Removing three-year old blue painters tape from the topside

J

johnbenj

New member
Hello friends,

A few years ago, before I purchased this boat used, a previous owner used blue painters-tape to mask off the top of the boat under the teak hand-rails at the top of the boat.

I am looking for advice on how to easily remove the tape. The glue is still mighty sticky and the tape is coming off in tiny tiny pieces. It is obvious that I will need to get some mechanical advantage or the job will never get completed.

So, since I am a newbie with fiberglass, i'm wondering what folks would say about using a hair-blow-dryer for loosing the glue and a putty-knife for scrapping? Will I end up just scraping the fiberglass too much?

Is there a solvent that would attack the glue but not damage the wood or fiberglass?

Thanks in advance.
John
 
Goo Gone is mighty good stuff! I'd stay away from a metal scraper, but a plastic one (gently!) and just a bit of LOW heat may do the trick. Don't let the boat get real hot. GG and a terry cloth rag and elbow grease does wonders on left over glue. Rinse with water when you're done.

Rick
 
in the sign industry we remove graphics from vehicles all the time, there is a product called rapid remover, that takes adhesives off really well and does no damage to paint or any substrate for that matter, i dont know where else you can get it, it comes from a sign supplier, but walk into any sign shop and ask for a bit and they should give it to you, spay it on, let it sit a few seconds and wipe glue off, he's right, dont use a metal scraper and heat is good just not too hot..
 
Yes, use heat, ahead of where your working. DO NOT pull the tape at a 90 degree angle, pull the tape at a 180 degree angle . Pull slowly giving the adhesive time to release. If the paper part of the tape is in fair shape use "goo be gone" or simular solvents with a small "acid brush,"(obtained at a hardware store, near the soldering stuff). Use the brush like a skinning knife, to cut the adhesive at the tape, while pulling gently. If the tape has deteriorated and keeps tearing, soak the tape with the solvent and use a plastic 1 in. putty knife, no heat.
Gary King
 
One of the easiest ways to remove tape and self stick adhesive safely is to flood the area with WD-40 and rub with a cotton dish towel. Stubborn areas may need a toothbrush, battery brush, or similar. Paper towels will work also, but don't seem to 'cut' the goo as well.

Acetone or fingernail polish remover may be used, but it can damage paint/varnish or other surface treatments.

The WD-40 works somewhat like using peanut butter to get gum out of a kid's hair.

John
 
Using a plastic scrubby brings to mind;
Once upon a time I had a brand new (1979) 4x4 Love pickup, fire engine red. Went through some fresh tar and got little flecks over the whole pickup. I expressed my anger with a few unmentionable expletives, so my better half says " don't worry honey, I will clean it for you" while I was on a short trip, she gotter done. When I got home she proudly pointed out how she got all the tar off. And she did,..... she got it all off. Sadly to say she also took all the shine off of the new pickup. Fire engine red turned into a dull drab red. Those little plastic scrubbies along with Bug & Tar remover will definately get the tar off.
They will do the same for fiberglass. ( if you don't mind giving up the shine) The WD-40 sounds good to me.
captd
 
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