Removing (cheap) dried on masking tape

[Rum_Pirate]

What is the best/easiest/cheapest way of removing (cheap) dried on masking tape?

Soaking in water and scrape off?
Hairdryer?
Hot air gun?
Angle grinder?
Other?

 

[npf1]

Try olive oil or acetone. Both worked for me, the latter being better

 

[burgundyben]

I've used white spirit and a whole tin of elbow grease!

 

[Seagreen]

I'd scrape, but I think a steam gun (domestic version) would be quite good. GRP or wood underneath?

 

[chanelyacht]

Blow torch, but may defeat the object of the exercise....

 

[gpascoe]

Makes green tape actually look the cheaper option now doesn't it?

Scraper and elbow grease is how I did it, and started again using quality tape. I'm always scared of chemicals so didn't try anything. But that's because I still don't understand them very well and am scared of ruining my boat.

 

[Lakesailor]

Stanley window scraper £1.39 (here in UK)
Uses a Stanley blade and allows accurate adjustment of the angle of attack.
Works on any surface with care.

 

[Ruffles]

[ QUOTE ]
I've used white spirit and a whole tin of elbow grease!

[/ QUOTE ]
Agreed; turps, time and swearing.

You could always leave it on and claim it's a feature. I left a bit on the waterline by mistake and it was still there when the boat came out 2 years later /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Bilgediver]

started again using quality tape

**********************************************

Nothing wrong with using cheap masking tape.....Just remove it the day you antifoul...The paint does not run or do anything undesirable if you remove it immediately after the final coat. Just need a painting plan if doing the hull in an afternoon

I see Homebase sells about 10 different grades and all mostly similar prices but varying from hours to days to weeks????

 

[burgundyben]

Dya know, I used cheap tape one day this year, first thing, masked up the toe rail and rubbinb strake, one coat, waited until 6pm, put on a second coat, went to remove tape and had a few problem areas.

Luckily not a full scale disaster.

I'm mostly a blue 15 day tape convert, which it surprising given my general tightwadness!

 

[DanTribe]

I found petrol works.
But just enough to damp a rag.
I once suggested using petrol to my boat neighbour, in a shed, and later found him with a scrubbing brush and bucket of petrol.
Quick scream and run for the door!

 

[nmiller]

I find that methylated spirit works best.

 

[Sequoiah1]

Quick wipe over with white spirirt, let it soak in, wipe over again, rpeat the process a couple of times and then peel off. Use one of those lovely Stanley scrapers for any reluctant bits.

 

[Roach1948]

By far the easiest way is to use a wallpaper steamer.

 

[monkey_trousers]

lighter fluid without a doubt.

I use it all the time for removing gluey residues from masking tape and the like.

you can but some stuff called 'clean art' from graphics suppliers at 6 quid a tin, its in the same sort of tin as lighter fluid, looks like lighter fluid and smells like lighter fluid, and if you put it in your zippo, works like lighter fluid...

so just buy lighter fluid at a quid a tin instead!

its been used for donkeys years in art studios for removing anything from masking tape to cow gum

squirt some on, leave it to soak into the paper remnants of the tape for a minute or 2, squirt a bit more on and wipe it off

 

[woolleyhatter]

without doubt the cheapest and easiest is to soak the tape with lemon juce or vinegar, and leave for 20mins or so. Don't let it dry out though, then gently scraping off with a wall paper scraper etc. Final clean off with damp rag.