Panel Protective Film Removing

[paul_r]

As the end is nearly in sight I have just tried to unvail the nice shiny wheel arches and am somewhat frustrated with the protective plastic covering. The wheel arches have a thin blue plastic covering not like the majority of the panels which has a thick white plastic (black backed). I spent approx 3 hours on Saturday trying to remove film and gave up with only finger nail size pieces of plastic comming off in a go which also left a dull sheen on the stainless which looks like adhesive. The only thing that I could get to work is superglue remover but this is painfully and soul destrying.

 

has anyone got any good tips for removing the plastic as I am totally P'ed with he amount of time I am spending trying to get the plastic off.

[Dave R]

have you tried a hair drier ??

[Jez Morton]

I had some pieces of stainless I used that had been left exposed to sun and they had a glue type residue left on them. Tried white spirit, petrol and anything else in the cupboard to clean it off but what really worked and cleaned it very easily was Halfords aerosol brake cleaner?. I didnt have an issue peeling the plastic off but the hair drier method sounds like a good idea.

 

Jez

[paul_r]

Thanks for the advice, I tried the hairdrier but this didn't help much. I think that the problem has come from having the panels temperarely fitted while moving in and out the garage. The plastic appears to become brittle especially if the panel has been bent/formed.

 

The biggest problem I have is that I have attached the grp wheel arches (which have been freshly sprayed) and that whatever I do I hope won't need these painting again.

 

Thanks,

Paul

[Guest yokel]

The only thing I've found that gets off the adhesive and the bits left at the edges is brake cleaner.

 

hope that helps.

 

Tony

[Guest mikea]

I tried all sorts .... the best was hot soapy water which I found dissolved the adhesive. I was able to peel a bit off then soak the edges of the plastic. It had to be hot though. Mind you mine was very old when I took it off .. perhaps nearly ten years !

 

The best stuff I've found for a final shine is silver polish .. dries to a powder that is just dusted off.

[nicko]

Hi, I had the same problem. I tried the hair drier and got burnt fingers but it did speed up the process of getting the blue stuff off. For the adhesive residue I found nail varnish remover worked best (Not the low odour stuff), then clean with cheapo window cleaning fluid (the stuff that looks like coloured water).

 

Nick

[Bob Tucker]

Hot water on a sponge applied to the plastic film should help release it.

It works better than the hair drier, which does make it go a bit brittle.

[Guest rmothe]

Try vodka, as it breaks down adhesives.

[Guest pwlcarz]

Not sure how best to remove the plastic film (warming it seems a good idea) as it appears to have been affected by UV light braking down the plastic. However this stuff will get rid of any adhesive residue

 

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Magic-A...Gone-376969.htm

 

hth

[paul_r]

Thanks everyone for the tips I'll try all of the above, I especially like the Vodka, for me not the plastic, one as this will time fly by as it normally does when I have a tipple!!!

 

thanks again,

Paul

[Guest jwts]

Thanks everyone for the tips I'll try all of the above, I especially like the Vodka, for me not the plastic, one as this will time fly by as it normally does when I have a tipple!!!

 

thanks again,

Paul

 

Paul,

 

I've had this problem with the white film after leaving panels out in the sun/weather. I suspect UV damage in this case. I found once I got the film off I could remove the adhesive left with methylated spirit (which I guess is similar to vodka but don't drink it ).

 

Incidentally my local Pound Shop does brake cleaner for £1 a large spray can and it works (cleans brakes I mean).

 

John (jwts),

[Guest Larson250]

Try vodka, as it breaks down adhesives.

 

 

Drink Vodka and then use Oxy acetylene

 

Dean

[spg]

I used cellulose thinners to remove the blue film off my bonnet. Wiped the film over with thinners on on a rag, Then left it for ten minutes or so to soften the film then it peeled off in little pieces quite easliy then cleaned the residue off with the thinners. Still took a long time to do.

 

You'll need to be very careful with the new paint work thought, Oh and leave the garage door open.

 

 

Steve

[Knock-on]

Well, I was fortunate that the "Gentleman" who attempted my Lego kit before I took it over forgot to put the tadpole rubber between the arch and body.

 

Consequently, after drilling out the rivets (and finding the light wires were just twisted together) I took the whole arch and plonked it in a boiling hot bath with loads of washing up liquid.

 

It certainly helped get the plastic and residude off but there was still a lot of staining which I used Brasso on. (not posh enough to own Silver Polish )

 

Anyway, all in all, it took me about 4 hours for the 1st arch and am doing the second one today so it should be a bit quicker now I know what I'm doing.

 

Wish I had read this thread yesterday