Removal of Mastic

[haaallloooom]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any experience of the best way to remove a section of mastic. I only need to remove a small section of the mastic inside the boot but it's proximity to the petrol tank makes me a bit nervous of hot air guns. any idea?

[Tom Majeure]

Wire wheel will have it out. If you're worried about sparks then a nylon wheel would also have the same effect (albeit less abrasive).

[madmog]

Maybe bath sealant remover? Usually at the DIY stores next to the bath sealants. It's messy though as it dissolves the sealant to a nasty gloop

[optima21]

I'd go for the wire brushes in a drill or angle grinder too

[haaallloooom]

thanks for the advice, chaps :-)

[da6t]

You'll still get sparks with a wire brush!!

[pantera2075]

There are 2 sorts of "Mastic". One is silicone, one is Polyurethane.
There are effectively more sorts, but this split is effective:
If it is Silicone, heat will not affect it. This is the very rubbery stuff that `usually`smells of vinegar when applied. the only real way of removing this is mechanical. My way is to sharpen a paint scraper and slice it off.

Polyurethane goes soft when heated - but very sticky. I use a poly-wheel, usually known as an "Easi Strip" for this.

Dust sheet over the tank area if you are still not sure.