How To Remove Adhesive From Ss

[MVZOOM]

Gents,

I have a new boiler courtesy of Gerard from ND Brewing (thanks mate!). It's your typical non-stock pot kind of SS boiler, somwhere around the 50L mark.

In a previous life, someone's tried to use it as a mash tun, so it has a bottom venting ball lock tap, and covering that was a piece of SS gauze - looked like it came from a strainer or the like. I"ve removed the gauze, however it was stuck in with some kind of adhesive, which has left a rubber-like ring around the inside bottom of the kettle.

Have tried to remove with white spirits, also tried to gently lever it off, but it aint moving, looks like it wants to stay.

Question time:

- Any suggestion as to things that may help remove? Maybe eucalyptus oil?

- If I scrape it out, it'll scrape the stainless - is this a big issue?

Any help appreciated! Really wanted to brew that Furkin Bolter this weekend!

Cheers - Mike

 

[PistolPatch]

Yep. Eucalyptus oil is often great for stuff like this. Keep it away from any type of plastic though (melamine, washing machine lids, vanities etc.) as it will eat into it.

Dab it on with a paper towel and let it sit for about 5 mins. Any stubborn bits, just use your fingernails to scratch it off.

Also, wash well afterwards.

If this doesn't work then it's probably silcone based and you'll have to scrape it off. Don't know of anything that does silicone. Scratches won't be a wory in your kettle although I'd be using a plastic paint scraper first before I went for the metal scraper. I'd be doing this lovely job over a few beers!

Good luck Zoom!

 

[Coodgee]

maybe you could try some phosphoric acid if PPs suggestions don't do the trick. it might not eat the sealant but it might eat the ss that it's bonding to. just a thought!

 

[Brewtus]

Sounds like silastic. Acetone (nail Polish remover) may do it but get under it with a flexible razor blade and cut it off first if that is what it is.

 

[big d]

And dont worry too much about scratches as they can be polished out with some wet and dry paper.

Cheers
Big D

 

[Pumpy]

Brewtus has the idea with the acetone or if you have any MEK .

otherwise if you have a a gas blowtorch burn it off and the rub with a SS cleaning pad from WW to remove the resulting carbon

Pumpy

 

[MHB]

Ill second Pumpy on this one, if it is Silicone, once it cures not much other than heat will shift it.
If you can heat from the other side you may be able to get the adhesion layer to let go.
You can probably get it hot enough over the hot plate of a stove, a wire brush would help to loosen it up, follow-up with some fine emery or a brillo pad and Jif.

MHB

 

[Timmo]

Grab a product called Goof Off it removes all kinds of sticky stuff, its made from orange peel and natural products. Should be sold in hardware stores, i use to sell it when i was working in one.

 

[Justin]

a wire brush would help to loosen it up

I'd be very careful with using a wire brush with stainless. Only ever use a wire brush that is known to be stainless and hasn't been used on any other ferrous metals, otherwise if you use a normal steel brush or it's previously been used on ferrous metals you can get metal filings embedded into the stainless and it will rust from there.

So a razor blade, goo gone, or heat as others have said.

Best of luck

 

[barls]

wax and grease remover mate with remove stickers and adhesives

 

[mikem108]

Brewtus has the idea with the acetone or if you have any MEK .

MEK is nasty stuff, if you want to keep your kidneys in top shape and keep drinking into old age stay away from it!!!

Cardiovascular or Blood Toxicant
Developmental Toxicant
Gastrointestinal or Liver Toxicant
Kidney Toxicant
Neurotoxicant
Reproductive Toxicant
Respiratory Toxicant
Skin or Sense Organ Toxicant

 

[Brewtus]

I'd give it a bloody good clean after having acetone in it aswell. I know the acetone evapourate pretty quickly but I would still give it a damn good wash with brewers detergent and sanitize it.

 

[bugwan]

I'm not the first to link to this TexanBrew page - but they have a nice run down on first converting and then cleaning and polishing kegs. A nice, short read.