Oily tubes

[BogMonster]

I am delighted with the outcome of the Rib Revive and elbow grease combination on my very mucky tubes, before and after photos attached, but I have one little problem which is some soiling around the waterline at the stern. Somebody I was talking to on the weekend told me it was almost certainly some heavy fuel oil from a spill a few years ago, but the Rib Revive doesn't really want to touch it even with leaving it to soak for 10-15 min and then quite hard scrubbing with a pot scourer. It's possible that this is actually stained right into the material, on the other hand it might come off with a LOT of scrubbing but I'm a bit reluctant to use too much enthusiasm on the back end of the toobs because of the weaknesses I have already had problems with and anyway really sustained scrubbing with a rough scourer is going to wear away the top layer of the hypalon if it takes that much.

Would it be ok to try cleaning this off with petrol - I guess hypalon is probably petrol resistant seeing as RIBs mostly have petrol engines? If I did try petrol or some other solvent (maybe gunwash thinners), would that then cause problems with proper glue adhesion when I come to do the full repair/reinforcement job fitting wear patches etc. as I am intending to do in the near future? Or would the hypalon solvent (I got some from Polymarine with the glue) take off all residues from petrol etc?

It is so near to looking clean now I'd like to finish it off properly if I could but I don't want to risk affecting the final repair job, structural integrity is much more important than looks! I guess whatever this muck is, it needs to come off somehow to get the wear patches properly stuck on.

Any thoughts welcome

Ta

Stephen

[Jimmy_Beam]

You could try a few different solvents that wont cause the hypalon any problems.

MEK, Toulene, Rubbing Alcohol, MEK would be the best, and it is probably what you have with your repair kit.

Jimmy

[Polwart]

If I remember correctly JWalker swears by gunwash for cleaning tubes.

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by Polwart

If I remember correctly JWalker swears by gunwash for cleaning tubes.

Got a 10 gallon can of gunwash at work

Just didn't want to slosh anything on that might go "fssshhhhhh" and right through.

The Hypalon solvent I have is the Polymarine P510 that matches their 2 pack glue that I got at the same time, but whether it would be a solvent to heavy oil I don't know - probably unlikely? Can try a little bit I suppose, don't want to slosh too much around as it cost a #kin fortune by the time I got it here about £10 a litre! so I didn't order much more than I needed for the glue.

Deviating slightly, what things SHOULD you keep well away from Hypalon? Battery acid would probably be bad, anything else to avoid.....? Apart from sharp things, obviously

[Polwart]

detailed list:

http://www.isolatorgloves.com/Chemic...%20Hypalon.doc

this is actually glove compatability - so will include both "permeation" and actual damage to the material.

[BogMonster]

Oops - "D - Severe Effect" best not use petrol then....

Thanks, that's a very useful list, will file away for future reference

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by BogMonster

Oops - "D - Severe Effect" best not use petrol then....

Thanks, that's a very useful list, will file away for future reference

MEK is listed just the same - as is Toluene....

[BogMonster]

Ah .... didn't look at those! Either of those soften the surface though don't they, in preparation for gluing, I don't want to do that at this stage... just to clean it. I'll try a little bit in a place where I can put a patch over it if it goes funny.

[Ezgoing]

Try bostik thinners?

[PeterR]

I was once told not to use anything with silocone in it as you will not be able to stick any adhesive for any repairs later if needed,Hope that helps fpr the future