Adhesive remover

[steve geary]

Everyone has a little different method, but I’ve ben doing this for the last three days, and quite a bit more in the last year, thanks to the Avery Failures, so i’ll tell you how i do it.

After Vinyl is removed, I use Rapid Remover, just how the directions state.
Spray an area, let sit for 60 seconds.. then scrape glue off carefully with a Lil’ Chisler. That gets the heavy stuff off, and you need to scrape it, not wipe it, or it’ll just smear

I take off the remining glue with RM Pre Kleeno (automotive wax and silicone remover) That works best for me. Also, In this step, I’ll take carpenter’s chalk on a rag over the area to see if i missed any.

Then clean with Meths.

this process works well for me

I’ve heard others using 3m Citrus Glue remover with success

I charge hourly, but it always costs more than the customer thinks it should.

the van I just did had two sides and rear done with 4" stripes the length of the side. It was about 6 hours to remove everything.. maybe 2 -3 for the glue.

Good luck

[Stephen Sill]

I just acquired a vinyl zapper…don’t know what name they may be marketed under in the uk but it removes the vinyl and the adhesive flawlessly in no time flat. It’s like an angle grinder, except its gear driven and runs at 3400 rpm with a rubber wheel It put a grin on my face when I took all the lettering off a u-haul van in about 10 minutes. Quick wipedown afterwards with a damp cloth and she was ready to go

[steve geary]

Hey Steve,
where did you get the zapper from… I’ve been thinking about it lately. Been using the eraser wheels in drills for now.
In sign supply stores the Zapper is more pricey than i think it should be – $400. Just wondering if there’s somewhere with a more realistic price.

top of the line grinders don’t cost near that much, and this isn’t much different.

[Stephen Sill]

I got it at the ISA show in Orlando a few weeks ago – I paid $400, but I got 4 extra wheels with it for that. On the catalogs they’re that and you still have to buy the $30 wheel. But listen- The US distributor (The thing is made in germany and is extremely well put together) is very near me, if you want I can put you in touch with him…(careful about commercial info)
Best,

Steve

[steve geary]

Thanks Steve,
Yeah if I could get that info, i’d really like to check into it. I’m all for paying for quality, it’s just being very well versed in tools, i thought that was kind of high. I’ve been wrong before.

The other thing is that i normally don’t have a need for it very often, but I’ve done 7 jobs over, due to the avery failures, and i have at least 4 more to do, so any help with time would benifit me. The Van i did this week took 6 hours to remove… it wasn’t fun!
If i was getting paid for the removal, i’m sure the zapper would be a smart investment.
Avery should be giving us one of those to use on these jobs! I don’t want to bash Avery, but this has been quite an inconvenience, and after a year of seeing NO reimbursment, it’s getting to me.

o.k. rant over!

any idea on how long the wheels last?

[Stephen Sill]

Steve-
Well, I’ll admit I was pretty sheepish about paying $400 for a tool that looked like a $100 angle grinder! (at least until I used it!) The thing that’s different about this is that it’s gear drive, slowed down so it doesn’t burn or scuff the paint. I put some wear on the wheel taking the lettering off a 15-ft U-haul Box truck but there’s plenty left. The company is Montipower, Inc. they’re the US distributor. They’re in Boyce, VA. Phone is (540) 837-1138. Hope this helps (as I think of it the unit is also available air driven. Mine is 110v)
Best,

Steve

[Peter Normington]

Is this what you are talking about,?
http://www.jagsignsupplies.co.uk/mbx.asp

apparently body shops have been using "toffee" wheels on ordinary rotary tools for years, just a thought

Peter

[steve geary]

Thanks Steve!

Yeah, that’s the one Peter. I use rubber wheels now, but I believe the MBX would work better / faster.

Again, for me it depends on how much Removal I have to do, and lately it’s been a fair amount. Even the rubber wheels on a drill go faster than heat and peeling.

[Andrew Boyle]

http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/en00 … utput_html

😀

[Marekdlux]

Not for use in CA? I better hide my supply.
-Marek

[Hugh Potter]

surely it’s just a grinder with a slightly diferent arbor, possibly just an attachment screwed into the existing arbor ?

[Robert Lambie]

i think it is the same machine, built exact same way hugh but spindle etc will be different from the likes if a blade grinder etc… the mbx machines rubber tractor wheel is about 1.25 inch wide. so would never be able to be fitted to a typical grinder. i went to buy one a while back and never. only because it was generator/air fed tool at the time. but they adapted that to the elecrtical plug one you buy today. not sure if it runs off a transformer though.

[Derek Hunter]

i use a product from autoglym its called tarton glue you can possibly get it from a car valeting company

[Derek Heron]

i use the tar and glue remover from autoglym for thick areas it softens it up great.
about a fiver for a small bottle.
isopropanol for general stuff
i nearly always use a steamer for removing vinyl it softens it nicely and most of the glue comes off with the vinyl.

Derek Heron

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Rapid Remover works like a charm.
I used it on my Avery failure van.
It’s kind to painted surfaces, but great at removing goo.
Costs a bit more than Goo Gone but works ten times better.
I’ve tried a product called Goof Off as well, but it can remove paint too!
When removing old stickers and such, I charge $25 an hour.
Most folks are willing to do this themselves rather than pay me!
Love….jill

[David Rogers]

quote Jill Marie Welsh:

……..When removing old stickers and such, I charge $25 an hour. Most folks are willing to do this themselves rather than pay me! Love….jill

I’m surprised they do it themselves – that’s damn good value for money. Yes, MOST new customers baulk at the thought of "but what if it takes 4 hours to get it cleaned up perfect" and do a lame job themselves, but the experienced (bad experience*) ones accept that it’s a pig of a job and pass the buck! :lol1:

* I had one guy burn his paintwork when ‘warming’ up the vinyl with a heat gun. Numptie.

[Robert Lambie]

I have been using tar and glue remover for years now, as has been said it works brill… i haven’t found an alternative that works as well as it. i had a rep in from a big company that manufacture this stuff… he "knew his products well" very confident and proud of what he had shown me… i don’t want to mock the guy but i said, i appreciate what you have shown me but for a fraction of the price i get the tar and glue remover and ill be honest, it moves the adhesive faster. he was baffled to say the least!
so why was i listening to the guy if i had a low costing brilliant alternative to the vast "citrus" smelling alternatives?
well, about 6 months ago my father tipped a bottle of this onto a paper towel. being in a hurry he tipped it back kinda fast… a freak little splash of the stuff within the bottle splashed up and hit him in "both" eyes…
(just a tiny amount) and bam! his eyes burned…. staggering around a workshop helped by others he instantly got cold water, then eye wash into action… 15 minutes later he "reckoned" he was blind. so much so he called me to ask could i pick him up and take him to hospital.
only after about 30 minutes did he regain confidence all was OK and he began his drive home…
i say this simply as a word of caution, i don’t know if it is only the chemical tar and glue remover or any adhesive type remover. but please, if you haven’t already. alert your staff. better safe than sorry.

[Stephen Morriss]

quote Derek Heron:

i nearly always use a steamer for removing vinyl it softens it nicely and most of the glue comes off with the vinyl.

Derek Heron

Steamers work great don’t they. I use the steamer to remove the old vinyl when reusing metal sign bases, works brilliantly and most of the glue comes off with the vinyl.

Steve