Help! Removing formica glue from cab

[Raven..]

I am trying to save a Ms Pac cab that was given to me.  Someone had poorly converted it and then peeled off the formica.  Now it is covered in old glue residue.  Any good ideas on getting this off and hopefully saving the still intact sideart?  Would a heatgun be good or bad?

[krick]

I'm confused.  They put formica on *TOP* of the original sideart?

[DrewKaree]

IF they put formica over the original sideart, the chances of you getting the glue off without wrecking it are slim, and not a chance in hell.

Sorry to sound so pessimistic, but there's a reason you shouldn't touch the glued surfaces together until you are positive everything's lined up right. 

If the sideart is on vinyl, a heatgun will only guarantee you'll wreck it.  If it's painted on, you MAY be able to use the heatgun.  If you're trying to save the artwork, though, using a heatgun is like using a jackhammer to clear the ice off your kitchen windows.

[Crazy Cooter]

Assuming they used "proper" glue for the laminate, it will wipe off with laquer thinner.  Using a heat gun will do nothing but melt it.  I have no idea what the thinner will do to the art though...

[stevejt]

Assuming they used "proper" glue for the laminate, it will wipe off with laquer thinner.  Using a heat gun will do nothing but melt it.  I have no idea what the thinner will do to the art though...

That is true.  Laquer will remove contact cement.  Heating it, will only make it soft and sticky.  And will also soften the side art wether it's vinyl or painted.  I don't know about painted on, but thinner USUALLY has little/no effect on vinyl.  But I have only used it to get paint off of vinyl, not contact cement.

Steve

[Raven..]

Thanks guys.  (I kinda thought the heatgun wouldn't help.)  This is the original painted-on sideart, not vinyl.  Why someone put formica over it is beyond me.  I also don't know why they pulled it back off....

Anyway, I just wanted some other opinions before I touched this cab.  Sounds like little chance of  saving the art, so it can't hurt to try a "chemical peel" 
Guess I'll be ordering from twobits at some point....
(Maybe I'll just turn it into a Galaga instead  )

[Bones]

Why don't you experiment a little? Reproduce the problem and do some tests, you might get lucky! 

[Raven..]

I tried some things tonight.....mineral spirits (worked a little), acetone (bad on the original paint!), Oops! (worked a little more), WD-40 (it was handy....didn't work of course).

That glue has been there too long.  I'm just going to sand it down...or sell it.