# Silicone



## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

Do you think if you use a heat gun on a glass vessel it would loosen silicone under the base of a vessel? The base is about 6 inches in diameter.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*razor knife*

Probably not...try it and see

use a razor knife to cut through it

I have had to saw through silicone with a very fine steak knife before...


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

no way a razor knife would work. If the heat gun didnt work I was thinking the thinest guitar string


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

No, it wont. 

I was an engine builder/machinist in a past life. Schmo mechanics would silicone everything. We tried an oxy/acetylene torch. It wouldn't touch it.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*you got it*



house plumber said:


> no way a razor knife would work. If the heat gun didnt work I was thinking the thinest guitar string


 I have cut through and sawed off cast iron kitchen sink
 tops with a fine steak knife before..


Now, your idea is a good one , 
I think I have that tool in my truck right now....


Its that heavy duty piano wire with handles that 
you can fine cut through PVC pipe with.

I am sure you know what I am talking about??.





I suppose if you got some room and good fore-arm 
strength, you chould be able to saw through it.


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

Master Mark said:


> I have cut through and sawed off cast iron kitchen sink
> tops with a fine steak knife before..
> 
> 
> ...


Not the cable saw you would buy through a supply house. I have one of those. It's too thick. I would have to go to a music store and buy the thinest guitar string. An E someone told me.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Yes, it will work. I've done it many times.


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

Ok, here comes the can of worms. Until recently, I've had a very condescending attitude toward the use of silicone. Every time I see it, it has been used by some hack to try and correct a problem that did not require it and should not have been used and furthermore, did not solve the problem. Having said that, there is one circumstance in which I have recently used it a few times. I always get a funny feeling in my gut when I do it because it goes against my plumber's grain. I have had a problem recently with basket strainers loosening up over time and leaking, especially when there is a disposal on the other side. Putty just isn't getting it done. I don't know if it is the basket strainer, the putty, or me but I had to go back on one twice recently and ultimately went with silicone out of desperation. It seems to have worked. I've done it on a couple of basket strainers since and seems to have worked although it's too early to say. Now I have had to remove some ks faucets that someone thought should be siliconed to the ks deck and it was not fun. I don't know if it was 100% silicone or not but it set up like stone and required a wood chisel and hammer to remove the excess from the sink deck once the faucet was removed and I never did get all of it. In fact there was slight ks damage as a result of the effort but since it was a rent house and was full of crap plumbing and crap plumbing fixtures to begin with, it didn't seem like such a big deal, and it was very slight damage. Now if it works well, I think I can live with it in this application, but I don't want to leave the ho with a basket strainer that will result in sink damage in the future if the strainer is ever removed for any reason.

There is actually a question in here somewhere. 

Is anyone else doing this? With what sort of results/problems? 

Ok, let it fly. I've braced myself for the scorn. Just keep in mind my only interest here is what is best for my clients.

Ok, so I just realized that I'm totally hijacking this thread, albeit unintentionally. So if one of the moderators wants to relocate it, I understand completely.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

First off what kind of disposal's are you using? I've never had an ISE disposer loosen up...EVER. I use pasco basket drains that have three screws to tighten it. I only use putty and have never had a problem. If you use too much putty it can cause a false tight...as the putty continue's to squeeze out and the basket gets loose. Cheap sink baskets with zinc nuts or gargabe disposals with plastic mounting brackets are asking for trouble.


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

house plumber said:


> no way a razor knife would work. If the heat gun didnt work I was thinking the thinest guitar string



I would go with a set of 8s then, if you want the E string to cut it for you.


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## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

house plumber said:


> Do you think if you use a heat gun on a glass vessel it would loosen silicone under the base of a vessel? The base is about 6 inches in diameter.


I don't think heat will help. Silicone can be very tough stuff and heat doesn't do much to it.

