# How to remove an object encased in ACRYLIC?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-an-object-encased-in-acrylic/543025>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 13, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-an-object-encased-in-acrylic/543025 "2010-06-13T16:13:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![PurpleSister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/22d042/32.png) [@PurpleSister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleSister)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-an-object-encased-in-acrylic/543025/1 "2010-06-13T16:13:37Z")

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I have a large gold medallion that is encased in acrylic. I’d like to remove it from the acrylic…any ideas on how to do this?

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-an-object-encased-in-acrylic/543025/2 "2010-06-13T16:28:43Z")

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Acetone. It will dissolve the acrylic, but will not react with gold.

Might take a while, though, depending on the thickness of the piece.

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-an-object-encased-in-acrylic/543025/3 "2010-06-13T16:37:20Z")

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If the casing material is brittle, hit it with a hammer. You can freeze it to make it more brittle. It will shatter and shouldn’t be ‘glued’ to the medallion. If the medallion has an ornate surface that bits of material stick to, use a toothpick to pry them loose so you don’t mar the medallion. Don’t forget to wear eye protection when using the hammer.