After refinishing my brightwork, the 3M blue masking tape was hard to remove and left a lot of its adhesive on the gelcoat. Paint thinner was nor particularly effective in removing the deposits. With great success, I tried 3M general-purpose adhesive remover. This stuff worked great, including some old deposits that were several months old.
This stuff comes in quart cans with a thin plastic spout that allows you to apply small amounts precisely. I bought the can at a car-parts store (one that carried car painting supplies, for about $10. I just applied a thin layer of the solvent, worked it into the adhesive with my finger nails or a plastic scowering pad, and wiped clean with a rag. Sometimes I needed a second pass to get all the sticky stuff. Incidently, this stuff also works well cleaning up polysulfide sealant after rebedding fittings.
RitcheyVS@aol.com
Removing Masking Tape Adhesive
Moderator: Jim Walsh