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16 year old plastic film

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Pittsartist

Well Known Member
"It's always the things that you least expect that take the most time"

Not sure who said it - but boy they were right.

I can personally testify that 16 year old plastic film adhesion is just as strong as welding :mad::mad::mad::mad:

I decide to remove some of the (clear) plastic from the top skins yesterday. One side came off in less than 40 seconds ..... the other took 7 hours.

After numerous different strategies, the best I could come up with is heating until it goes clear & gooey, scrape with blunt steel and then almost immediately scotchbrite with a pad soaked in cellulose thinners.

What a HORRIBLE job !!!. I don't suppose there's an "easy" way ?

What makes it stick like that ...Time, UV, Damp ?. Whatever it is, I sure intend to avoid it once I know why !
 
Richard, I don't know how much "easier" it is but getting an edge up and rolling the film up on a broom handle (or something similar) worked well for me. Even AFTER 14 years of adhesion. No heat required. Also doesn't bend the skin all up if done correctly.
 
I would be wary of scraping with steel. Might leave tiny particles in the aluminum, which could cause corrosion later.

I could be way off base here.....................:eek:
 
Scotchbrite always, never steel wool on AL I was told. No pencil either, use a sharpie. I still do not understand why some spend the time with a soldering iron to leave the maximum amount of blue film on as long as possible - unless you intend to later polish the plane. Before painting you have to scotchbrite every square inch!
 
The stuff on mine was really strange, loads of it came off no problem in one piece.

In the problem areas I could not even lift fingernail sized pieces to start a "run". it seemed that the adhesion was 10x more and the film seemed thinner somehow - just not enough strength in the poly to break the bond.

Even when I'd got the film off the adhesive underneath stayed put - thinners would not soften it on its own - so I had to use scotch pads and thinners at the same time.

After this experience I've been removing film elsewhere - mostly OK.

All being well the project will be flying in about 6 months, painted - If I leave the stuff on any longer that could be 2 years just to get it all off !
 
Plastic film removal

Might try a heat gun..or roll it out into the sun and warm the film/ metal a bit first....hope this helps
 
Richard,
I agree with Gary. Mine was 15 years old and I keep several sizes of PVC tubing underneath my workbench. Get a corner started and then use a PVC tube to roll it on. Its much easier on the fingers and it works pretty well.
Best,
Jerry Folkerts
 
Richard,

Might want to try D-Limonene (Orange Oil) organic solvent, which softens a variety of temporary adhesives. It's absolutely great for removing paper labels. I tried it on some (non-problematic) 5-year-old blue film still attached to some scrap and it did seem to make the film release a little easier (however, not the dramatic difference I was hoping to report). It available from Citrus Depot, among other places.

- John
 
For me I think the film that was exposed to sunlight (UV?) lost its strength and could no longer be peeled from the aluminium. It simply fell apart well before lifting off the skin.
I used some pretty strong thinners to remove the mess.
 
I have always had good results removing any residue 'glue' using MEK .. much better than any cellulose thinner - Just make sure you wear a face mask for the vapour and strong gloves - MEK is nasty stuff...
 
I used an "eraser wheel" to get the white vellum off of my Rocket kit, which was about 2003 vintage. "Welded on" is about the right description.
 
I just made some brackets from scrap with the old clear plastic. Unfortunately I didn't remove the film until I had them cut, bent and fit. The side that did not have the mill markings was relatively easy and came off in one piece. The side with the mill stamp was a bitch, particularly over the lettering. There must be something in the ink that reacts with the plastic. I found no silver bullet to remove it, just elbow grease. It might have been easier to remake the bracket than fight that film. I haven't seen the same problem with the blue film.
 
Doug said:
For me I think the film that was exposed to sunlight (UV?) lost its strength and could no longer be peeled from the aluminium. It simply fell apart well before lifting off the skin.
I used some pretty strong thinners to remove the mess.
Click to expand...

On reflection, I think that sunlight has been my problem.

80% of the film came off with no problem at all - the bits that caused all the headaches were maybe on the top of a pile of sheets and have therefore had 16 years worth of U.V.

This is just a best guess. In reality I have no idea of what the parts have been through over the years. I do know they have been very cold at times and have also had a lot of spiders, dust and bird droppings on them.

When I get chance I'll upload some photos - I have some really good ones of the scene when I fist saw the project. It had been in a barn so long I had to remove a section of wall that had been built later and locked it in. The canopy was on a first floor that has since had the staircase removed.
 
I bought a partially completed kit that was delivered in 2000. Not a lot of plastic left on, but what was there came off without much drama. I would guess that sun or some unique event may have caused the adhesive to change properties.

I did have light corrosion under some plastic, always at the edges. Nothing that can't be removed in paint prep. My logic is pull it off early. It really doesn't add much but protection from light scratching. Heavy scratches will go through the plastic.

I had a lot of scratches in one of my upper fuse skins. Seemed the previous owner dragged the rivet gun from rivet to rivet. Easily came out with 200 and 400 grit paper. I talked to my paint manufacturer. He has helped numerous people paint their RV's and Lancairs. He suggested prepping the skin with 80 grit paper. There is really no point in protecting something that will just later be abraded.

Larry
 
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