Catalina 34

General Activities => Main Message Board => Topic started by: mregan on May 19, 2014, 09:27:20 AM

Title: Removing silicone
Post by: mregan on May 19, 2014, 09:27:20 AM
Any good products for removing silicone from fiberglass.  I used a utility knife to remove the majority of it.  There is a thin coating left I need to remove on the cabin top.  I think the PO was the CEO of a silicone factory based on the amount of items he used it on.
Title: Re: Removing silicone
Post by: Jim Hardesty on May 19, 2014, 10:02:36 AM
I've used "Release" made by Boat Life.  It helps.
Jim
Title: Re: Removing silicone
Post by: Ed Shankle on May 19, 2014, 11:53:43 AM
Coincidentally, I was scraping away on that this weekend, as I had the cabintop hatch lens replaced. I used a stiff putty knife with a good edge. It worked very well, just takes a little time and effort. Cleaned up the final little bits of film with acetone. Rebedded with butyl tape instead. Silicone is impervious to the solvents I generally use.

Ed
Title: Re: Removing silicone
Post by: mregan on May 19, 2014, 11:59:32 AM
I'll try the acetone I have some on the boat.  No matter how well I scrape it down, there is always that little film left.
Title: Re: Removing silicone
Post by: Ed Shankle on May 19, 2014, 12:13:30 PM
keep scraping. the key is a good edge. While I was doing it I thought of a wallpaper scraper, that uses a razor like edge. You could try that.

Ed
Title: Re: Removing silicone
Post by: mregan on May 19, 2014, 02:40:36 PM
You don't think something too sharp would scratch/gouge the fiberglass?
Title: Re: Removing silicone
Post by: Ron Hill on May 19, 2014, 03:20:19 PM
mre : Hit it with a heat gun and it softens up and you can get/rub it off.

A thought