Madcow DX3 Fins Adhesive Residue Removal

[NCTex]

The fins I received have a thick tape residue left on them from manufacturing I assume. What is the best way to remove these? I tried 92% Isopropyl alcohol but it had no real effect. My main concern is that whatever remover I use may leave behind trace contamination that would interfere with the bonding epoxy.

 

[dhbarr]

Acetone wipe oughta' do it.

 

[Eric]

Aceton. Works great for that. $5-$7 at Wal-Mart. Leaves no residue and should be used before every epoxy job.

The 92% IPA will leave be hind a residue. 8% of something you dont want in your epoxy joint.

I also wipe fiberglass with acetone before scuffing all areas to be epoxied. Prevents mold release from getting ground into the fiberglass. Then wipe again after scuffing.

 

[NCTex]

Awesome, thanks guys!

 

[blackjack2564]

WD-40 works also....after clean up with alcohol/acetone to rid residue.

 

[Woody's Workshop]

Lacquer Thinner also works well on things it doesn't melt.

 

[Nytrunner]

The 92% IPA will leave be hind a residue. 8% of something you dont want in your epoxy joint.

Side question, will a water rinse/wipe remove the IPA residue?

 

[jjwb22101]

If they're fiberglass fins, Goo Gone followed by soap and water works excellently. For wood fins, yeah, isopropyl (or a light sanding) are probably your best bets.

 

[Eric]

Side question, will a water rinse/wipe remove the IPA residue?

Maybe..... But if it's an oil based residue. You might not be too sure. But, a hot water with a couple drops of Dawn cuts through the mold release.

But if IPA is what you have, its better then nothing. I would bet that 50% of rockets built with epoxy, don't have a perfectly prepped surface or use an epoxy that will give you a good chemical bond. So we rely on the physical bond of scuffed surfaces...

And that probably fine for 99% of the flights.

 

[Banzai88]

I've spent all morning looking up SDS sheets for IPA blends that I've been buying/using. I have yet to find one where it's cut with anything other than plain old water.

 

[rcktnut]

I've spent all morning looking up SDS sheets for IPA blends that I've been buying/using. I have yet to find one where it's cut with anything other than plain old water.

Correct, nothing more than water. IPA is all I've ever used as a final wipe before painting. It is a lot "mellower" than those other solvents. Fiberglass, plastic,etc. never had any paint lift on any projects.

 

[blackjack2564]

I've spent all morning looking up SDS sheets for IPA blends that I've been buying/using. I have yet to find one where it's cut with anything other than plain old water.

True...BUT many have lanolin added to keep woman hands [they but it mostly ] from drying out from raw alcohol. That is an oily residue.

Good ole windex works great for removing various residues before gluing.

 

[Banzai88]

True...BUT many have lanolin added to keep woman hands [they but it mostly ] from drying out from raw alcohol. That is an oily residue.

Good ole windex works great for removing various residues before gluing.

The SDS sheets that I found, even for the wal mart brand 90% stuff said water. Are you sure you're not confusing that with the acetone/oil mixes that are used for nail polish remover?

If there's anything in the IPA from Wally World, Home Depot, or Lowes, I can't prove it by the SDS.

I looked at over 25 SDS's today, all store name brands, home improvement, department store brand pharmacy brands......none of them had anything but alcohol and water in them.

 

[rcktnut]

True...BUT many have lanolin added to keep woman hands [they but it mostly ] from drying out from raw alcohol. That is an oily residue

Possibly in bygone years, when Mom and Pop had a bottle of carbon tetrachloride next to the rubbing alcohol. If you go buy a bottle of whatever percent IPA now your getting alcohol and water. Now days I don't believe too many people at all use rubbing alcohol on the skin anymore. To many other safer products on the market to replace what rubbing alcohol does. Rubbing alcohol is not good for you when absorbed through the skin. Now days basically used as a solvent.

 

[rharshberger]

I dont use IPA any longer, instead I use Denatured Alcohol which is a combination of Methanol and Ethanol alcohols and has no H2O or additives ( at least on the MSDS). It works much better than IPA.

 

[Woody's Workshop]

In automotive finishing, before priming or putting on any fillers and such...
There is a product used under several names by different manufacturers.
It's basically the best quality mineral spirits.
Doing a small area, turning to clean spot on a rag and do some more.
The only thing we did after that was a wipe down with a tack rag.
And that was basically to remove dust, not any residue.
With all the plastic nose cones and transitions I've done I have never done anything but sand, putty, sand, tack rag and prime.
I've never had a fish eye problem.
I'm sure epoxy is quite different, but a good wipe with a quality solvent, sanding and wipe with a tack rag is probably the best you can do, or need.

 

[OverTheTop]

I think the stuff you are talking about Woody I know as prepsol.

I use MIBK (or acetone if I have run out) myself for wiping the fiberglass down before bonding. A little more dangerous than IPA. I have used prepsol in the past as well, but not nowadays.