Removing old glue

[Windfall]

Hi all,

We've removed all the old headlining (actually most of it fell off) but now have the problem of removing all the old glue (which is sticking like the proverbial to a blanket) from the gpr deckhead.

I've been scraping away (all day to clean one small patch - at this rate it will take the rest of the year to do the lot) have no nails left and a very attractive course grain texture to my finger tips....him indoors says that I just have to keep on grafting as there is no other way....is he just being mean? ... is there really no magic potion I can paint on to make the job any easier?

Please help...I'm in danger of severe RSI.

Sharon





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[bob26]

Hawke House (www.hawkehouse.com) have two items that might help you - or at least stir up a family argument. This is cut and paste from the price list:

GLUE REMOVER Solvent that will not harm fibre glass or most paints, but efficiently removes the old contact adhesive. 325mm £2.99 5ltr £35.00
FACE - OFF DISC Removes old glue without damaging fibre glass. Fits 115mm angle grinders. Also available for electric drills £8.52ea


If the glue remover is like the solvent in the glue, you will get in a mess but after a short time somehow it doesn't seem to important...after a bit longer you pass out.

Have fun

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[nordic_ranger]

Have you tried gentle heat along with a scraper? It would be worth trying useing a hair dryer or carefully with a hot air paint striping gun. I have used this method to remove excess glue from wood before so there is no reason why it should not work on GRP. It does of course depend on the glue but it worth a try.

Jim.

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[Joe_Cole]

I've been doing the same job, but I'm doing the sides as well as the headlining, so I know just how you feel!

I've tried allsorts of things with limited success. In the end I put a wire brush (brass, not steel wire) in a small angle grinder and it's worked brilliantly. In half an hour I managed more than I had managed in 8 hrs with other methods. It hasn't harmed the fibreglass. (NB It needs to be an angle grinder, an electric drill just isn't as good)

Good luck!

Joe

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[VicS]

'Tis certainly a problem. I scraped off what I could and wire brushed what would wire brush off. Any power driven things seemed to generate enough heat to soften the stuff and spread it out. I didn't try any solvent because I though that would make such a mess and I never thought of an angle grinder; it sounds a bit of an overkill anyway.

So I eventually decided that, apart from local spots where I wanted to bond on some wooden pads, what wouldn't come off after a reasonable effort could safely be left.

It you are going to use a solvent and when you come to glue on the new stuff be sure to ventilate the boat well AND wear an 'organic vapours' mask as the fumes are extemely dangerous. They should be available from the suppliers of the new materials. They certainly are from Hawke House Marine.

If you buy the new stuff from H.H. you will find they do a useful leaflet on fitting it.
Also someone from H.H. wrote an article in PBO recently.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[john_morris_uk]

Where do you get a wire brush rated at 12000rpm or whatever the anglegrinder spins at? I am about to do the same job and have large surfaces to clean, so would be very interested.

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[Joe_Cole]

I'm sorry but I can't remember where I got it. However, knowing where I usually go for these things it would have probably been one of the following

1. A proper builders merchants
2. An agricultural wholesaler
3. As a last resort! B&Q

Sorry I can't be more helpful.....but it has worked very well.

Joe

PS. Since writing this I've looked in the Screwfix catalogue. Screwfix do them also.
<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Joe_Cole on 21/03/2004 09:22 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[jerryat]

Hi Windfall! I have just completed the entire re-lining of my Fulmar and it is, without doubt, the filthiest and most tiring job Ii've ever done on the boat.
BUT, do try the wire brush (cup type) in a 4" angle grinder as has been suggested by others. Yes, you can use the 'facing' disc suggested by Hawkes House (it's much cheaper from the bigger Halfords incidentally) but this creates loads of very unpleasant grp dust. The wire brush it an excellent comprise; very quick, far less dust (although you still get the rotten powder from the old foam) and much easier on the arms!!

Is isn't ladies work though you'll be delighted to know! I agree with other commentators, you'll clean the grp beautifully in a mere fraction of the time you would than scraping it off by hand.

Just think though, how fantastic the new lining will look when it's all fitted and finished, and it'll keep you going! I speak from experience!

