Separating styrene parts that have been glued together

Having trouble visualizing can you post a picture??

If they were glue together with styrene glue you can try liquid styrene glue ( plastruct) and a new sharp blade. If it was super glue try acetone or nail polish remover. both of thise will fog or etch your windows.

Joe,

once styrene is glued with liquid glue it is essentially welded together. I think you would be better off making new channels and cut the old ones off. Both plastruct and evergreen have many various shapes. I am sure you can find something that will work. Cut the old parts off with a knife and sand everything smooth.

if you can take some pictures as upfan mentioned, that will help.

alan graziano

clayj posted:

If they were glue together with styrene glue you can try liquid styrene glue ( plastruct) and a new sharp blade. If it was super glue try acetone or nail polish remover. both of thise will fog or etch your windows.

This though it depends how much of the joint is glued. If its only a few spots then more solvent glue plus prying may separate it. If the whole mating surface is glued then I think the only option is a sharp blade cutting it apart.

Pete

Norton posted:

clayj posted:

If they were glue together with styrene glue you can try liquid styrene glue ( plastruct) and a new sharp blade. If it was super glue try acetone or nail polish remover. both of thise will fog or etch your windows.

If its only a few spots....

....then just get out your #11 scalpel blade in its handle and cut it loose while also avoiding the loss of any body parts or fluids. 

Protect your precious bodily fluids!!!

Thanks for all the input so far, I'll get some pictures tonight.  Since it's a Walther's Built-up I have no idea if they used AC or Styrene solvent weld glue.  I guess I can always start with my wife's nail polish remover.  I think I may be following Alan's advice and trying to find a new channel to use.  My only problem is the channels I find at my LHS with the proper width(web) for doors and such usually are not that deep(flange) and don't make good guide rails.

Before Walthers did the "Built-ups", there was a very good tab assembly.    The tab-assembly system did not use adhesives.  There is a pretty good chance that the adhesive was used sparing-ly.

Krazy Ken's Kar Town.

Note the tabs.   These tabs were designed for seasonal assembly, and break-down/back in the box for storage.

Before out of the box on to the lay buildings common today.

coach joe posted:

Thanks for all the input so far, I'll get some pictures tonight.  Since it's a Walther's Built-up I have no idea if they used AC or Styrene solvent weld glue.  I guess I can always start with my wife's nail polish remover.  I think I may be following Alan's advice and trying to find a new channel to use.  My only problem is the channels I find at my LHS with the proper width(web) for doors and such usually are not that deep(flange) and don't make good guide rails.

I have a few original Walthers built ups and they didn't use CA but used solvent cement sparingly as Mike shows. They came apart easily by flexing back and forth slightly. The door may be a different matter but I would try flexing it first to get an idea how firmly attached it is.

Pete

Joe:

I have modified a few older Walthers O scale buildings (Dave's super station). If the HO built-ups are like the O scale Walthers does a superb job of gluing - ie stuff breaks before it splits apart. Since I am repainting the structure the windows and 'glass' need to go. Only successful method was to break them off and use after market replacements. I agree with Alan's method.

PS - MTH buildings are easier to work with. A lot of stuff is either snap in or screwed in.