Araldited hooks from plastic windowframe

[Rykard]

Hi,
not sure this is the right place, but none of the others seemed appropriate..

I have stuck a couple of hooks to a plastic window frame with some araldite. I now need to get the hooks off. Is there something that will 'neutralise ' the araldite and let me get them off?

cheers
Rich

 

[conny]

Used Araldite extensively in work during the 80's-90's and never heard of a solvent.
You could try a thin blade and mallet/light hammer to chip it off and then gently sand down, but it may leave evidence.

 

[big-all]

it would be 100% trial and error as conny says
you could try daubing on what ever you have like nail polish remover 'oil 'wine and the chances will probably be the same as its a resin designed to fight corrosive materials as you have nothing to lose it's an experiment
i personally would get a block off wood lay flat on the frame and tap down/up firmly with a hammer at right angles in other words slide the wood along the frame
and dont bash at an angle if you can help it

 

[Mike13]

the only solvents for epoxy resin are so strong they will also destroy the window frame at the same time, stick with conny's advice.

 

[foxhole]

Warm with hairdryer will soften glue and plastic slightly aiding removal .

 

[big-all]

Warm with hairdryer will soften glue and plastic slightly aiding removal .

yes i had similar thoughts and because Araldite can be quite brittle a quick application off ice do this several times may cause gradual delamination??

 

[Rykard]

sorted - thanks guys

 

[Old Salt]

What worked?

 

[Rykard]

small blade/ mallet managed to chip it off with no damage

 

[conny]

Warm with hairdryer will soften glue and plastic slightly aiding removal .

Warm air will harden Araldite, not soften it.
One of the uses in work was to repair damaged insulation on large DC motors. Rather than trying to replace the insulation, (which would be time consuming, costly and not always possible), we would use Araldite for small repairs, (especially if the motor was due to come in for an annual overhaul shortly). To cure the Araldite on an emergency service repair we would put it in the oven. At first it would become slightly runny which would help it to get into and crevices better, then it would harden quickly like stone. It had to be a controlled warm up though.

 

[foxhole]

Warm air will harden Araldite, not soften it.
One of the uses in work was to repair damaged insulation on large DC motors. Rather than trying to replace the insulation, (which would be time consuming, costly and not always possible), we would use Araldite for small repairs, (especially if the motor was due to come in for an annual overhaul shortly). To cure the Araldite on an emergency service repair we would put it in the oven. At first it would become slightly runny which would help it to get into and crevices better, then it would harden quickly like stone. It had to be a controlled warm up though.

Many sources online say it will soften above 80degrees.

 

[conny]

We used to have it on a slow warm up till it got 180ºC then leave it for a few hours.
Unless they have changed the formula, 80ºC seems quite low considering we also used it in Heat boxes to go around A/C isolation valves on the roof of various buildings.
Just googled, and a lot of sites also say it will withstand temperatures upto and between 300ºC and 500ºC
Decide for yourself which ones are correct, but a lot also said the best reaction temperature was around 78ºC

 

[Mike13]

It is a true thermosetting plastic, but its hardness decreases when hot, so you are actually both correct. Fuming Nitric acid is quite good at dissolving it, but that is not the best thing to try and splash around on a vertical surface in a sitting room or kitchen.