How to remove glass from wood edging?

[rdesigns]

The glass doors I  made years ago for a couple of the kitchen cabinets have quite a bit of minor chipping on the exposed edges.

The glass doors have a full-length maple hinge bar on the hinge side only; maple is 3/4" thick x 2" wide with a rabbet to accept the 1/4"-thick glass; glass glued into the rabbet with clear silicone.

Any suggestions on how to remove the glass without damage to the maple hinge bar? I would like to not have to re-make the hinge bars, but I need to replace the glass.

 

[waynelang2001]

Some pictures would really help us get an idea of what your talking about.

 

[hockey_magnet]

You could try this removcanada

 

[rdesigns]

That particular brand is not available locally, but I believe I have seen a similar product at Home Depot. At least it claims to act in the same way, namely, to break the bond rather than dissolve the silicone. It is worth a try.

Thanks.

 

[andvari]

The MSDS of removcanada shows that this stuff has a CAS number of 8052-41-3.

This is high flash naptha or Stoddard's solvent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_spirit
http://hazard.com/msds/mf/baker/baker/files/s6588.htm

There should be plenty of choices of where to buy it.

If you are using it in any quantity wear an organic vapor respirator and/or have good ventilation.

Mineral spirits should swell and thus soften the silicone so it can be removed with a scrubber. Of course this process might also mess up the finish on adjacent wood surfaces.

As far as breaking any bonds, well, I worked for a year or so as a silicone chemist. I think that's really unlikely. I hated working with the stuff because it was so hard to clean off any lab equipment to the point where it wouldn't contaminate the next experiment, especially after curing. We used to use all kinds of very corrosive/toxic solvents and even then it was a giant pain. The best was when we could use disposable equipment. Luckily you don't need that level of clean.

GE has some more advice on their silicone web site.

http://www.caulkyourhome.com/frequently-asked-questions.php#trbl_3

 

[mastercabman]

Why not break the glass and use plier to pull the small pieces that is silicon to the door.
Also i have used a heat gun before to soften the silicon.It did help.

 

[rdesigns]

Success!

Here's one of the two cabinets with glass doors and maple hinge bars.
[attachthumb=1]

The caulk remover is Mostenbocker's Lift Off--must be similar to Removcanada, but no info on the bottle identified active chemicals
[attachthumb=2]

On the bench. The tool is some kind of mason's small trowel, very handy, but I'd like to know its right name.
[attachthumb=3]

 

[Umbro]

It's called a "small tool" here in England.
Everywhere probably has their own name. It's used primarily for repairing ornate plaster coving etc.

 

[andvari]

Success!

The caulk remover is Mostenbocker's Lift Off--must be similar to Removcanada, but no info on the bottle identified active chemicals
[attachthumb=2]

Usually you can go to the manufacturer's web site and download an MSDS that gives you some clue as to what is in the product.

http://www.liftoffinc.com/my_files/mlo-msdsfsr.pdf

 

[Deansocial]

trowel and square small tool or leaf and square small tool.

 

[rdesigns]

It's called a "small tool" here in England.
Everywhere probably has their own name. It's used primarily for repairing ornate plaster coving etc.

I've seen that name for it in an English book on renovation that I have. Here in the US, "small tool" would be meaningless to most of us.

Soooo...what's a "big tool" in England?  [blink]

 

[Alan m]

Soooo...what's a "big tool" in England?  [blink]

3 letters spring to mind [blink] [blink] [blink]
[poke] [poke]

must resist saying anything political [bite tongue] [bite tongue] [bite tongue] [censored]