What softens Elmers Glue?

Trapper L · July 18, 2007, 12:58 PM

Yeah, it's gun related. I bought a Sako that has European Bear Claw scope mounts. Apparently the previous owner had accuracy issues and glued the rear mount in the base. So, how do I get it apart?
FWIW, these mounts are supposedly the kind that you can remove the scope, remount it and it does not change the zero. The front mount has two claws that swing into the mount from above and the rear has two claws that the spring loaded "keepers" snap into. I've seen these on extremely high dollar African magnums so they should be good. Unfortunately, it has 30mm rings that are part of the mount. I think, if anything, the scope is questionable.

brickeyee · July 18, 2007, 01:12 PM

Water or denatured alcohol would be my first choice.

You sure it is not Epoxy?

MEK will attack epoxy.
Warm MEK works even better, but the stuff is flammable so heating it can be an issue outside a lab with enclosed electric heaters.

A dead blow hammer and some dry ice will often ‘unglue’ epoxy joints between metal surfaces.
Apply the dry ice to the joint until it is chilled well, than tap with a dead blow in a shear direction on one side.
The joint often pops apart.

fisherman66 · July 18, 2007, 01:20 PM

I'd probably used canned air (the type used to clean keyboards). Hold it upside down and liquid air will hit the glue and make it brittle (just like in the example above with dry ice). A soft blow will break the bond and you can clean the area with a razor and then water.

Scorch · July 18, 2007, 02:59 PM

Water or steam will quickly soften Elmers glue.

Slopemeno · July 18, 2007, 03:00 PM

I'd be hesitant to use water. I'd try to get a piece of the glue off and look at it. Elmers should just about fall off- My guess is 5-minute epoxy. I'd *carefully* use a heat gun and get the mount off.

ZeroJunk · July 18, 2007, 03:41 PM

You might try putting it in a freezer and see if the coefficient of expansion is different enough to break it loose.Or as mentioned but instead of canned air go to an electronics store and get some component freeze spray used to identify bad components on a circuit board.Basically HCFC in a can.

Trapper L · July 18, 2007, 03:58 PM

Just got off of the phone with the guy- yeah, it's Elmers. And he did try to glue because the gun wouldn't group. According to him, it still won't group. It has a cheap Euro scope on it and I expect that to be the issue. Now if I can just get this mount apart........

brickeyee · July 18, 2007, 04:11 PM

Hit it with a heat gun.
Elmers is not very stable glue.
It will soften up pretty quickly and make a mess.
There is likely rust under the glue also.
Emers is a water based PVA glue and the metal would have to be degreased to get any kind of a bond, thus allowing the water in the glue to cause rust.

Good luck.

Trapper L · July 18, 2007, 05:14 PM

Hot dang, I got it! The cold got me to thinking maybe spray brake cleaner which is cold. A squirt of that and some Kroil, a slight boink on the thumb carriage and she came loose. The Elmers was not as heavy as I expected, only a light coat. And luckily, no rust. Now all I have to do is figure out what kind of mount this is by brand and hopefully get new rings. It appears that the scope was made in the rings. The rings are not split anywhere, just a pair of screws on top to tighten otherwise they are one piece from top to bottom. The scope is a Pecar if anybody is familiar with those. I've looked them up but they don't make mounts.

dutchy · July 19, 2007, 05:18 AM

Good it worked out OK.
If everything else failed I would have advised Daffy's unglue spray....

azjohn · July 24, 2007, 09:21 PM

If you need some helpon the scope and mounts you might try the sako collectors club it is an MSN group. Someone there might be able to help you. John groups.msn.com/SakoCollectorsClub

Bosshoff · July 27, 2007, 09:57 AM

Glad you got it apart. Just for reference in case anyone else has a similar problem, I had read on a forum of using a standard clothes iron. Put the rifle in a bench vise, turn the iron on, and place the iron on top of the rings, allowing the heat to penetrate the mount/base/etc.