Get a couple thin, sharp putty knives - one narrow and one wide. Get a couple spares too. Try just forcing them under (use a wobbling action - use those corners to cut) to cut the silicone, sometimes with a little help from a thin screwdriver as a wedge. If that won't work, hammer them under to cut the silicone (you'll usually destroy one per sink - the reason for the spares). As you get more cut you can add more wedges to put a bit of tension on the silicone and hold the sink up so the silicone is easier to cut. Works great. I've removed many different types of glued in sink that way.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

I've had to pull a few toilets that were siliconed down and the heat gun worked great. You have to get the silicon really hot, like burn you hot.


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## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

smellslike$tome said:


> Ok, here comes the can of worms. Until recently, I've had a very condescending attitude toward the use of silicone... basket strainer that will result in sink damage in the future if the strainer is ever removed for any reason.
> 
> There is actually a question in here somewhere.
> 
> Is anyone else doing this? With what sort of results/problems?


Clear silicone on sink strainers and garbarators works great! No problems whatsoever. They never leak either. Getting them back out can be a bit tough sometimes - put pressure on one side till the silicone starts to rip.

Silicone on mechanical pop-up threads (the bottom, where the tee or tail joins up) also works great. Just a little bit instead of pipe dope and wipe it clean after tightening. Never leaks. Comes apart easily if necessary.

It's also great on stubborn, drippy cleanout plugs. Once siliconed you can test immediately. The plugs are easily removed later when the silicone sets.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

house plumber said:


> Do you think if you use a heat gun on a glass vessel it would loosen silicone under the base of a vessel? The base is about 6 inches in diameter.


I doubt heat will do much, but you might want to experiment with a couple different solvents that may help soften it, like acetone, enamel reducer, or naptha.


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## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

Killertoiletspider said:


> I doubt heat will do much, but you might want to experiment with a couple different solvents that may help soften it, like acetone, enamel reducer, or naptha.


Doesn't work, in my experience. You're more likely to do damage to the counter than to the silicone with solvents. Do the putty knife thing. Works great.


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

TheMaster said:


> First off what kind of disposal's are you using? I've never had an ISE disposer loosen up...EVER. I use pasco basket drains that have three screws to tighten it. I only use putty and have never had a problem. If you use too much putty it can cause a false tight...as the putty continue's to squeeze out and the basket gets loose. Cheap sink baskets with zinc nuts or gargabe disposals with plastic mounting brackets are asking for trouble.


I have seen the silicone debate, but have never had a problem 1 with putty. LikeTM said , too much is not good at all. I have a wrench I got from a plumber older than me. It fits the bottom of the basket strainer and has a slip joint nut built on it. You can tighten it just right. I wish I could find another one. Never had a call back on strainer or disposal.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

futz said:


> Doesn't work, in my experience. You're more likely to do damage to the counter than to the silicone with solvents. Do the putty knife thing. Works great.


I work in a chemical plant, and even heavily diluted forms of some of the solvents I mentioned will destroy silicone over time, in some cases it would be longer than others.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

I use Sta Put Ultra on everything...

Sillycone RTV IMHO just makes it harder on the next guy...


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## Pipedoc (Jun 14, 2009)

futz said:


> I don't think heat will help. Silicone can be very tough stuff and heat doesn't do much to it.
> 
> Get a couple thin, sharp putty knives - one narrow and one wide. Get a couple spares too. Try just forcing them under (use a wobbling action - use those corners to cut) to cut the silicone, sometimes with a little help from a thin screwdriver as a wedge. If that won't work, hammer them under to cut the silicone (you'll usually destroy one per sink). As you get more cut you can add more wedges to put a bit of tension on the silicone and hold the sink up so the silicone is easier to cut. Works great. I've removed many different types of glued in sink that way.


I did this just last week on an old Moen stone sink that was siliconed. This is the best way that I know of.


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

Thanks rsp. Is that the smallest string, the 8? Also it's not the pop up thats siliconed in, its the vessel lav its self. So a putty knife wont really work cuz you cant get your hand under there to get it started.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Go getcha self a hammer..........

Preferably a 2 pounder.............


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## pauliplumber (Feb 9, 2009)

There's two E strings in a guitar pack. One fat, one thin. The thin one in size 8 is almost as thin as a hair.


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## leak1 (Mar 25, 2009)

how about a G-STRING? :whistling2:


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