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Monday, October 18, 2010

Sticky question

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a brittle plastic.  (In your mind's eye, take a vinyl record and smack it on the edge of a table - it shattered, didn't it?)

PVC can be made into an entirely different sort of material by blending it with an "inert" oil as it is molded - this gives you the flexible PVC you know for fenders, lifelines, and wire insulation.

Unfortunately, the oil doesn't stay put - in sunlight, it migrates to the surface of the PVC and then it oxidizes and polymerizes into a sticky mess.

So here's my question to all of you reading:

What method have you found best for ridding fenders and shore power cords of the sticky polymerized plasticizers in PVC?

Come on now, don't be shy - I know there are a lot of you reading this - tell us how you deal with this problem!
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3 comments:

  1. builderOctober 18, 2010 at 9:58 AM

    303 Protectant

    ReplyDelete
  2. Team GiddyupOctober 18, 2010 at 9:38 PM

    I used acetane to take of the sticky black marks but I know that isn't good for the PVC.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 19, 2010 at 7:18 PM

    From the Gemini catamaran forum:

    I found a great product for removing the stickiness off the old vinyl headliner.
    MaryKate "Ultra Vinyl Cleaner MK2718" It was the only product I found that worked.
    It is important to use a clean section of rag for each area, otherwise you're just spreading it around.

    ReplyDelete