Siliconed Mirror

[Paul S]

I have a large bevelled mirror 53 X 39 to be reframed, but it is siliconed into the old frame as well as being held by short pieces of wood.
How do I get it out?? What will remove the glue? Ther is about 1/8" around .

 

[Ron Eggers]

I've run across that. Most of the silicone just pealed out (and you can amuse yourself by trying to remove it in a single 184" piece.

If that doesn't work, you can cut it with a sharp blade, but be careful not to scratch the silvering on the mirror.

(Tell me it's NOT glued from the front.)

 

[Framar]

On the This to That website I read about a product called Silicone Be Gone.

Sounds lethal but they claim it works great.

 

[realhotglass]

Paul,
What Ron said . . . use a sharp thin bladed utility knife (longish snap off blade type), and carefully go around.

Ron, it likely is stuck into the rebate face, so between the frame and glass you can generally get the blade in and carefully cut along.

Once you get around, also do a vertical cut between the glass edge and the rebate side from the back.

Apply gentle pressure at one corner, and it should ease out and any subsequent leftover stuck parts should come away ok.

Clean up residue once the glass is out by slicing / shaving away with same blade. Hopefully it is a 1/4" thickness mirror. If lighter, be very careful, and take twice or three times the time and care.

Oh, and wear heavy safety gloves, cut away from yourself, etc. The blade will have a tendency to hold then move unpredictably !

Framar, yeah This to That is a great site.

 

[5th corner]

Probably a good idea to warn the client that the mirror may need to be replaced if it breaks after all due care is taken. Beveled mirrors can have thin edges. You don't want to have to wear that cost.

 

[Bob Doyle]

Instead of a blade what about running some fishline around and trying to cut the silicone that way? Will it work? Don't know but seems less likely to scratch the mirror.

 

[realhotglass]

Bob, if the blade is held flat against the bevel, it would be almost impossible to scratch anything.

In fact, with a bevelled mirror glass, it is far more likely to cut easier through the backing material (silicone) to the rebate edge.

With flat glass, you have to sort of let the blade curve, so it gets in flat with the rebate face, can you picture that ?

Fishing line, or fine trace, might work, but it would be very difficult to start !

Sam, yes, good idea to have a general shop rule of "All care taken, but no responsibility can be accepted when working on / with customers own materials."