Possible to unglue coupled body tubes?

[billdz]

I have 2 Estes cardboard body tubes glued together with a coupler. I am told they were put together with wood glue. Is there any practical way to melt or dissolve the glue so one of the tubes can be removed and reused?

 

[qquake2k]

No way that I know of.

 

[cavecentral]

Might be able to cut on the seam and peel the coupler out of the inside. Not sure if the body tubes are robust enough to handle that.

 

[rharshberger]

Wood glue can be softened by soaking with white vinegar (its done in woodworking when its necessary to seperate old parts to repair furniture and the like), however by doing so the body tubes will be ruined. So for our purposes most likely not.

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[billdz]

Thanks for the replies, didn't think it was possible but had to ask. Thought about a heat gun but it would probably burn the body tube before it melted the glue.

 

[sl98]

Might be able to cut on the seam and peel the coupler out of the inside. Not sure if the body tubes are robust enough to handle that.

I used this method on an old Estes Executioner. I cut at the seam using several wraps of card stock as a cutting guide. Once the tubes were apart, I peeled most of the coupler out. I then used a dremel with a flex shaft and an 80 grit flap sander to get the rest of the coupler and glue out.

 

[cbrarick]

I used this method on an old Estes Executioner. I cut at the seam using several wraps of card stock as a cutting guide. Once the tubes were apart, I peeled most of the coupler out. I then used a dremel with a flex shaft and an 80 grit flap sander to get the rest of the coupler and glue out.

I commend your effort but gotta wonder if it would have been quicker and cheaper to build another one.....