How to remove old tape glue

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75RR
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How to remove old tape glue

#1 Post by 75RR » Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:44 pm

There is an old tape mark on my Wild M8 baseplate that I would like to remove.
There does not seem to be any tape left, just the glue. Looks old and hard.
Anyone know of a safe way to remove it?
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rnabholz
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#2 Post by rnabholz » Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:49 pm

I don't know if the product is available there, but Goo Gone is my goto for that job.

http://googone.com/Home

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75RR
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#3 Post by 75RR » Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:56 pm

Thanks rnabholz, unfortunately probably not.

Do you know the ingredients?
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#4 Post by zzffnn » Fri Jul 22, 2016 12:03 am

Xylene, acetone, mineral spirits or paint stripper should work. Xylene is most powerful but a health hazard, if you use a lot of it very often. Most of those chemicals are harmful, more or less. Short term, limited use should he fine. Do watch out for strong paint stripping effects of Xylene.

Here are GooGone's ingredients from it MSDS (sorry, I don't know exactly which are the key ones, maybe #2-#4):

Ingredient CAS # Wt. %
Sodium carbonate 497-19-8 1 - 5
Monoethanolamine 141-43-5 1 - 5
Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether 112-34-5 1 - 5
Isopropanolamine 78-96-6 1 - 5
Alcohols, C9-11, ethoxylated 68439-46-3 0.5 - 1.5

http://googone.com/MSDS/MSDS

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75RR
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#5 Post by 75RR » Fri Jul 22, 2016 12:26 am

Many thanks zzffnn -
I am afraid the ingredients are a mystery to me.
Will take the list with me as I peer at containers (hope the writing is not too small)

I will stay away from the paint stripper if that is ok :)

Did a little internet seaching:

Isopropanolamines are used in a wide array of applications, including gas purification, surfactants (primarily for home and personal care products), cosmetic formulations, corrosion inhibitors, metalworking fluids, cement and concrete processing aids, and as emulsifiers, dispersants and wetting agents.

Diethylene glycol butyl ether (2-(2-Butoxyethoxy)ethanol), a Glycol ether solvent, is a clear liquid with a very low odour and high boiling point. It serves as a solvent for paints and varnishes, in the chemical industry, household detergents, brewing chemicals and textile processing

Sodium carbonate is also used as a relatively strong base in various settings. For example, it is used as a pH regulator to maintain stable alkaline conditions necessary for the action of the majority of photographic film developing agents. It acts as an alkali because when dissolved in water, it dissociates into the weak acid: carbonic acid and the strong alkali: sodium hydroxide. This gives sodium carbonate in solution the ability to attack metals such as aluminium with the release of hydrogen gas.

Ethanolamine is commonly called monoethanolamine or MEA in order to be distinguished from diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA). It is used as feedstock in the production of detergents, emulsifiers, polishes, pharmaceuticals, corrosion inhibitors, chemical intermediates.
Last edited by 75RR on Fri Jul 22, 2016 12:51 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#6 Post by mrsonchus » Fri Jul 22, 2016 12:34 am

I always use IPA OH (rubbing OH would do) for such glue - works very well and isn't too harsh on the substrate.
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#7 Post by 75RR » Fri Jul 22, 2016 12:52 am

Thanks mrsonchus - will start there!
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#8 Post by KurtM » Fri Jul 22, 2016 1:31 am

Oh man, it's hard to imagine a world without Goo Gone. Hey Rod, it's one half of my stickum removing goto; the other's Goof Off. The former's my first choice every time, but the latter is acetone based (smells like), so not nearly as harmless as good old Goo Gone. And when all else fails...
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#9 Post by rnabholz » Fri Jul 22, 2016 2:33 am

I have Goof Off too, and you are right, it is the one to use if Goo Gone doesn't get it. You do have to be more careful with it though, it will soften paint if you let it sit too long.


75, not torture you with products you may not have access to, but I will throw out one more that I think maybe more widely marketed. WD40 is also excellent for removing old adhesive residue.

Good old fashion lighter fluid is also great for that task.

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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#10 Post by Crater Eddie » Fri Jul 22, 2016 3:02 am

I'll second the lighter fluid. I have used it (at gekko's suggestion) to remove old stickers and tape from book covers with no damage done.
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#11 Post by zzffnn » Fri Jul 22, 2016 3:29 am

Just don't sniff in too much lighter fluid. None of those chemicals are really safe - all are more or less harmful. Except for moderate amount of alcohol :mrgreen:

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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#12 Post by 75RR » Fri Jul 22, 2016 12:06 pm

Thanks guys.

Have WD40, never thought of it as a glue remover - will give it a try.

Also have Zippo lighter fluid so will attempt to remove it with that too if the WD40 fails.
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#13 Post by wmodavis » Fri Jul 22, 2016 1:00 pm

WD40 is basically mineral spirits/paint thinner with a small amount of lubricant and some other proprietary ingredients.

My first go to would be mineral spirits partly cuz have some laying around in the wood shop.
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#14 Post by 75RR » Fri Jul 22, 2016 2:30 pm

No luck on the Zippo fluid nor the WD40, so have decided to view it as a Microscope version of a Prussian dueling scar.

By the way, the Zippo fluid cleaned up the rest of the microscope nicely. :)
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#15 Post by Radazz » Wed Nov 23, 2016 1:10 pm

I've had good luck with acetone, but goo gone works fine.
Can't decide which one stinks more.
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#16 Post by Peter » Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:54 pm

Hi 75RR,
I have/use a product called De-Solv-it (probably unavailable where you are). The claims are it is "organic" and based on natural citrus oil. What ever; it usually works for me.
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#17 Post by mrsonchus » Wed Nov 23, 2016 6:53 pm

Sounds akin to the wax-solvent 'Histoclear' - a so-called 'Limone' derivative from citrus oils...
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#18 Post by 75RR » Wed Nov 23, 2016 11:06 pm

Thanks guys
Had decided that I would probably do more harm than good if I attempted to use anything stronger to remove it.
It has completely solidified and seems to have bonded to the paint.
No idea what kind of tape they used or even why they felt the need to use it,
whichever it was and whatever the reason, its footprint is here to stay!
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#19 Post by mrsonchus » Wed Nov 23, 2016 11:17 pm

Sounds like a wise decision 75... :)
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#20 Post by KurtM » Thu Nov 24, 2016 1:01 am

As we see here, adhesive tape is bad stuff when left too long. And since all tape is different and you never know, my definition of "too long" is two weeks, tops.

I spend lots of my time at a vintage aviation museum, where we have airworthy aircraft from the WWI era to early 30's, and fly them. Not long ago some other well-meaning volunteer prepared a fact sheet for each aircraft in preparation for a public event, and attached them to their respective airplanes by sticking them to the propellers with packing tape. Great idea, except for that <heart attack> tape! I got an initially somewhat huffy response when I came along and summarily harvested each and every one of them, but reminded the guy of who's in charge of keeping wooden propellers (and wooden everything else) in top shape -- me -- and patiently explained why I removed them. We devised a twisty tie attachment method to use instead, that worked just as well and kept the varnish safe.

PSA (Public Service Announcement): Be mindful of how you use that tape, folks! (Yeah, it's a bit of a fetish with me.)
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Re: How to remove old tape glue

#21 Post by 75RR » Thu Nov 24, 2016 11:27 am

PSA (Public Service Announcement): Be mindful of how you use that tape, folks!
I second that motion!
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