I have searched the archives and have not found an answer to my
dilemma. I was given some wonderful thin copper sheet (strips,
really) to use in what ever way I fancied. It was removed from the
walls of what was an MRI room therefore has some type of funky
adhesive on the back side. I have tried using my torch to burn it
off (outside is better for that it sure flamed up!) but it seems to
just harden into a darker, harder adhesive. Pickle did not do much
either.
Does anyone have any tips or ideas on how to go about trying to
remove this. Other chemicals I could try on it?Unfortunately I do
not know the formula of glue that was used to originally put it up.
I am itching to get to work on playing with some of it.
goo gone people make a tag glue specific but I suggest god old
fashioned acetone test it with some nail polish remover if you have
some on hand to see if it works then but some at the hardware store
in larger quantity
Try real solvents. MEK, acetone,paint thinner, paint remover, goof
off, and the like. Might take a piece of the copper/adhesive to a
local hardware store and see what they think.
Soak it in warm soapy water? or use “Goo” gummy stuff remover, rub
peanut butter on it (not chunky) (keep rubbing gently til all
adhesive gone), freeze it off or lastly-soak it outside in lacquer
thinner-covered in a safe place.
DO NOT USE LACQUER THINNER. This will also remove any finish
coating. Use 100% mineral spirits to safely remove gummy adhesive,
with a soft towel, and then wipe clean with rubbing alcohol
I would either soak the copper sheet in acetone or mineral spirits.
If that didn’t work, then I would plasma clean in oxygen at 200W,
40sccm for two minutes.
so far no one has mentioned Benzine… this works brilliantly to
remove sticky labels from books and paper as well as metals. You may
want to give it a try. Don’t burn the glue as I often find that the
black residue
will then fix to the metal and the only thing to remove it is manual
polishing and scrubbing. In my experience, thinners and acetone will
do little to gooey substances, or take a very long time to dissolve
them…
so far no one has mentioned Benzine... this works brilliantly to
remove sticky labels from books and paper as well as metals.
I have noticed that in the States, you can pretty much buy any
chemical you want, without much if any restriction, so MAKE SURE you
buy BENZINE and NOT BENZENE. The Benzine Gwen is recommending looks
to be a useful solvent which will more than likely do the job in
hand. It is a mixture of alkanes, whereas benzene (C6H6) is an
aromatic, cyclic alkene which is highly toxic and carcinogenic.
That’s one of my bug-bears with chemistry, that just one little
letter can make such a huge difference which can sometimes have
serious consequences.
If you mean benzene, it is carcinogenic and should not be used.
There are many other solvents that can dissolve adhesives that are
much less dangerous. Toluene is less toxic and a close substitute but
still probably more than is needed here.
First try mineral spirits then naphtha, either will dissolve many
adhesives with less fire danger than acetone. If neither of them
work then try the toluene.
Jim
James Binnion @James_Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
I have noticed that in the States, you can pretty much buy any
chemical you want, without much if any restriction, so MAKE SURE
you buy BENZINE and NOT BENZENE.
Note that in the US, benzine is likely to be called naphtha.
Note that in the US, benzine is likely to be called naphtha.
My point was that it is easy to confuse the recommended BENZINE with
BENZENE and to make sure people knew there is a big difference in
the two chemicals, whilst one (BENZINE) is relatively “safe” when
used cautiously, the other (BENZENE) is highly toxic and carcinogenic
and shouldn’t be used for such purposes as removing adhesives.
Benzine (not benzene), also known as ‘white gas’, is petroleum
naptha and is a purified gasoline. It is similar to the gasoline
used in cars, and is good for a lot of cleaning tasks. I am familiar
with it because it is was the fuel used in the old
bellows-plus-fuel-can torches used extensively by ethnic artists.
My point was that it is easy to confuse the recommended BENZINE
with BENZENE and to make sure people knew there is a big difference
in the two chemicals, whilst one (BENZINE) is relatively "safe"
when used cautiously, the other (BENZENE) is highly toxic and
carcinogenic and shouldn't be used for such purposes as removing
adhesives.
Yes, I know. Your point was quite clear. My point is that there
may be some readers here who don’t know that benzine is naphtha. If
you ask a chemical supplier for “naphtha”, there’s very little chance
he’ll think you said “benzene.”
