Epoxy on board? Any way to remove it?

[wyomingrocks]

Hello group, I just bought a Epiphone Valve Junior to mess around with. My particular unit has epoxy or some hard substance on most of the parts. I think it was done at the factory. I bought this little amp to goof off/mod/experiment with. I got it for the price of a cheap OD pedal. I used my drimmel on it with out much luck. I was wondering if some kind of chemical might remove it. Anyway if you have come across a simular situation how did you tackle it? Thanks for any feedback.

[Enzo]

It is probably hot melt glue, put on there to help keep parts from shaking and breaking free of their solder. Lay your iron on it for a second, does it melt? If so, that is what it is. Spray it down with freezit, and it will then shatter if you hit it.


SOme use silicone sealer, but hot melt is a lot more common.

[J M Fahey]

Hi wyoming, please post a couple pictures.
Thanks.

[wyomingrocks]

Thank you guys for your response, sorry I haven't gotten back sooner. My kids are getting back in school again and I we have been busy. Anyway to the problem at hand. I could have sworn it was some sort of epoxy because it didn't budge when I would poke it with a small screwdriver. But I did like you suggested Enzo and as always your advice was spot on. It melted when I touched it with the iron. Tomorrow I will try freezing it and loosen up the parts.

J M Fahey, thank you for your response, I have looked everywhere for my camera, I think it has grown legs or something because I cannot find it anywhere. I do appreciate you taking the time to offer your help.

thanks again

[Techknowman]

[QUOTE][Some use silicone sealer, but hot melt is a lot more common. /QUOTE]
When I work on a unit that is primarily portable, like a guitar amp, I always use RTV162 to "glue" down the big filter caps and to harden other loose parts.
The reason I use RTV162 is its made for electronics. Other home supply types are not and there solvents or vapors or some other thing is corrosive to electronic parts.
This is what I'm told, I really haven't looked into it much but since our electronics we build at my 9-5 job have to be FAA approved, we have to use certain types of wire etc.
We really have to harden our stuff to prevent parts shaking off the boards!

[R.G.]

Get a 40W soldering iron with a screw-in tip. Unscrew the solid metal tip. Replace it with a stainless steel screw that you've ground the head away on to make a chisel tip. Heat the iron up, and when the chisel is good and hot, push it gently but firmly into the goo. Solid epoxy and most other things soften enough to "chisel" them away with this, and not destroy board or parts. I'm not sure it would work on catalyzed urethanes, but epoxies and most other encapsulants give up to it.