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blue skin covering

olderthandirt

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

Dave
 
Strips

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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Thanks for help

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
 
I second the heat gun. I had blue plastic that was 10 years old and super tough to remove, but I hit it with a hair drier and the stuff came off as easy as pie.
Tom.
 
Blue Covering Residue

When taking the covering off in summer it comes off no problem. However, I removed some during the cold months and it was difficult to get of and left a gluey residue on some panels. Anyone experienced this and what is the easiest way to get this off?
Jim D
 
When taking the covering off in summer it comes off no problem. However, I removed some during the cold months and it was difficult to get of and left a gluey residue on some panels. Anyone experienced this and what is the easiest way to get this off?
Jim D
MEK or ACETONE
 
When taking the covering off in summer it comes off no problem. However, I removed some during the cold months and it was difficult to get of and left a gluey residue on some panels. Anyone experienced this and what is the easiest way to get this off?
Jim D

I found that mineral spirits worked better than acetone.
 
You might also try Goo Gone Cleaner which is probably a little more friendly for the environment. Works great on masking tape and stickers/labels.
 
I've never had any trouble getting it off. But then I've never felt the need to leave it on until it absolutely had to be take off.

Jim
 
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