One final thought. On no account go down the glue solvent removing route. It's extremely messy; dreadful for fumes; very expensive; very, very slow and nowhere near as effective.

Very good luck to you.

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[jerryat]

Hi Windfall,

Just a brief addendum. Use a steel wire brush NOT brass. Steel seems to reduce the build up of heat which tends to 'spread' the old glue. I have no idea why this is so, but it is! Work your way steadily back and forth along a 'line', from the cleaned area towards the glue, much as if you were smoothing down a strip of wallpaper.
Steel cup wire brushes obtained from any decent sized electrical tool supplier will comply with the ratings required for an angle grinder if you explain your intended use.


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[tr7v8]

We did a fair bit of the Draco headlining last year and the wife went to work with my big cordless and a steel cup brush and got it very clean in a V short space of time, in fact it took her longer to clean up afterwards despite covering the (new) carpet etc. The dust flies everywhere! Please wear a mask and goggles.

<hr width=100% size=1>Jim

Draco 2500

 

[Windfall]

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

' it isn't ladies work though.....'

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Could you explain that to my other half...../forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

You'd not believe some of the jobs that seem to come my way....But he's very thoughtful really and is going to get me a brass brush thingy for the angle grinder....and then apparently I'll be able to nip down to the boat in my lunch hour and just finish off in the heads compartment!

He's so thoughtful /forums/images/icons/smile.gif



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[Manos_Greece]

I removed the upholstery of my boat last year. I used a Bosch electric scraper with succes since I have not had heard about the technique with the angle grinder which seams to be more efective. Good luck.

<hr width=100% size=1>Manos From Greece
S/Y Efaki, Mirage 28
www.sailingboatefaki.gr

 

[jerryat]

Hi Windfall

Time for the ladies to dig their heels in it seems to me!! Seriously though, if you aren't going to get away without doing the job, don't 'let' him buy you a brass wire brush. The steel ones are MUCH faster and better. As another has said, WEAR GOGGLES AND GLOVES!!!!! Just think what one of those spines breaking off at those speeds would do to your eyes if .........................

Best of luck with your chauvinist p.........!!!



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[Joe_Cole]

Your Bosch scraper is very good for removing antifouling though!

Joe

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[Joe_Cole]

A bit quicker, yes. But I found that the steel brushes damaged the fibreglass. The brass brush worked quick enough but didn't damage the fibreglass. All IMHO of course!

I certainly agree about mask, gloves and goggles

Joe

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[jerryat]

Yes, brass might be better if you have a fairly heavy or unsteady hand, but I found that brass distorted very quickly, clogged up worse and seemed to 'heat' the glue. Mind you, I was doing an entire boat! I had no damage at all to the GRP even when pressing hard, so perhaps it depends on the quality of the mouldings as is often the case.

I reckon if the lady can put mascara on without her eyes looking like the Dartford Tunnel, she's got a pretty steady hands, so should be ok with steel!!!

I stick with the recommendation for steel, as I also used it to remove glue etc from the 6mm plywood ceiling panels. Only on one occasion, where inattention allowed the brush to catch at an edge, was there any damage, and that was tiny requiring no repair/making good.

Your right about the mask of course, I forgot to mention that!! Like you, all IMHO of course.

Good sailing to you!

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[Windfall]

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

'I reckon if the lady can put mascara on without her eyes looking like the Dartford Tunnel, she's got a pretty steady hands, so should be ok with steel!!!

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Ah now there's the thing......ever seen a panda on a bad night? /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

But do have a reasonably steady hand, am doing the whole boat (whoever thought glueing fabric to the sides of the hull was a good idea?) but she does appear to be very well laid up so shouldn't do too much damage.....

Thanks for all the advice....will keep you posted.

Sharon


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[Talbot]

I agree with the other posts about using an angle grinder and a circular (Cup) brass wire brush. However, I would recommend that you use a small grinder (4.5"), and if possible get one that does variable speeds, as the full speed angle grinder can melt the adhesive rather than remove it, and if used a bit agressively will remove the GRP.

This will be a messy job, and leave a great deal of debris. Clear out the boat beforehand and use a vacuum!



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