What disolves epoxy resin?

[uninformed]

Hey all,

I have a little Kustom project where im making a full circle crank for a chain saw. I filled one side yesterday, but got a little epoxy on the big end. It spins but the bearing spins with the rod.

Is there some chemical I can put on it that wont affect the metal and bearing. I could use a suringe for application?

cheers
Serg

[Tank]

Acetone, paint thinners, Regards Frank.

[roverrescue]

Acetone, paint thinners, Regards Frank.

Frank, usually they will only touch an epoxy before it has hardened.
I assume from the question that the epoxy has gone off?
If so then mechnical removal will likely be your only good option - depending on the epoxy of course...

Extreme cold (as in liquid nitrogen) will embrittle some epoxies but that will likely also bugger up the job you are trying to achieve. You could maybe try that freeze and release with the nice accurate straw to direct it onto the sticky-onny-bit but not getting the circle crank???

Heat obviously does the job but will be bloody messy and you wouldnt really be wanting to run the big end/crank after melting epoxy all over it???

Im all out of ideas

S

[uninformed]

unfortunately mechanical removeal is not an option as the epoxy is in between the bearing race and the rod. This "big" end is only about 15mm dia.

[Dorian]

Most epoxies soften significantly at about 65 / 70. If you can get it in the oven to soften the epoxy then you might be able to press the parts apart and then mechanically clean them.

There are some commercially available products, but from memory they require the components to be heated and soaked, are hard to get and I believe a major components is DME and benzene both of which are pretty nasty, poisonous and carcinogenic. So along with a bit of heat I recon that most people on the coast would know exactly when things went wrong.

Try contacting a company called West Systems Marine Epoxy - WEST SYSTEM Epoxy - WEST SYSTEM by ATL Composites (http://www.westsystem.com.au/west_system/)

I am pretty sure they are down your way.

For future reference epoxy resin won't stick to an oily surface so coating things in candle wax will stop the epoxy sticking. If fact you can cast a pretty good thread buy lightly coating a bolt in wax and casting the epoxy with the bolt in position.

Cheers Glen

[uninformed]

It would require major press (about 50t) and some very skilled and set up tooling to press this crankshaft apart and reassemble. Possible, but not for me.

West System is the epoxy I used and have already had a goodle of their website. Contact may be in order.

I am getting the bearing to free up somewhat from the rod.

Your the second person today to tell me the wax trick…and I will use it when I pour the other side :D

[Tank]

Acetone, paint thinners, Regards Frank.

Frank, usually they will only touch an epoxy before it has hardened.
I assume from the question that the epoxy has gone off?
If so then mechnical removal will likely be your only good option - depending on the epoxy of course...

Extreme cold (as in liquid nitrogen) will embrittle some epoxies but that will likely also bugger up the job you are trying to achieve. You could maybe try that freeze and release with the nice accurate straw to direct it onto the sticky-onny-bit but not getting the circle crank???

Heat obviously does the job but will be bloody messy and you wouldnt really be wanting to run the big end/crank after melting epoxy all over it???

Im all out of ideas

S
My mate sprayed his motorcycle helmet and it melted, 'nother bloke I know wiped down his plastic dash with acetone and it stuck to the rag, used to soak fibre glassing tools in acetone to dissolve hardened resin, so it should work, Regards Frank.

[jillr]

A long time ago (1980's) we used to use Eposolve to dissolve epoxy resin that had set. Nasty stuff but did the trick if you left it overnight. There are probably other products available now.

[vnx205]

Were you assuming he was still trying to fix his problem five years later or just offering that as general information for anyone else faced with the same issue? :)