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E-6000 glue trouble for 1st time

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 12:00 pm
by Leslie Ihde
Hello Glassies,

I have been happily using E6000 silicon glue for ages and nary a trouble. Then the other day, for the first time, a gallery called me and told me that the mirror which is glued to my fused glass frame developed a small crack. I thought it was a fluke- it had happened once yrs ago with a ceramic mirror. Maybe the glue pulled the glass and started a teeny run, or something. Then today, I saw it had happened on a second mirror in my home! Now I'm upset. The only think I think I did differently recently was use small plastic clamps when I glued the mirror. What should I do?

Can I get the mirror off the glass and salvage the frame somehow- perhaps by heating it to 500 degrees or so?

Can I slice the mirror off somehow?

Should I use silicon instead of E6000?

Any experienced help would be most gratefully appreciated- I have 3 shows coming up!!!

Leslie

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 12:18 pm
by Geri Comstock
There are two ways of removing the glue from a mirror that I've been successful with. One is to soak it in a solvent that will dissolve the glue. The other is to burn it off, which smells horrible and probably creates lots of nasty toxic fumes. Burnning off the glue on mirrors has been more successful for me. I take it to 750 and hold for 5 minutes to just get the glue to let go. It doesn't completely burn off at that temp, though.

I found that my mirrors were cracking when I was storing them flat instead of on their edge. Never did figure out why this was the case, but that seemed to be the pattern.

Geri

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 2:37 pm
by Leslie Ihde
Geri-

That sounds good. Any discoloration to the fused mirror frame? Also, you prefer burning off, which I think will be what I would do. But what would a solvent be and does the solvent hurt the glass? I have a call into the company that makes E-6000, so that may give me additional info.

Thanks for taking the time to post.

Leslie (excited and scared now that things are happening in glass art for me)

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 3:06 pm
by BobbieMatus
Leslie, let me know what the company says. I have been using e6000 to glue my mirrors also. Haven't had any problems but would like to know what the company tells ya
Thanks
Bobbie

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 3:11 pm
by Leslie Ihde
The company says the solvent is acetone, but it doesn't dissolve it, just soften it. Doesn't acetone dull glass? anyone know?

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 3:22 pm
by charlie
Leslie Ihde wrote:The company says the solvent is acetone, but it doesn't dissolve it, just soften it. Doesn't acetone dull glass? anyone know?
no, but it will remove the paint off the back of the mirror.

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 3:33 pm
by Geri Comstock
I think I've used a different solvent from acetone but can't recall what it was. I know that Terry Ow-Wing has posted about it for removing posts, etc. that have been glued onto glass jewelry...perhaps a search for her posts would reveal what it is. The glue has to soak for several days and it leaves a gummy mess. The solvent evaporates and is highly flammable so it's best to put it in a closed glass container. Most mirrors won't fit into such a container which is why I've always burnt them off.

If you fire longer and hotter you can pretty much burn the glue off. I think I've taken mine to 850 and held it for quite a while, but OOOHHHH what a stench.

You'll have to experiment with this to see what happens to your glass.

Good luck -

Geri

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 3:38 pm
by charlie
Geri Comstock wrote:I think I've used a different solvent from acetone but can't recall what it was. I know that Terry Ow-Wing has posted about it for removing posts, etc. that have been glued onto glass jewelry...perhaps a search for her posts would reveal what it is. The glue has to soak for several days and it leaves a gummy mess. The solvent evaporates and is highly flammable so it's best to put it in a closed glass container. Most mirrors won't fit into such a container which is why I've always burnt them off.

If you fire longer and hotter you can pretty much burn the glue off. I think I've taken mine to 850 and held it for quite a while, but OOOHHHH what a stench.

You'll have to experiment with this to see what happens to your glass.

Good luck -

Geri
it's a mirror. one can't fire mirror without losing the mirror part of the mirror. one is left with a piece of float glass.

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 4:32 pm
by Leslie Ihde
Thanks Geri, Charlie.

I'll go with the firing technique and see how it works. The mirror glass is history, anyway, since it's what cracked. I'm just trying to salvage the frame I made.

Leslie

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 6:26 pm
by Carolyn Ledbetter
One thing to consider is that E-6000 shrinks (into a thin layer) as it dries. For example, if you use it to glue just a thin border around the edges of something into a frame, it will try to stretch the glass as it dries. This usually results in a crack. For this type of application silicone seems to work best since it has some "give".

If you figure out an effective method of removing dried E-6000, please let me know. I too have a few failed projects.

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 6:40 pm
by Greg Rawls
Doesn't silicon turn yellow over time? Never seen this, but heard it happens.

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 8:59 pm
by Terry Ow-Wing
.....Terry Ow-Wing has posted about it for removing posts, ...

it's me. I usually use something like a baking pan /turkey plan , use laquer thinner, close the top and leave in the garage for a day or so. For small jewelry finings I just use a glass jar and leave the findings in there. I may give it a shake or two once in awhile. For me it seems the least amount of work.

Good luck - Terry O.

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 9:07 pm
by Leslie Ihde
Terry,
Is laquer thinner the same as paint thinner? Would you try your techinque with a large piece if you had a big enough pan?
Leslie

Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 7:28 am
by rosanna gusler
paint thinner is usually mineral spirits. laquer thinner is a mix of acetone and other solvents. acetone is acetone. i work with all these daily and i would suggest burning off the glue. it will be cheaper and safer. rosanna

Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 12:46 pm
by Terry Ow-Wing
yes - I have 20 x 15" mirrors and have used this technique several times.

-Terry O.

Leslie Ihde wrote:Terry,
Is laquer thinner the same as paint thinner? Would you try your techinque with a large piece if you had a big enough pan?
Leslie

Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 7:23 pm
by Pamela B.
Very timely. I had a picture frame which was glued to a lucite stand develop a crack in both the lucite and the glass. E-6000. I've had this happen before with both mirrors and picture frames and attributed it to being knocked around although I wrap everything in bubble wrap whenever I move it.

To salvage the frame, I simply lay it glass-down on the top of my kiln and when the E-6000 softens, I pry the two apart. I use a citrus-based solvent to get rid of the E-6000, refuse the glass frame onto a piece of thin and glue it onto another lucite frame. No more will I use E-6000, though.

Pam

Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 8:15 pm
by BobbieMatus
If you will no longer use the e-6000, what will you use in it's place. just curious because I have been using the e6000 to glue my mirrors to fused glass.
Bobbie

Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2003 1:35 am
by Lynne Chappell
Just a suggestion, if you decide to use silicone to glue your mirrors, be sure to get a "neutral cure" silicone as the regular stuff will eat the silvering if it comes in contact with it. Not right away, weeks or months later.

Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:26 am
by Pamela B.
Most likely a five-minute epoxy.

Pam

>If you will no longer use the e-6000, what will you use in it's place. just curious because I have been using the e6000 to glue my mirrors to fused glass.
Bobbie<

Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2003 11:43 am
by Barbara Muth
Leslie, I recommend using silicone for glass to glass (or glass to acrylic) bonds. The silicone has give to it, which means that the bond is less likely to break when jarred. Definitely go for the "neutral cure" that Lynne recommends if you are attaching mirrors. I have had numerous E6000 failures, but never a one with silicone. Just make sure it gets its 24 hours to cure. And btw, I use the GE brand silicone and it has never yellowed on me.

Barbara