Adhesive Removal

Ming, I would need more info to answer. How thick is the aluminum strip? Do you want to remove the tape as well? What is Feron? I've never heard of it. Most solvents that will dissolve pressure-sensitive adhesives (on the double-sided tape) will also dissolve the PVC! If you can answer the questions, I will help in any way I can.

Should that read "Freon"? If so, were you thinking about using it as a solvent for the adhesive, or chilling the strip to make the adhesive brittle, or . . ?

Can you obtain a thin wire (music wire, perhaps, or maybe used EDM wire), and slide it under the aluminum? Put a dowel handle on each end, and "saw" it back & forth to cut away tape without touching PVC. The need for handles to be above the surface makes this straightforward. This will leave part of the tape, but now you have direct access and can look at the next step without the complications.

When I need to remove soft adhesive, the first thing I turn to is WD40 or LPS, also known as liquid penetrating solution.

Lighter fluid is good for label adhesives, and doesn't leave oily residue

I don`t have too much time, but the answer is "De-Solv-It_R" made by ORANGE-SOL Household Products www.orange-sol.com or 1-800-877-7771.Pure! Natural orange oil based cleaner virtualy safe on every surface, costs about $15.00 or less usualy in hardware stores.Good luck! Just let me know if did work.

i hope you don't mean "freon". cause freezing would only damage your strip and pvc!. and; if you want cheap & effective,"wood alcahol", has helped me remove old and/or new "selfstick velcro strips" or doublestick pads and strips(tape type too). it weakens and dissolves the glue component. you may have yo apply it two, or even three?, times; after each application soaks in a bit, try to slide the strip "side to side". these self stick pads etc. are rated by their "vertical pull strength", they are weakest if slid sideways. a little more alchy and a"paintscraper" type, single edge razorblade, will make shaving/scraping off any strip/pad from metal and/or pvc!, as easy as scrapeing gum off chairs and table bottoms etc.. you might want to use a thin,stiff, metal strip (like the backedge of a hacksawblade) as a "pull plain" to gently lift the alumstrip up and away from the pvc, or as i have done, cut with the razorblade the edge of the doublestick along the edge of the metalstrip; this gives alchy a channnel understrip and weakens "vacume grip "too!. or call the 3M custmr service# and ask what they reccomend for doublestick adhesive solvent, they developed this gluetype afterall!!. goodluck, chukfinn

I cannot picture the problem exactly, so this may not help, but a lot of adhesives when warmed up to over the boiling point of water become pliable and easier to remove. This temperature should not damage the PVC.

Ming:

A heat gun will make the label pliable enough to peel off and then use VMP Naptha to remove adhesive residue. The key is actually to get the label off so the Naptha can get to the adhesive. Naptha is cheap and has been used in the furniture industry for years without affecting the finish.

I would try good old fashioned "Mayonaise" like the kind you eat. It has amazing

natural adhesive dissolving qualities.

Numerous commercial products exist (e.g., from 3M) that are specifically formulated to remove adhesives. I suggest you do an Internet search to find the latest products available. Most of these cost a few U.S. bucks.

Unless your double-sided PSA tape has been there for years and/or under high-temp/pressure exposure, you can probably peel it off very carefully and slowly. Any residue that remains can then be rolled off by rubbing and rolling. If that does not remove all of it, you can then use a solvent-based glue remover to get rid of the remaining residue, but you should test it before hand to make sure it does not etch or otherwise attack the PVC substrate, especially if its an aesthetic surface like an auto dashboard. The same precautions apply to using solvents to debond because fumes are deleterious and harmful. Read the manufacturers instructions.

Another possible alternative is applying ice or dry-ice to the Al only. This will shrink the Al and help break the bond to the plastic. Generally, the CTE for plastics is about 10X that of metals.

In conclusion, I would suggest if none of the above works, buy a new one or mechanically remove the Al via any means you deem necessary.

Inevitably, you could get better advice is someone knew the exact application, whether it's an aesthetic surface, etc., etc. Hey! Post more details and you'll get better answers.

Hope this is helpful.

Thank to everyone for their advise. My objective is to remove the adhevise completely and keep the aluminum strip (0.5 mm thk) and the PVC. This is not a one time deal but high volume and long term work that is why I need to get it done in a cheapest way. Freon is a chemical solvant that use to clean up Printed Circuit Board after soldering, it is good to remove adhesive but is too expensive.

Ming

For years those of us in the advertising industry have been using Rubber Cement Thinner. It will safely and easily remove anything from any surface. It is quite inexpensive and can be found in any art supply store or hardware store.

Anyone know how to kind of do this in reverse? I have some old labels that have lost their "stickyness" so to speak. I need a way to "reactivate" the adhesive currently on there without adding anything new to make it stick to what is basically thick tinfoil. Any ideas? Something that would quickly heat the adhesive behind the label maybe? Thanks for your time!