Masking tape mess...

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gmatkin

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I knew one was supposed to remove masking tape quickly, but I did think a couple of days would be ok. But it wasn't!

How do I remove masking tape from a GRP hull? I've tried several of the recommended methods, including petrol, cooking oil and WD40 but it hasn't even begun to soften despite what was said elsewhere on the Internet.

Has anyone got experience of something that does work well please?

Thanks,

Gav
 
Don't know if you are aware, but B&Q do a blue mask tape that removes easily, even after several days and 'bends' easily. Good stuff, but dearer of course.
 
I used the "good" blue stuff fron B&Q thinking it would be better. Well maybe you can leave it on over night but not a week.

Meths works on that glue, it helps if you get the thick off with a flat blade as suggested earlier. I think I used meths on a green pan scourer thing, it sort of balls up and goes white then you have to use a new bit after a while. Don't nick a pan scourer on a sponge from the galley though, the sponge swells a good bit and falls off the green stuff quite quickly, I'm told /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
Label remover ('goo gone' or similar from Staples, etc.) or persevere with white spirit or meths & gentle scraping.

Having done this once, and being astonished at the tenacity of the glue on cheap tape, I swore to only use the 3M Blue stuff, which is excellent. Out local B&Q stopped selling this, and started selling B&Q blue tape, which I tried. Despite being nearly as dear as the 3M stuff, it's not much better than the cheap white stuff at peeling off if left too long.

I peel the tape off immediately now, even if that means having to re-mask the same area the next day (and still try to use 3M tape if I can - not 'Bodge-it & Quit')

Andy
 
You can get various grades of masking tape, the commonplace one is only supposed to be left for 24 hours and the longest lived is, I believe, 14 days.

Having suffered the problem in the past I found the least tedious way to do it is to use acetone (or xylol if you can get it). It still requires elbow-grease, but works, which others don't.
 
Vote for acetone too.

I ended up leaving some on for a week last year. It rained too. some just fell off & some left a residue. Acetone brought that off quite easily.
 
Like me you only ever do this once. I found a rag soaked in white spirit softnened the glue which I then scaped off using a gadget that holds a stanley blade. (Originally used for scraping paint off windows).
 
Another vote for acetone. In the future, try Wickes 14 day stuff.

We all learn the hard way and I never scrimp on masking tape anymore and peel off straight away.

Another suggestion is that you put the tape in a freezer bag to protect it. To spend money on trying to keep a fine edge and then let that edge bang about in a toolbox does not make sense.

Good luck.
 
hahaha misery.

The thing is, your supposed to remove it stright away as the lines come out smoother.. apparantly..

I masked my whole Westerly Centaur in readiness to paint it the first time.. It took me 1 day to paint it and 3 days to get the crappy old tape off... very hot soapy water eventually worked for me..

Think I'll try some of that goo remover though.. Have to change the name of my boat next week..
 
most of above - & when I got in real mess A steam gun (I think they are for wallpaper or similar) worked a treat & no nasties involved - just peeled/wiped away
 
Xylene can be ordered from C Brewer & Sons as can acetone. Neither are cheap. Taking your own can along to somewhere that does any GRP/resin layup work and buy some of theirs much cheaper.
 
This year I found a bit of B & Q blue tape, and a whole roll of yellow glossy tape, (which said it was for masking glass) - both had been on board since the last lift out in June 2006!!

Between the two types I masked the waterline and, with a combination of rain, primer, 2 coats of antifoul, and 2 coats where the wooden props had been, the tape was on for the best part of a week.

The yellow came of with no trouble at all. The blue was a bit sticky, but came off OK with some care. Both had masked fine and I have a nice straight line, (except where it curves under the transom.

So my vote is for B & Q Yellow glass masking tape, if they still do it. I think the blue would be fine if it was new, (and if it is the same stuff as it was 3 years ago.

Richard
 
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