How to dissolve epoxy type material

--On Monday, July 07, 2003 4:27 PM -0400 James & Julie Fields
<jjfields RemoveThis @quixnet.net> wrote:

 > [...] we have raised most of the top section off but have come to a halt
when
 > trying to completely seperate the 2 sections. The back of the boat has
soft
 > yet dense "epoxy" type sealant or absorbant on it. [...]

While it sounds slightly different (I've never heard of a soft epoxy!) I
recently had a similar joy with a Wellcraft "restoration".

After removing the various screws holding the rubrail to the shoebox hull
joint and removing the screws under the rubrail, I still could not separate
the hull halves near the stern.

It turned out that the builder had adding some lateral plywood bracing
between the two sections aft, and had also built a 'step' on the transom
with gobs of epoxy on top, onto which the upper hull had been lowered. The
plywood laterals were then globbed with epoxy as well.

To deal with the lateral bracing, I wound up using (abusing!) a Sawzall
with a long blade, working up from the bilges. When I ran out of room to
swing the saw up, I had to use a large hole saw to create access holes on
the inner topsides for some drilling to start further sawzall action. FYI:
The epoxy was loaded with silica, which just ate up the sawzall blades, so
I mostly tried to cut the plywood whenever possible.

The 'step with gobs of epoxy' was dealt with by whacking at the plywood
step with an improvised chisel: about 3' of 3/16" mild steel with a chisel
edge ground in (and renewed often). That and some sawzall action finally
broke the step loose. Again, the epoxy was about indestructable.

Once the hull halves were separated I cleaned up the damage. The access
holes were later covered with standard 6" screw-in covers. Actually, the
holes worked nicely when lifting the upper hull -- I just ran a 4x4 between
the holes.

A small angle grinder is essential for this sort of work -- but I had
problems using it in the above separation. Lying on your back in a cramped
bilge compartment and using a grinder is a really nasty experience, even
with a moonsuit! Wear a *good* respirator and goggles!

I'd point you towards some detailed pictures, but the website is
presently backlogged by about a year (I'll be catching up in August or
September, I hope!) <http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/blt/index.html>

Best of luck,

- Bruce<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: How to dissolve epoxy type material 

The more tools in the kit, the better. Another useful tool for such surgical
demolition projects is the Fein multimaster detail sander with a HSS 'cast
cutter' blade.

Bruce Taylor wrote:

 > --On Monday, July 07, 2003 4:27 PM -0400 James & Julie Fields
 > <jjfields.RemoveThis@quixnet.net> wrote:
 >
  > > [...] we have raised most of the top section off but have come to a halt
 > when
  > > trying to completely seperate the 2 sections. The back of the boat has
 > soft
  > > yet dense "epoxy" type sealant or absorbant on it. [...]
 >
 > While it sounds slightly different (I've never heard of a soft epoxy!) I
 > recently had a similar joy with a Wellcraft "restoration".
 >
 > After removing the various screws holding the rubrail to the shoebox hull
 > joint and removing the screws under the rubrail, I still could not separate
 > the hull halves near the stern.
 >
 > It turned out that the builder had adding some lateral plywood bracing
 > between the two sections aft, and had also built a 'step' on the transom
 > with gobs of epoxy on top, onto which the upper hull had been lowered. The
 > plywood laterals were then globbed with epoxy as well.
 >
 > To deal with the lateral bracing, I wound up using (abusing!) a Sawzall
 > with a long blade, working up from the bilges. When I ran out of room to
 > swing the saw up, I had to use a large hole saw to create access holes on
 > the inner topsides for some drilling to start further sawzall action. FYI:
 > The epoxy was loaded with silica, which just ate up the sawzall blades, so
 > I mostly tried to cut the plywood whenever possible.
 >
 > The 'step with gobs of epoxy' was dealt with by whacking at the plywood
 > step with an improvised chisel: about 3' of 3/16" mild steel with a chisel
 > edge ground in (and renewed often). That and some sawzall action finally
 > broke the step loose. Again, the epoxy was about indestructable.
 >
 > Once the hull halves were separated I cleaned up the damage. The access
 > holes were later covered with standard 6" screw-in covers. Actually, the
 > holes worked nicely when lifting the upper hull -- I just ran a 4x4 between
 > the holes.
 >
 > A small angle grinder is essential for this sort of work -- but I had
 > problems using it in the above separation. Lying on your back in a cramped
 > bilge compartment and using a grinder is a really nasty experience, even
 > with a moonsuit! Wear a *good* respirator and goggles!
 >
 > I'd point you towards some detailed pictures, but the website is
 > presently backlogged by about a year (I'll be catching up in August or
 > September, I hope!) <http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/blt/index.html>
 >
 > Best of luck,
 >
 > - Bruce<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: How to dissolve epoxy type material 

James & Julie Fields wrote:

 > Hello all,
 > I am working on a Vhull boat and am trying to raise the top section from the
 > bottom section to repair some flooring.. we have raised most of the top
 > section off but have come to a halt when trying to completely seperate the 2
 > sections. The back of the boat has soft yet dense "epoxy" type sealant or
 > absorbant on it. We are trying to find a way to dissolve it or free it so we
 > can raise the top half of the boat. Does anyone have any suggestions on how
 > to accomplish this.
 >
 > thanks

epoxies soften with heat and can then be chipped away. Might try a heat gun...

paul oman
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.epoxyproducts.com/marine.html" target="_blank">www.epoxyproducts.com/marine.html</a>


--


=======================================================
PAUL OMAN ----- Progressive Epoxy Polymers, Inc.
Frog Pond Hollow - 48 Wildwood Dr - Pittsfield NH 03263
603-435-7199 FAX 603-435-7182 VISA/MC/Discover
info DeleteThis @epoxyproducts.com <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.epoxyproducts.com" target="_blank">http://www.epoxyproducts.com</a>
Boating site: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.epoxyproducts.com/marine.html" target="_blank">http://www.epoxyproducts.com/marine.html</a>
========================================================<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: How to dissolve epoxy type material 

I've tried many, many, solvents on epoxy. (Pardon the spelling.
It's late and my spell check doesn't do basic chemisty.) The only
thing that I found that seemes to work consistantly is something like
the Butyl Lactone solution used to remove flux from circuit boards. It
doesn't seem to dig into phynolic matricies, but most epoxies I've
tried it in fell right atart. DO NOT get this on anything that you
want to keep and re-use. Small drops ate clean through a plastic
windshield I wanted to keep, Caused latex gloves to stick to my hands.
It also ate my blue tarp and made a glob out of it. Test it on small
areas first. Some substances it turnes to goo, while others it caused
to become embrittled and crazed. It seems to clean up with acitone or
soapy water. It becomes terribly exothermic when reacting with basic
compounds. (LIKE SOAP)
Good Luck.
On Mon, 7 Jul 2003 16:27:15 -0400, "James & Julie Fields"
<jjfields.DeleteThis@quixnet.net> wrote:

>Hello all,
>I am working on a Vhull boat and am trying to raise the top section from the
>bottom section to repair some flooring.. we have raised most of the top
>section off but have come to a halt when trying to completely seperate the 2
>sections. The back of the boat has soft yet dense "epoxy" type sealant or
>absorbant on it. We are trying to find a way to dissolve it or free it so we
>can raise the top half of the boat. Does anyone have any suggestions on how
>to accomplish this.
>
>thanks
>
 >> Stay informed about: How to dissolve epoxy type material