How to remove PRC sealant?

[pilot06]

I have some clecos and rivets sets with PRC (grey rivet sealant) and I am looking for a remover. Any ideas. Solvant is preferred.

Thanks,
Patrick

[Cvairwerks]

MEK, Xylene, toulene all will attack it. Just remember to practice good use of PPE and ventilation.

[Bill Greenwood]

I am not sure about grey sealer, it seems to me Mooney used a reddish brown one to seal the wing fuel tanks built in their planes, thus no fuel cells or bladders. Anyway, when the eventually leaked years later, and Ray repaired mine, he told me one essential was to remove ALL the old sealer before putting on the new. This took manual scraping, not just a solvent, and I think he used something like a plastic windshield scraper.

[pilot06]

To all,

Thank you for the suggestions. Tried MEK without much luck. I will try the others.

Patrick

[warbird_patrick]

Give Methylene chloride a shot. I have used this to remove Pro-seal off my tools.

[The Inspector]

and use a hard, plastic tool to scrape with, not metal you will weaken the surrounding metal. The sealant scrapper used by Boeing is hard plexiglas about 1 1/4 inches wide, about .20 inches thick, and around 10 inches long with a 45 degree bevel ground on each end. The bevel can be resharpened by carefully using a sanding disc. wear PVC gloves too as regular laytex are permeable and can allow the chemicals to enter your skin and your lymphatic system via absorption. (plus, PVC gloves work great for mixing a meatloaf!)

[b29flteng]

paint stripper

[plankwings]

I used MEK but eventually the clecos became stiff to operate and then I had to soak them in light oil to get them to slide and give good grip. Be aware of oily spots on the skin which made it hard to get good paint finish.

Bigslim

[PJ]

Take a look at the ones on this page. Phenolic scrapers won't scratch.

http://www.browntool.com/Default.aspx?t ... =*scraper*


PJ
PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
www.amhf.org

[mustanglover]

What usually happens is that the PRC gets sucked up into the cleco body. You can soften and clean the outside but once the PRC is in the body, there is not much that will break it down and be able to be washed out.

If that is your problem, then file 13 is about the only choice you have.

[Steve Pierce]

I soak clecos and rivet sets in MEK right after they come into contact with PRC. After soaking, work the cleco and I haven't had to throw any of mine away as of yet.

[mustanglover]

I soak clecos and rivet sets in MEK right after they come into contact with PRC. After soaking, work the cleco and I haven't had to throw any of mine away as of yet.

True, as long as the PRC is fresh and not set. I think the poster above has clecos that have old well set PRC on/in them.

[Second Air Force]

My employer found a local company that has a process to clean sealant out of clecos. I'll try to find out what they use but I don't know if I'll be able to get the solvent type (proprietary info, you know). I'm wondering aloud if plain old carburetor cleaner would cut PRC?

As an aside to this subject, if you ever want to remove sealant from around window areas DO NOT use anything to clean the plexiglass except alcohol.

Scott

[krlang]

We use poly-gone,

http://www.rpm-technology.com/Poly-Gone.htm

[sdennison]

I soak clecos and rivet sets in MEK right after they come into contact with PRC. After soaking, work the cleco and I haven't had to throw any of mine away as of yet.

I agree with Steve. That is what we used to do as well. I think you could bead blast the rivet sets to clean them but once set, I think the clecos are toast.