Seperating glued Containers from wagons

[AdrianC]

Hi all, not sure if this is the right place to post this so mods please move if not.

I recently bought a pair of Dapol FEA spine wagons and the previous owner appears to have been a bit generous on the glue where the containers have been stuck on. This wouldn't be too much of an issue to me apart from the fact that on one wagon the containers aren't aligned correctly. I've got one off easily, but the other is stuck fast. I'm loathed to stick a craft knife down in case I break them so is there any way of dissolving the glue? (it looks like polystyrene cement).

Thanks in advance for any help.

AC

[Railwaygun]

anything that dissolves polystyrene cement is likely to dissolve wagon/containers!

try the craft knife underneath - if no good, cover it with a tissue paper tarpaulin!

[terrysoham]

You could try soaking it overnight in water to see if that softens the glue.

[Bealman]

Alright with a Peco wagon, but I'm not sure about Dapol.....

Have they got metal axles? Anyway if they have, just remove them, I suppose.

[ColinH]

Stick it in the freezer for a while and see if that breaks the glue. Most glues have a minimum as well as maximum working temp. SWMBO uses this technique with her doll house modelling subjects for refurbishment.

[cutting42]

If it is polystyrene cement then the water or the freezing techniques will not work. Poly melts the plastic so you essentially weld the pieces together rather than gluing them as you would with super glue or resin glues.. The only two methods that will work  are mechanical separation or remelting the joint with a thin poly cement. Both methods are risky as sliding a knife or similar into the joint can break stuff you don't want broken and more poly can run everywhere.

I would try a very thin poly glue applied into the joint from a fine applicator nozzle as most joints are not perfect and the thin poly will run into the spaces and soften the joint allowing you possibly to separate or adjust.

Good luck.

[daffy]

Yes, polystyrene cement is practically akin to welding, so separating items is a very hit and miss affair. If the original owner used copious amounts you will struggle.
In the past, with plastic model kits, I have separated components by cutting around the glued area to remove a part, trimming and filing down the remaining old joint, and making good on the removed part with plastic filler. Not always successful, and on one occasion, when matters got a little heated, I resorted to a Glasgow screwdriver with predictable results.

[AdrianC]

Hi all,

Many thanks for all the suggestions, very helpful. I have in fact managed to separate the errant container from the wagon with a craft knife after all.

Now to clean it up a little as they really did use a frightful amount of glue, enough in fact so it had dripped into one of the wheels and locked it solid    all good now though.

Cheers
AC