Removing Glue From Carbon Fiber

Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't finger nail polish remover Acetone or contains Acetone? None the less probably cheaper than a can of Acetone
First, with ALL chemical cleaners, USE NITRILE GLOVES WHEN HANDLING. Even denatured alcohol will absorb thru the skin and get into the blood stream to the liver.
All those other above mentioned removers do have a SMALL amount of acetone in them, (this is what breaks down the CA) which means it may take more of it, plus more effort to clean the glue compared to pure acetone. Using pure acetone on a Q-tip takes usually 2-3 gentle swipes and its gone, no hard rubbing/scrubbing needed.
Price: A quart of acetone at HD cost $10 for 32 oz, a gallon is $21 of full strength acetone. The nail polish remover is roughly $2 for 6 oz. so yes the price for 32 oz works out cheaper, but you may need twice/three times as much to do the same thing. Goof off is $5 for 6 oz. a gallon is $26 BUT contains many more chemicals (including PETROLEUM based ones) that may damage the CF surface Click Here for the list.
I use full strength acetone and buy it by the quart. I use it for cleaning many things that denatured alcohol does not touch, also to soak the caps and nozzles of my bottles of CA when they get clogged. They soak for 24 hrs and come out crystal clean.
EDIT: Just realized the goof off mentioned was the Goof-off CA remover so here is the info on that for cost. It does seem to basically be mostly acetone with Tetrahydrofuran, Diethylene oxide, and Epoxybutane and no mention of petroleum products. 4 oz at HD is $7.27 did not find it in larger sizes.

Dave
 
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First, with ALL chemical cleaners, USE NITRILE GLOVES WHEN HANDLING. Even denatured alcohol will absorb thru the skin and get into the blood stream to the liver.
All those other above mentioned removers do have a SMALL amount of acetone in them, (this is what breaks down the CA) which means it may take more of it, plus more effort to clean the glue compared to pure acetone. Using pure acetone on a Q-tip takes usually 2-3 gentle swipes and its gone, no hard rubbing/scrubbing needed.
Price: A quart of acetone at HD cost $10 for 32 oz, a gallon is $21 of full strength acetone. The nail polish remover is roughly $2 for 6 oz. so yes the price for 32 oz works out cheaper, but you may need twice/three times as much to do the same thing. Goof off is $5 for 6 oz. a gallon is $26 BUT contains many more chemicals (including PETROLEUM based ones) that may damage the CF surface Click Here for the list.
I use full strength acetone and buy it by the quart. I use it for cleaning many things that denatured alcohol does not touch, also to soak the caps and nozzles of my bottles of CA when they get clogged. They soak for 24 hrs and come out crystal clean.

Dave
Thank you Dave
Everyone be safe carcinogens will shorten your lifespan, My area of study ( nuclear medicine) i got out of that field many years ago, because they were exposing us, while treating partients, to Radio nuclides that were way beyond cancerous
 
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Acetone is better than nothing but is not an epic super glue remover by any means. I bought the goof off product but have not tried it yet.
I hope it's better than acetone which is mediocre at best. I have used bottled purified water and found it is every bit as good as acetone. I soaked my gluey finger in it for about 90 seconds and the glue was gone. It was amazing, but I like instant gratification.
 
Acetone is better than nothing but is not an epic super glue remover by any means. I bought the goof off product but have not tried it yet.
I hope it's better than acetone which is mediocre at best. I have used bottled purified water and found it is every bit as good as acetone. I soaked my gluey finger in it for about 90 seconds and the glue was gone. It was amazing, but I like instant gratification.
The Goof off for CA is basically, according to the SDS sheet, 70-80% acetone with small amounts of Tetrahydrofuran, Diethylene oxide, and Epoxybutane making up the rest. 🤷‍♂️
 
I would always try a sharp blade before chemicals. Unless you are a ham fisted troglodyte, you won't do damage.
gotta say, using a razor to scrape a SMUDGE of CA on a CF shaft is playing with fire. Doing it to remove a large portion of a glob is one thing but for a glue smudge......even suggesting it makes my skin crawl. The damage that can happen is UNRECOVERABLE. Using acetone is the best at it, and if there's a blemish from using it, you can wet sand then buff and no one can even tell. Gouge it with a razor....good luck splaining it to the customer.....
 
gotta say, using a razor to scrape a SMUDGE of CA on a CF shaft is playing with fire. Doing it to remove a large portion of a glob is one thing but for a glue smudge......even suggesting it makes my skin crawl. The damage that can happen is UNRECOVERABLE. Using acetone is the best at it, and if there's a blemish from using it, you can wet sand then buff and no one can even tell. Gouge it with a razor....good luck splaining it to the customer.....

Acetone makes my skin crawl. It dissolves so many plastics and finishes. So there is risk in your method, just as there is in mine.

If you think I am suggesting using a sharp tool in a way that would leave anything that can't be buffed out, you are mistaken.

I also think that you and I are reading the issue differently, you are likely correct and I may have glossed over the smudge. If it is smeared thin enough, a sharp razor may not work.
 
There can be consequences to everything mentioned.
Extreme care should be taken.
Do it yourself attempts without experience, usually comes down to.
Pay someone with experience now or later, but the majority without experience usually end of paying more because of self attempts.
Food for thought!
 
gotta say, using a razor to scrape a SMUDGE of CA on a CF shaft is playing with fire. Doing it to remove a large portion of a glob is one thing but for a glue smudge......even suggesting it makes my skin crawl. The damage that can happen is UNRECOVERABLE. Using acetone is the best at it, and if there's a blemish from using it, you can wet sand then buff and no one can even tell. Gouge it with a razor....good luck splaining it to the customer.....
Someone scraped. He went into the c/f and 1/8".
NOW, after first laughing at him. I listed his options.
1st, a shorter shaft or
2nd, a longer vault plate.
(Learn your different materials) !!!!!!!!
Either way,
A new vault plate, silencer pad seeing it's a revo and of course, a new kamui tip.
 

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Someone scraped. He went into the c/f and 1/8".
NOW, after first laughing at him. I listed his options.
1st, a shorter shaft or
2nd, a longer vault plate.
(Learn your different materials) !!!!!!!!
Either way,
A new vault plate, silencer pad seeing it's a revo and of course, a new kamui tip.
I tell my customers NOT to trim the mushroom, as they can damage their shaft in a flash....I will do it for free even if it's not a tip I did........one didn't listen on his new cuetec CF. He bought a tool and this happened. had to remove 1/8" due to damaged CF SMH
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Not sure if this would help anyone, but this topic jogged my memory of when I was heavy into archery and used to fletch a lot of arrows, carbon included.
One of the agrivating things to do when refletching was to cleanly get all the old glue off. Wasn't too bad with aluminum, but with carbon, I wrecked a few shafts at first. Then I modified an xacto blade so that it was somewhat round at the cutting surface. No more digging in on the carbon shafts.
I just tried to find the blade I had to show, but couldn't so I quickly made a representation of it. It's cold outside so I didn't feel like going out to the shop to get a smaller diameter dremel stone, but hopefully you get the idea. Once you have roughed it with a stone, then just wrap some 1500 or so wet and dry around a small dowl, 3/8" or so and smooth the edge. The picture is a rough example just for illustration as I really only spent a couple minutes on it.
I think you can actually buy something similar at large archery places now. Possibly try Lancaster archery.
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Just type fletching remover into google and you will find all makes of tools to clean superglue off a carbon shaft. Not sure if there curvature is wide enough though, check closely.
Also there is quite a few solvents, one called zing looks good, says it's safe for carbon.
 
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