Hi Guys/Gals

On my last project, I was given some left over wooden flooring tiles which had a Nylon'ish mesh with glue and was easy to remove just by scraping (all 400 of them ).

I've just been lucky enough to have had some more (850 ) but, these are Bitumen backed (with some sort of glue) and a varnished face.

Now, removing the varnish was done by scraping along with the sides and ends but, What would you recommend using to remove the Bitumen knowing it will be cleaned up, smoothed then glued together into blocks.

I've thought of Meths, White Spirit, Sugar Soap and lastly (no cursing please) Cilit Bang.

I know Cilit will clean up tar by softening it up but, I'm not sure whether it will stop the gluing afterwards and come to think about it, the rest too.

Over to you kind people

Thankyou in advance

Marc

Marc,

hi......I've had this many years ago, and I think from memory I tried 2 techniques.

Firstly, soaking in white spirit and then scraping and wire-brushing the resulting gunk results in the pretty effective transfer of most of the bitumen from the wood onto your hands, arms, face, hair et. Unfortunately, it also had the tendency to soak slightly into the surface of the wood (which was pretty porous.....American Red Oak), but at least when it had all dried it was good enough to be planed off without wrecking the plane.

The second solution  involved taking a blow-torch to it, and burning off the bitumen. Be bloody careful! I wouldn't recommend doing this on your workshop floor amongst a pile of shavings, nor under the overhanging eaves of your thatched roof!  Again, this leaves a surface that can then be planed.

Critically important to choose either of the above methods, and not try them both together!!!!!!!!

I'm sure you will have internet access in the burns unit......so once the bandages come off do let me know how you get on!

Regards 

Mike 

Thanks Mike, I'll send you my flowers

I'm just going to have a play around with some tomorrow, leaving some in the fluids longer than others to see if that works too.

Appreciate your experience.

Regards

Marc

Sparky,

Do you remember, as a kid, your mother having a yellow tin (about the size of a 'Brasso' tin), with black writing; that she used to get tar off your clothes/shoes etc?

If you have a good ironmongers near you, try them to find out what it was, then rip off the active ingredient; and buy in bulk. (Well, as long as the job lasts.)

If you find that it was 'Trike', you've had it, as its not readily available now.

Bob.

Hi Bob

Many thanks for your comment.

Sadly I wasn't allowed out to play when I was a kid

I have finished getting all the Bitumen off now. The best to work was Sugar soap after being scored and a good soaking.......all 800 clean and awaiting gluing up.

Marc

Marc,

I hope all that work was worth while! You must have wanted that wood really badly!

(Hope you didn't pour the Cilit Bang & Bitumen gunk down the drain, or your next DIY job could be even more unpleasant!!!)

 I look forward to seeing the finished products in the gallery soon. 

Mike 

Hi Mike

All the left overs are stored in containers.................I'll toss them over the neighbours fence later!

Joking aside, there safely contained.

I've just glued up a 60 & 70 brick block today. I'm hoping the the ones that had white spirit soaked in them has gone and wont effect the gluing up..........I'll see tomorrow

Marc

Hi Marc,

Glad you got rid of the bitumen

How long did you soak the wood for and what ratio of sugar soap to water?

I've got 500 to do...Bathtime will never be the same again...

Thanks,

Gerard

Hi Gerard

I left them soak for at least a day/night. Sugar soap was neat, straight in a container and placed the tiles in it.

Be prepared to scrape a lot!!

southcoastgirl wrote (see)

........ soften the bitch up ........

Thats not very Get Woodworking-type language!

Mike