Removing Plastic from Aluminum

[horsecreek]

How do you remove the sticky plastic sheet on aluminum panels? Horsecreek

[Enewton57]

I have found that some of it comes off easil and some of it comes off in little bitty pieces. Heat seams to help, and I mean the kind heat you get from setting it out in the sunlight for an hour or so. on he real stubborn stuff, I have had to use MEK and a Scotchbright pad to get it off. Of course that is if you plan to paint it. If you are going with polished aluminum, the scotchbright pad isn't such a good idea. Good luck.

[Tom W]

Depends on temperature as Eric mentioned.

In the summer months in Texas, no problem to remove. I use 91% rubbing alcohol to remove any sticky left behind. Soft towel and alcohol.

In the winter months, just placing the item in the sun for an hour... peels off nicely. Make the mistake of peeling when cold, way too frustrating. Just set it outside to warm with plastic exposed to sunlight, and off it comes.

Also, leave most of it on until you are ready to paint. It will help keeping down scratches, hanger rash. A soldering iron, with a well rounded/smoothed tip, can just be lightly dragged on the plastic - either side of row of rivets Remove the center strip, and rivet. Most plastic remains to protect the skin.

[Battson]

There is no magic bullet unfortunately.
If you are working with new plastic on fresh sheets of Al then it should easily peel off in one go, older stuff is much harder as it breaks up. Be sure to remove all the tiny flecks of old plastic before painting, especially on parts which have had a hard time - where the plastic has to be picked off bit by bit - a rub with scotchbrite tends to help show up any remaining bits.