What dissolves PVC glue?

[cgill311]

I've got some pieces of PVC that are glued, that I would like to unglue.

Does anyone know something that will dissolve PVC cement but not PVC? Alternatively, anyone know some other way of getting 2 glued pieces apart?

 

[maveri9720]

From my limited knowledge of PVC, I believe the PVC cement actually melts the two pieces into each other and then they basically become one when it dries.

No luck getting them undone. They are fused together. Sorry Chris.

 

[cgill311]

Maveri9720;30000 wrote: From my limited knowledge of PVC, I believe the PVC cement actually melts the two pieces into each other and then they basically become one when it dries.

No luck getting them undone. They are fused together. Sorry Chris.

Yeah, that's what I figured. Thought I'd ask anyways. :sad:

 

[jefft]

Hacksaw,TNT,C4

 

[tsciarini]

I prefer the TNT....

 

[frewl]

It depends on how well it was glued. Sometimes you can just twist really really hard and it will come undone. But for that to work I think it would have to have been a really crappy plumber. Or it might just be the material. I did that with a bulkhead. I think the bulkheads are made of PVC aren't they?

 

[cgill311]

Anybody have some explosive for trade? I have a few frags of.........

 

[schwaggs]

I think Maveri is right, the glue is actually a solvent that melts the 2 pieces into one. I have never been able to successfully get an item apart after the glue had dried...

 

[george]

What are you trying to do? Re-use these pieces in a totally new way or just insert something in between?

 

[cgill311]

George;30232 wrote: What are you trying to do? Re-use these pieces in a totally new way or just insert something in between?

So I bought a drilled 10 gallon tank for a frag tank. The great thing was it came with bulkhead fittings already attached. However, in a genious moment, I managed to break the glass, so I pulled out the bulkheads and tossed the tank.

Unfortunately, PVC was cemented into the bulkhead fittings. I'd like to reuse them, but I can't get the nut over the PVC fittings. And there's no way to install a bulkhead without having to get those off.

So, I think I'm fubar'ed. I can take some pics later tonight, if that doesn't make sense.

 

[cameron]

I would toss them and by a couple new ones. You can pick them up for less than $10 or so depending on how big and where you buy them. It will cost you more in headaches to try and reuse glued fittings.

 

[maveri9720]

Cameron;30245 wrote: I would toss them and by a couple new ones. You can pick them up for less than $10 or so depending on how big and where you buy them. It will cost you more in headaches to try and reuse glued fittings.

Agreed. Many a time I have struggled with something, just to realize I couldn't do it and if I had stopped in the beginning and just did it the way it was supposed to have been done, I would have already been done and saved myself the aggravation and time wasted.

Cut your losses and buy some new ones.

 

[george]

CGill311;30241 wrote: Unfortunately, PVC was cemented into the bulkhead fittings. I'd like to reuse them, but I can't get the nut over the PVC fittings. And there's no way to install a bulkhead without having to get those off.

So, I think I'm fubar'ed. I can take some pics later tonight, if that doesn't make sense.

This isn't necessarily true, depending on the bulkhead. I have a ton of older bulkheads that had just this problem. I cut off the PVC that had been attached using the slip internal fitting and found that the outer threads of the bulkhead (as in what you screw it down with) are 1 1/4". As we type, I have two of those bulkheads on my display and fuge with a 1 1/4" FPT to 1 1/4" hose barb 90 degree elbows screwed on to each (plumbers tape as well, of course) and then have 1 1/4" hose running down to my sump. 1 1/4" FPT standard PVC fittings would work just as well if I hadn't wanted to use some tubing I already had.

Some bulkheads such as the one I bought from Cap Bay are threaded slightly too large for a 1 1/4" standard PVC FPT, but yours may work. Take it to HD or Lowes and see.

 

[cgill311]

George;30289 wrote: This isn't necessarily true, depending on the bulkhead. I have a ton of older bulkheads that had just this problem. I cut off the PVC that had been attached using the slip internal fitting and found that the outer threads of the bulkhead (as in what you screw it down with) are 1 1/4". As we type, I have two of those bulkheads on my display and fuge with a 1 1/4" FPT to 1 1/4" hose barb 90 degree elbows screwed on to each (plumbers tape as well, of course) and then have 1 1/4" hose running down to my sump. 1 1/4" FPT standard PVC fittings would work just as well if I hadn't wanted to use some tubing I already had.

Some bulkheads such as the one I bought from Cap Bay are threaded slightly too large for a 1 1/4" standard PVC FPT, but yours may work. Take it to HD or Lowes and see.

That's not a bad idea. I'll give it a shot. If not, guess I'll have to suck it up and shell out $20 for new fittings.