masking tape removal ...

grafozz

grafozz

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just put some new stripes in 2 pack paint , down the hull and when I attempted to remove the tape it shredded- arrggghhhhh !!! it was on there for less than 2 days , I know it should have come off sooner , but ....
So , what is the best thing to clean off the tacky residue without damaging the new paint ? any tips , please ?
 
Sounds like cheap n nasty masking tape !

Wipe it over with Acetone. If it´s really baked on then try carefully polishing it off with 3M fine compound or similar, without over polishing into the line.
 
Been there, done that, got the T shirt. I accidently left mine on for a week- antifouling late & was going to take it off last thing before going home on a Sunday evening & forgot. It really can be a pig of a job. I did try quite a few different solvents. The "sticky stuff" removal material you can get from ordinary ironmongers & DIY stores helped a bit, but mostly it was -careful -manual removal using a fine scraper (wood chisel actually), scrubber & water, but the remnant only proved to be easily done after a season on the water. Sorry!

The next time I used the blue 3M stuff!!
 
easy with the acetone - consider it a solvent of last resort. I would start with something a lot milder such as white spirit; dab on, let it soak for a few minutes and then encourage the masking tape off with a sharp chisel or stanley knife blade with rounded edges to avoid scratching the paint. Rub any residual glue with a cloth dipped in white spirit. Will take a few minutes to do but works for me.
 
grafozz said:
just put some new stripes in 2 pack paint , down the hull and when I attempted to remove the tape it shredded- arrggghhhhh !!! it was on there for less than 2 days , I know it should have come off sooner , but ....
So , what is the best thing to clean off the tacky residue without damaging the new paint ? any tips , please ?
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use the Blue tape in future its more expensive,better adhesive but can be left a few days & comes off easy
 
Don't mess about with also-rans, buy some 3M Adhesive Cleaner.
It does the job almost instantly and has no nasty effect on paint or varnish. A tad expensive but one bottle will last you years and save you so much time.
Cheers,
Chris
 
grafozz said:
just put some new stripes in 2 pack paint , down the hull and when I attempted to remove the tape it shredded- arrggghhhhh !!! it was on there for less than 2 days , I know it should have come off sooner , but ....
So , what is the best thing to clean off the tacky residue without damaging the new paint ? any tips , please ?
Click to expand...

Meths and a soft cloth / after using a hair drier to soften the tape for removal.

If you resort to a green toast strategy, you will spoil the surface.

PWG
 
Name forgotten

B&Q carry an organic solvent based on orange peel, I can't remember the name, but it works for cleaning up glues and other stiicky stuff.

I brought some back from the USA a few years ago (I only discovered that the equivalent was available at B&Q after I masde enquiries about buying more) to solve a problem with the glue from blasting tape, the stuff they use to protect the topsides when gritblasting old antifouling off the hull. The tape was left on for weeks and many hours of work with a chisel and other solvents had cleaned about 3feet. The orange peel solvent/cleaner had the whole job done in less than 5 minutes. I did not try acetone as I have an aversion to what it might have doen to the gel-coat.

As you might guess I have forgotten the precise name of the product, but if necessary I will dig it out and repost.

Good luck

PS The stuff was originally orange peel based, now it comes from an oil refinery and they add the orange smell afterwards, but it really works.
 
Maplins Label remover, methylated spirits, hair drier/blunt scraper or a combination of all three, pig of a job.

T-Shirts are probably available for the many who have had this problem.

I now use insulating tape from the pound shop, very user friendly and gives a nice line.
 
grafozz said:
when I attempted to remove the tape it shredded- arrggghhhhh !!!
Click to expand...

I agree with the suggestion of using WD40. It is great for removing tape and stickers from gelcoat, cars, windows, plastic etc. It doesn't do any damage like acetone. Spray some on the tape and wipe it out with your fingers to really work it in. Wait 5-10 minutes and then scape of the tape with a sharpish piece of plastic (an old credit card for example).

Cheers,
Per
 
If left long enough, then the adhesive dries and the tape almost falls off. I had some in inaccessible places, and decided it was too much effort, so left it as it wasnt visible. Next time I was down there on my elbows, head, 1 foot and 1 knee, I gave it a finger rub and it came off easy as anything.

The Blue tape by 3m as mentioned, is outrageously expensive for masking, there is also a green which doesnt last as long as the blue, but should last a week or so and still come off ok, its about £2-3 a roll. Ive seen the blue at £12.
 
sailorman said:
use the Blue tape in future its more expensive,better adhesive but can be left a few days & comes off easy
Click to expand...

I usually have used the 3M blue tape but this year I got an unbranded blue tape from a local large Toolstore which was called 'professional' but even after removing within an hour of antifouling managed to tear it off in strips - most annoying.
 
Expensive solvent type stuff can start the paint.
Simplest of all is hot water,have too get a grip on the end of tape and avoid pouring on yourself,but it softens the goo and allows it to lift off.Might be the tape im using but this method has worked three or four times now.
Cindy
 
grafozz said:
just put some new stripes in 2 pack paint , down the hull and when I attempted to remove the tape it shredded- arrggghhhhh !!! it was on there for less than 2 days , I know it should have come off sooner , but ....
So , what is the best thing to clean off the tacky residue without damaging the new paint ? any tips , please ?
Click to expand...

Lighter fluid works well for me with glue left behind after removal. takes a few minutes to soak in and then wipe off. Might require a couple of applications.
 
nimbusgb said:
Believe it or not its called 'Sticky stuff remover' from a company called Mykal!

Halfords do it as well so do some stationers.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the name. I really should have remembered it as I went to mykail and bought 20 litres of the stuff for future use as a general cleaner and degreaser.

Just to reiterate, when I used it the glue wiped off with a paper towel almost instantly, no scraping, no rubbing, no worrying about gelcoat damage, and that was a glue which had not dried so as to fall off or go hard after three months!
 
many thanks everyone for the tips , I will try some of the suggestions . the tape itself came off ,with difficulty , but its the glue thats still on the boat and it is very sticky !
ps. cant get to B&Q , I,m in Greece .......
 
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