cleaning PVC

[Capt _A]

I have a new to me project boat ( 2013 650 pro marine with T-top)
it has original PVC tubes that are very sun burnt but they hold air well,
what is the nest solvent to "melt"/ clean the PVC?
MEK? Acetone?

[Herman Melville]

I had a very old VERY sunburnt rib. People who 'knew' wrote it off....so much that I bought it for only £50. The PVC was so damanged it had turned pink.and you could see the threads.

MEK - but it's horriffic stuff on your skin - at least is on mine. Some kinds of gloves it will melt too. I have best results with plastic 'petrol station' gloves - it seems to melt rubber ones.

Why di you want to remove PVC ?

If the tubes are 'iffy' I would not take any more off them - I would put up with how they look - don't want to weaken them any more. Worst case you can glue reinforceing PVC pads / strips over the really bad areas.

303 UV protector regularly abd all over and cover on it every minute it's not being used.

the next thing is that if it's that badly burnt then your 'glued on' fittings like lifeline tethers and seat davits and hand holds may be coming off / loose. These can be fixed as long as youu se the right glue ahd follwo the instructions to the letter.

If there is one thing I have been successful at it's keeping my old super burnt rib going for years including re attaching it to the hull...

[909]

I always clean with soap and water and a rag. What remains, I try to get out with bleach and degreaser and a scrub brush. The very last most stubborn remains I'll use MEK with a MR.Clean Magic Eraser which is essentially sandpaper. The idea is to start with the least damaging method and work your way up.

[Capt _A]

Well i woud like to remove the most outter layer of material to prep for tube painting. if it fails I can always retube. the current the tubes have no patches and hold air well.

Originally Posted by Herman Melville

I had a very old VERY sunburnt rib. People who 'knew' wrote it off....so much that I bought it for only £50. The PVC was so damanged it had turned pink.and you could see the threads.

MEK - but it's horriffic stuff on your skin - at least is on mine. Some kinds of gloves it will melt too. I have best results with plastic 'petrol station' gloves - it seems to melt rubber ones.

Why di you want to remove PVC ?

If the tubes are 'iffy' I would not take any more off them - I would put up with how they look - don't want to weaken them any more. Worst case you can glue reinforceing PVC pads / strips over the really bad areas.

303 UV protector regularly abd all over and cover on it every minute it's not being used.

the next thing is that if it's that badly burnt then your 'glued on' fittings like lifeline tethers and seat davits and hand holds may be coming off / loose. These can be fixed as long as youu se the right glue ahd follwo the instructions to the letter.

If there is one thing I have been successful at it's keeping my old super burnt rib going for years including re attaching it to the hull...

[Capt _A]

Its not dirty just sunbrunt.. turning the tubes pink would be an upgrade.....

Originally Posted by 909

I always clean with soap and water and a rag. What remains, I try to get out with bleach and degreaser and a scrub brush. The very last most stubborn remains I'll use MEK with a MR.Clean Magic Eraser which is essentially sandpaper. The idea is to start with the least damaging method and work your way up.