July 18, 2007, 12:58 PM	#1
Trapper L Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 804	What softens Elmers Glue? Yeah, it's gun related. I bought a Sako that has European Bear Claw scope mounts. Apparently the previous owner had accuracy issues and glued the rear mount in the base. So, how do I get it apart? FWIW, these mounts are supposedly the kind that you can remove the scope, remount it and it does not change the zero. The front mount has two claws that swing into the mount from above and the rear has two claws that the spring loaded "keepers" snap into. I've seen these on extremely high dollar African magnums so they should be good. Unfortunately, it has 30mm rings that are part of the mount. I think, if anything, the scope is questionable.

July 18, 2007, 01:20 PM	#3
fisherman66 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2005 Location: The Woodlands TX Posts: 4,679	I'd probably used canned air (the type used to clean keyboards). Hold it upside down and liquid air will hit the glue and make it brittle (just like in the example above with dry ice). A soft blow will break the bond and you can clean the area with a razor and then water. __________________ la plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!

July 18, 2007, 02:59 PM	#4
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Water or steam will quickly soften Elmers glue. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

July 24, 2007, 09:21 PM	#11
azjohn Member Join Date: April 25, 2007 Location: Amado, Arizona Posts: 73	If you need some helpon the scope and mounts you might try the sako collectors club it is an MSN group. Someone there might be able to help you. John groups.msn.com/SakoCollectorsClub __________________ Not cool sunglasses for the AZ sun.

July 27, 2007, 09:57 AM	#12
Bosshoff Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2004 Posts: 173	Glad you got it apart. Just for reference in case anyone else has a similar problem, I had read on a forum of using a standard clothes iron. Put the rifle in a bench vise, turn the iron on, and place the iron on top of the rings, allowing the heat to penetrate the mount/base/etc. __________________ Chop Chop!

July 18, 2007, 01:12 PM	#2
brickeyee Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2004 Posts: 3,351	Water or denatured alcohol would be my first choice. You sure it is not Epoxy? MEK will attack epoxy. Warm MEK works even better, but the stuff is flammable so heating it can be an issue outside a lab with enclosed electric heaters. A dead blow hammer and some dry ice will often ‘unglue’ epoxy joints between metal surfaces. Apply the dry ice to the joint until it is chilled well, than tap with a dead blow in a shear direction on one side. The joint often pops apart.

July 18, 2007, 03:00 PM	#5
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	I'd be hesitant to use water. I'd try to get a piece of the glue off and look at it. Elmers should just about fall off- My guess is 5-minute epoxy. I'd carefully use a heat gun and get the mount off.

July 18, 2007, 03:41 PM	#6
ZeroJunk Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 2006 Location: Browns Summit NC Posts: 2,589	You might try putting it in a freezer and see if the coefficient of expansion is different enough to break it loose.Or as mentioned but instead of canned air go to an electronics store and get some component freeze spray used to identify bad components on a circuit board.Basically HCFC in a can.

July 18, 2007, 03:58 PM	#7
Trapper L Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 804	Just got off of the phone with the guy- yeah, it's Elmers. And he did try to glue because the gun wouldn't group. According to him, it still won't group. It has a cheap Euro scope on it and I expect that to be the issue. Now if I can just get this mount apart........

July 18, 2007, 04:11 PM	#8
brickeyee Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2004 Posts: 3,351	Hit it with a heat gun. Elmers is not very stable glue. It will soften up pretty quickly and make a mess. There is likely rust under the glue also. Emers is a water based PVA glue and the metal would have to be degreased to get any kind of a bond, thus allowing the water in the glue to cause rust. Good luck.

July 18, 2007, 05:14 PM	#9
Trapper L Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 804	Hot dang, I got it! The cold got me to thinking maybe spray brake cleaner which is cold. A squirt of that and some Kroil, a slight boink on the thumb carriage and she came loose. The Elmers was not as heavy as I expected, only a light coat. And luckily, no rust. Now all I have to do is figure out what kind of mount this is by brand and hopefully get new rings. It appears that the scope was made in the rings. The rings are not split anywhere, just a pair of screws on top to tighten otherwise they are one piece from top to bottom. The scope is a Pecar if anybody is familiar with those. I've looked them up but they don't make mounts.

July 19, 2007, 05:18 AM	#10
dutchy Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2005 Location: Holland Posts: 199	Good it worked out OK. If everything else failed I would have advised Daffy's unglue spray....