On Sat, 7 May 2005 11:17:29 +0000 (UTC), "Don Foreman"
wrote:


"Roger Shoaf" wrote in message
...

Perhaps you can thread some dental floss or thin piano wire between the
joint and cut through the tape. Some heat from a heat gun might help
also.

Try the dental floss first as it is less likely to scratch the coating on
the back of the mirror.

Spectra fishing line is considerably stronger than steel (or dental floss)
of same diameter.
http://users.acsol.net/~wfi/fish-tuf.html


Spectra (high strength polyethylene) is strong
in tensile strength, but has a VERY low melting
point. If you saw with it, it will probably break.

I would consider using Kevlar* cord. You can get
Kevlar braided line as used for kite lines. It
will work better as a saw than twisted lines.

In fact, it works so well as a saw that it is
considered too dangerous to use when flying near
other people. Don't try to hold it with your
bare hands; use sticks or rings to hold the ends.
Don't leave it attached to anything where someone
could get caught in a loop and cut themselves.
It will go right to the bone.

If you have to knot it, sleeve it with hollow
braided polyester (Dacron) line before tying.
A long narrow loop of fine music wire will push
through the hollow-braid polyester to pull the
Kevlar through. Visit a kite shop, and you will
find sleeving needles (the wire loop), Kevlar
cord, and polyester sleeving material.

Cruder but easier: cut a couple 3/4 x 3/4
sticks and wrap the cord around one several
times and clamp or screw the other tightly
to it to make a handle.

(*Kevlar is a trademark of DuPont. They write me
to complain every time I fail to mention that.)

--
--Pete
"Peter W. Meek"
http://www.msen.com/~pwmeek/