Help! Can't get extra large cups apart!

[Ex]

My NG just arrived, but the extra large cups are too jammed together to get apart :'(. I have pulled and pulled. Any ideas?

 

[lexuswoman]

Wow, that's crazy. I just got my extra large cups on Monday and they were stuck together just like you're saying. All I did was I keep pulling on the plastic they were wrapped in, on both cups until I finally was able to wiggle them apart. I'd email Lucy about what happened with your shipment, she's really good and should take care of things and find out why your rings were missing and why there were unsealed bags in your package.

 

[Ex]

I tried my idea of a bicycle pump for pressure, but when I found it, my daughter had apparently broken the needle off. Considered walking over to the construction guys doing repair on the apartment complex, and might have to do that later, too. Considered oil, but that would just make them slippery to try to pull apart. :-\

My large cups were easy to get apart. I can't even get the plastic off of the stuck ones, though. Too bad the NG pump doesn't reverse.

 

[lexuswoman]

What about WD40?

 

[Ex]

Don't have any unfortunately. I'll think of something, even if means approaching the construction workers or my best friend's husband for his manly strength. At least with Jen's husband, he probably wouldn't even ask what it is or what I'm doing with it. One advantage of being viewed as a little off is that after awhile people stop asking questions because they are afraid you will answer.

 

[Ex]

I guess I need to find a ride to the post office. They aren't coming apart, and I will have to return them. Two people pulling on them while wearing rubber gloves can't part them.

We are still playing tug-a-noogle. We have gotten it to shift a little once. My daughter is blowing into them & making up songs.

 

[James]

Oil between them should help, but temperature difference will work.
Heat the outside one with a hair dryer. Cool the inner one with a bag of ice cubes or cold running water. They should pull apart easily.

 

[Ex]

Thank you so much, James. I will try both in the morning. Lucy said to use soap to lubricate them, but the are so tight that the soap is too thick. I gave up playing tug-a-noogle for the night.

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[lexuswoman]

Tug-a-Noogle! I love it! The thought of your daughter blowing into the cups and singing just makes me smile! Have any of the people helping you asked you , what in the world is this thing? I was going to suggest moistening them somehow and maybe putting them in the microwave to help pop them apart, but it would be bad if the cups melted together with the plastic wrap. I htink the hair dryer thing sounds best. HOpe you get them taken apart!

 

[Ex]

It's amazing, and they aren't separated yet. Left them soaking in water overnight, and that didn't help. Left them sitting in the sink for 1 1/2 hours with soap applied to the rim to lubricate (what Lucy suggested), but they are jammed so tight that the soap is too thick to get in there. Going to try the hair dryer/ice idea, and if that doesn't work, the oil. Then I guess I'll call my friend and see if her husband can get anywhere with them. After that, I will have to return them and ask for non-jammed/nestled pair.

We haven't been able to budge them at all. Wiggling doesn't work because there is no room to wiggle. They are jammed.

 

[lexuswoman]

Wow, your XL's are stubborn for sure! I was lucky in that I was able to just keep wiggling and pulling on the outer plastic wrapping. If you had some WD-40, I bet you could take the small red spray nozzle and shoot it between the two cups and start pulling. If your friend's husband is coming over, ask him if he has some WD-40 and if so, could he bring it with him but, I think all guys have WD-40! I sure hope you can get them apart! Let us know how it goes!

 

[Ex]

Finally!!! I did it! The hair dryer and ice didn't get anywhere, although I am sure that all of it was helping a bit. I pulled out my jeweler's rawhide mallet and just started tapping gently and rotating, and all of sudden they came apart.

I think the plastic wrap might have been some of the problem - it was all folded over in bunches and wrinkled up. That was part of the reason the soap wouldn't get in there on either side of the plastic.

I think my daughter will be disappointed when she comes home - no more tug-a-noogle or blow-a-noogle. I think she was having fun with it, especially making up songs. She was disappointed she couldn't make any sound when she blew. I also got a lot of interesting "I've got an idea"'s out of her.

Now I get to play Barbarella with my giant plastic torpedo boobs!

 

[Teeny Tiny]

Be very careful with the cups and check them for any damage being jammed that tight together. I got a set that was almost that hard to get apart once and I found small cracks in them all over from the pressure they put on each other, within a couple weeks they didn't hold air anymore and had to be replaced. they should be smooth and clear with no lines on them, if you see any small lines they are hairline cracks that will probably give you problems before too long.

 

[Ex]

I hope not! There are a couple things that look like scrapes that are white. I'll keep an eye on them. Thanks for the tip. We were careful with them ~ I kept seeing them in pieces to get them apart. It was amazing. I am not sure I could jam them together like that even trying.