I need to remove a large mirror that someone glued to a wall with several blobs of Liquid Nails. The mirror is not flat against the wall but instead, because of the blobs of adhesive, there is a space. I don’t know if such a thing exists but I’m looking for a tool, like a wire saw that I can use to slide behind the mirror and saw through the adhesive. I’ve seen a diamond-encrusted version that is a little expensive and a combat/survival version that is too short…..though if I could find the person that glued the mirror to the wall rather than using clips…. Does a construction/DIY version exist? I need something that is about 5 feet long. Otherwise it is the glass cutter, hammer and safety glasses.
Thanks,
George
Replies
That is mirror mastic more than likely should be black in color.
I have found the best technique is to make a bunch of thin long shims and drive them in from both sides carefully.
Wear face shield long sleeves and gloves because if this fails it can happen really fast.
Also masking tape all over the mirror and some glass suction cups and towels below to let it fall on if you lose control.
ANDYSZ2
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One thing i have had fairly decent luck with is using a heat gun to slowly warm the mirror mastic, the shims behind the mirror will then help it slowly pull away from the wall.
I believe that plain old nylon cord works, the type masons use to stretch a line. Get a piece about 4 feet longer than the mirror, secure each end to something you can use as a handle (like a 1" dowel) and saw down the back.
Given the size of the mirror, you will want at least two helpers. One person on each end sawing, and one person to keep the mirror from falling.
It works with mirror mastic. But if they used some ultra sticky type of glue, I don't know for sure. You might want to have a couple of extra pieces of cord around, in case it clogs up.
Try a crosscut saw - a manual one like a Disston. If you can start it from each side it might be long enough to reach the center.
I've seen piano wire used to remove windshields from vehicles. Make a couple of handles out of whatever and form loops in the wire to attach to either end of whatever length of wire seems best and operate like a saw.
Also thought of 20 gauge utility wire from the local hardware (the stainless wire is pretty tough) , should do the trick also.
Although picture hanging wire would be good from a poetic justice side of things I think that because it is usually braided or twisted multiple strands it may be too thick. The thinner the wire the faster it cuts.
They use huge wire saws to cut out granite blocks I seem to recall, although the job is a bit too messy for home use to set up with all that abrasive slurry.
Let us know how you make out.
LOL. If someone out there is actually going to pull out grandpa's Royal Chinook and cut mastic with it. . . Let's just say I really don't want to hear about it. Anyway, a felling saw will work better than a bucking saw in this situation.zak
"so it goes"
Picture hanger wire works fairly well -- it's flexible and the weave is reasonably abrasive.
The mirror may be hung with mastic or with double-backed tape. With the tape you might do OK with mason's line or some such.
If you want to stick with wire, go with wire guitar strings. They are cheap enough, and easy enough to work with.
I would use a japanese razor saw though. Something like a dozuki.
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I've removed two mirrors bonded to the wall recently...mirror dim...40 x 32. Used a 3-4 inch scrapper along the edges and worked my way in carefully and pealed it off the wall...two full sheets...in the garage...though it wasn't Liquid Nails.
rustbucket
Thank you for all the advise. I went down to the house Saturday armed with nylon line, shims, a hair dryer, safety glasses gloves and a glass cutter. Tried the line first (which my wife had no faith in, "it's string!") and that worked great. As you suspected it was mirror mastic and the line went right through the 5 globs of mastic that were holding the mirror. Fortunately, although each glob was about 5" in diameter, the mirror wasn't set too deep in the mastic and was only attached by a ridge or two on each glob. We didn't have to saw through the whole 5".
No on to the floors.
George