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Topic: Remove masking tape from vintage black painted fretboard? |
Jim Rossen
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 11 May 2015 7:28 pm |
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Any suggestions for removing vintage masking tape from a black painted vintage fretboard?
Thanks
Jim |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 11 May 2015 8:14 pm
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| need more details and a pic. how long has it been on there? |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 12 May 2015 4:15 am
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| Naptha (Ronsonol lighter fuel), soft rag, & elbow grease. |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 12 May 2015 4:46 am
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| if its masking tape, water first....will dissolve the tape. then you can get an idea about the naptha needed for the tape residue. |
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Robert Allen
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 12 May 2015 6:46 am
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| Mayonnaise left on overnight will soften many of those old tapes without damaging the paint. |
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Dave Mayes
From:
Oakland, Ca.
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Posted 12 May 2015 6:48 am
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Bill, Jack, Robert,
Same advice if the masking tap has been applied next to the fret board, on wood that has an old, light nitro finish?
Many thanks.
Last edited by Dave Mayes on 12 May 2015 7:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 12 May 2015 7:01 am
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| Goo-Gone is good stuff. |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 12 May 2015 11:03 am
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| Dave Mayes wrote: |
Bill, Jack, Robert,
Same advice if the masking tap has been applied next to the fret board, on wood that has an old, light nitro finish?
Many thanks. |
always test first on an area thats covered,like under the neck pocket area if a bolt on. naptha will not damage nitro. water may get in tiny lacquer checks and raise the wood fibers.
if you keep the water on the tape...it will dissolve the tape and leave the adhesive residue. then the naptha will dissolve that. dont rub hard. let the naptha dissolve it. it should just turn into goo. if the tape has been on there many years, then the adhesive will have crystallized and will be super hard. that will take some time for the naptha to soften. be patient. post a pic!
here is a fender style bass neck i am making for a customer. finished shooting the lacquer, now to wet sand with naptha to keep the 600 and up grit sandpaper from loading up. finish work is very tedious. finish repair and removing tape and other things from old finishes is also very tedious. you do it right...you will never see it.
is the tape soft and pliable?
Last edited by Bill Hatcher on 12 May 2015 11:12 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 12 May 2015 11:08 am
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| Robert Allen wrote: |
| Mayonnaise left on overnight will soften many of those old tapes without damaging the paint. |
some folks use peanut butter. mineral oil also. |
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Dave Mayes
From:
Oakland, Ca.
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Posted 12 May 2015 11:40 am
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Thanks for your informative reply Bill!
I don't have the steel in my mitts yet, so I can't give any accurate description.
Going slowly & carefully is my natural inclination, so I expect I'll have good results with your advise.
Thanks again.
Dave |
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Jim Rossen
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 12 May 2015 1:48 pm Pic
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Here is a pic of the afflicted fret board.
Jim |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 12 May 2015 3:26 pm
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| naptha for sure. start with one very tiny area...down at the pickup end. just to make sure the naptha and whatever the fretboard is painted with get along. |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 12 May 2015 7:17 pm
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Another vote here for Goo-Gone. It is water soluble and won't attack most materials. Another thing it is good for is getting Band Aids off without the pain of pulling hairs off your arm, leg or whatever.
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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Gary Meixner
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 13 May 2015 5:42 am
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Jim,
The problem with many solvents is they evaporate so fast that they don't have a chance to have an effect on the stuff you are trying clean off. Sometimes they will dissolve some components and then immediately redeposit them on the surface. If you find the adhesive to be real stubborn, try wetting it first with linseed oil or something similar. After it has set a while then use a rag slightly wetted with a solvent like naptha or turps. Test everything first. Good luck.
Gary |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 13 May 2015 11:23 am
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Hair dryer?
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 13 May 2015 11:39 am
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| Mayonnaise, peanut butter, Goo-Gone, and mineral (or vegetable) oil have the same active ingredient: OIL. The first two conveniently keep the oil where you put it. |
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Steven Cummings
From:
Texas
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Posted 13 May 2015 2:35 pm
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I have had good luck softening tape adhesive with hair dryer. Be careful not to hold the heat too close as it could create another problem, but it usually works fine to soften the adhesive. A soft damp rag to disolve the paper on the tape works sometimes pretty well also. Vegetable oils work usually pretty safe to do but as stated before test a small area and use a soft cloth with the least amount of elbow grease you can get away with. Fish oil works as well.
I was in the sign biz for 20 odd years and did quite a bit of custom painting of displays etc. Have personally used all the tricks that I've listed above with success. Slow and steady as she goes 
_________________
Lookin' on the sunny side.... |
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Jim Rossen
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 18 May 2015 8:16 am
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Project update-
Goo Gone and lacquer thinner immediately dissolved the fret board paint in a tiny test area.
WD 40 and cooking oil had no effect with brief exposure.
Mineral spirits did not dissolve the paint. The thin areas of adhesive were quickly softened and could be wiped away. The thick strands were not softened much despite repeated applications. I applied spirits and scraped these away- tried various soft scrapers but fingernail worked best. Gentle heating with a heat gun did not do much. The paint was surprisingly resistant to the scraping. Came out pretty well.
Jim |
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Steven Cummings
From:
Texas
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Posted 18 May 2015 8:44 am
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Glad to hear you got it off. It is always best to try the least damaging methods first. Glad to hear that lacquer thinner didn't mess things up that's usually pretty harsh stuff on some finishes. When that old masking tape stays on too long it can be quite an ordeal removing it. Glad to hear things worked out pretty well for you. Enjoy that guitar.
_________________
Lookin' on the sunny side.... |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 18 May 2015 8:45 am
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Jim,
I would go over the area with polishing compound and a damp cloth. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 18 May 2015 8:58 am
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Good idea Erv. But I like the even gentler Meguiars Swirl Remover 2.0. Will remove mung, but not touch the patina. Good stuff!
JB
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps |
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