"How to remove figures from old bases" Topic

Hi

I need some advice how to remove plastic miniatures super glued to plastic bases. I tried nail polish remover which melted the plastic.. Then I tried fairy power spray, no help.

Any ideas?

Very carefully.

This is superglue! It's weak laterally. Get a blade in between and they should snap apart.

Temperature variances can help make it even more brittle, so you could put a batch in the freezer for a while before trying to snap off their bases.

These are 6mm epic minis. There are 5 minis per base and each one is in a slot so you can't use blade effectively. Too much force brakes the figures :/

Soaking them in very warm water or simple green might help.

Thanks for the tips. I'm afraid that simple green isn't available here in Finland

A cleaner readily available in the U.S. There are some paint removers that work with plastics specifically. the other problem is that Epic bases are a very tight fit without glue. I don't envy your situation at all. If I am not mistaken, ZAP sells a debonder of some type. Hobby stores that carry remote control supplies should have it. Amazon probably has a vendor with some as well. You can try Tower Hobbies online too.

Very carefully…. I have used a blade and sliced my finger.

Buy new ones. Seriously. Trying to remove epic figures from their bases is practically impossible.

This is superglue! It's weak laterally. Get a blade in between and they should snap apart.

Temperature variances can help make it even more brittle, so you could put a batch in the freezer for a while before trying to snap off their bases.

In my experience, the quoted statement is the way to go.

and yes, never ever ever ever use anything with acetone in it on plastics….Any plastics of any quality or grade. We had someone at my old job do that and he ruined 10 pairs of safety goggles, the protective coating on a table and the clear plastic guard on a machine before anyone noticed.

Seeing as the figures are Epic though…. Maybe just sacrifice the bases? A few times I've had to just break slotta bases to recover the figures attached to them.

Hi

Place it in the freezer for 20 mins. and it should just pop off.

Wow, thank you all! The thing is that I got thousands of them and I just don't want to throw them away. Also the bases can be broken no need for those. I will try the freezer next :)

I have used small wire cutters to clip the Epic bases apart between the figures, and then to clip the excess base plastic away from the round bases.

The problem you may run into with the freezer method is that the figures aren't very robust. I do recommend the debonder for this reason.

Freezer didn't work. I will try to get the debonder and also use clippers for some minis

Ask yourself this: "what is my time worth?". I suspect you will spend many, many hours trying to remove these, and will break a lot of them in the process. Sell them, and buy others which haven't been glued to their bases.

good point Ivan. I thought of that and will most certainly do that also. I will strip those that I need and sell those that I don't.

the figures are based in wrong type of bases anyway for my use.

well nothing really works it seems. Best way seems to be just to brake the darn bases carefully and then cut the left over plastic from each of the figures with a craft knife.

not worth the hassle really as someone said :)