Has anyone experimented with finding the best temperature to have a heat gun set at to loosen up the adhesive for WPC side rail removal? I have a digital heat gun that can bet set between 250-1350 degrees Fahrenheit , and I was just wondering if anyone knows what the "safest" setting would be that also delivers the best results.

Just to be clear, I'm referring to heating up the double sided tape between the side rails and the cabinet in order to (hopefully) remove them with our damaging the rails, or the cabinet. I'll be using the painters tape/scoring method using two 1 1/4" flexible putty knives to piggyback along the rails while removing.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as always!

Cheers,
Greg

#2 9 years ago

RAR

beelzeboob

Pinside+ Frequent

10y 182K 20,714

Hey, Greg - I've done this a number of times. I don't have a fancy heat gun like yours...I just put mine on high and heat the rail until the goop under it softens up enough for me to work the putty knife under there. You might want to use some shims in place of the putty knife when you pull it out so that it doesn't readhere, but I've only had that problem once. Also, you might consider putting playing cards up there to keep the putty knife from doing any damage to the cabinet.

Whatever you do, be patient and don't force the knife or pry. Worst thing you can do is pry off a section of decal--or worse, wood--with the rail. That SUCKS.

Best of luck, brother...

#3 9 years ago

MST

Triumvirat73

Inactive member

Kelowna, BC

11y 41,400 1,259 3 8

Thanks man, I appreciate the advice!

My biggest concern (although, I may just be conjuring this worry up in my own head) is applying too much residual heat to the side art decal and causing it to bubble or discolor. Perhaps I'm being too overly cautious, but it's the kind of mistake that once you make a mistake like that... Well, you get the idea. lol

Thanks again!

#4 9 years ago

RAR

beelzeboob

Pinside+ Frequent

10y 182K 20,714

You can't make the mistake if you're aimed squarely at the rail and have the knife underneath that one section. The knife will also heat up and move up through the softened tape, and once it hits the top, you're done. Pull it out and move on to the next inch or two of tape. It's all in where you aim the gun. That being said, I'd start on a low-medium heat and increase it slowly from there. You really don't need much heat to soften that stuff up.

#5 9 years ago

MST

Triumvirat73

Inactive member

Kelowna, BC

11y 41,400 1,259 3 8

Excellent points, and duly noted. I'm definitely not going to rush this because shipping/taxes/duty to have new side rails purchased & shipped to me from the USA is ridiculous.

I'm sure it will turn out to be a "what the hell was I so worried about?!" experience but I figured that doing a little friendly research wouldn't be a terrible place to start. haha

Thanks again mate! (and I'm keeping a keen eye on that FH restore thread. Nice work!)

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