blue skin covering

[olderthandirt]

Having spent half a day and much frustration removing the blue skin covering on wing skin was wondering if anyone has better way of getting this stuff off besides just pulling till your hands fall off and denting skin with knuckles...

[Reflex]

I'm pretty new here, so you're probably already aware of this:

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=4604932790001

Hope that helps!

Fred

[Snowflake]

First of all, pull slowly. Apply tension, and wait for the plastic to peel. Second, if it's really not moving, hit it with a hair dryer and warm up the adhesive. This will unfortunately soften the plastic too, and make it more prone to tearing... So you'll have to go back to the first suggestion - Pull slowly. This has worked for me on 10+ year old parts, that were always stored indoors or in a semi-heated garage... YMMV.

[David Paule]

I've found it helpful to slice the plastic into 3" strips with a soldering iron and then pull the strips off individually.

Dave

[wirejock]

Originally Posted by David Paule

I've found it helpful to slice the plastic into 3" strips with a soldering iron and then pull the strips off individually.

Dave

I don't cut it but basically use the same method. Work it into strips and it comes off much easier.

[rvbuilder2002]

Rolling it on to a round tube or dowel works very well. It greatly helps reduce tearing because there is no concentrated pull load as with your hand. A locking pliers can be clamped to the dowel to use as a handle.

[Flying Canuck]

I've got an old broomstick that had several skins worth of the blue covering wrapped around it. My first layer needed a bit of duct tape to hold it to the stick, but the next pieces held on just fine with the adhesive from the plastic. This works quite well and it applies tension much more evenly than pulling by hand.

[PilotBrent]

Bribed my kids with trip to Dairy Queen. Worked once...

[olderthandirt]

Thanks for help, it would appear it is a labor no one enjoys but is done with nethodicale focus...I did dent skin with knuckles pulling and prying...protection of skin is important...just not fun...and for those enlisting children..think I will opt for frustration...it is cheaper..Dick

[RKellogg]

Use heat gun or other source of heat on the back side of aluminum. Huge difference.