Author Topic: 3 M Mask  (Read 5926 times)

Jim Shaw

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3 M Mask
« on: May 22, 2015, 01:16:45 PM »
I have the 3M mask that is mildewed under it and have tried everything to remove it with no luck.  A local body shop said they could sand it off and repaint it for me. Has anyone ever had it sanded off and or do you think it will work?
Jim Shaw

Peter and Connie Bradish

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Re: 3 M Mask
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2015, 03:21:15 PM »
While we do not have a 3M mask, we have seen several taken off. One was taken off by a worker with basically razor blades. It took him several days but the paint was not damaged. Other coaches have had the paint come off with the 3M.
What we can recommend is that when you get the 3M off and if you do have to repaint then put rhino on the front. Roy Warren has had the front of his coach done in rhino. So have we. We are very satisfied with the result. The texture allows for rock hits to be less noticeable and the rhino can be painted in the colors of your coach. You can touch up the paint on the rhino.
We had rhino put on the bottom front of our coach and on the roof (white) by Bend RV Repair, Bend, Oregon. They did a great job.
Connie Bradish

Keith Moffett

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Re: 3 M Mask
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2015, 05:45:03 AM »
Jim, there should be a better way.  This is similar to mylar signs on a truck and I have removed those with a hair dryer and lubricant like soapy hot water.  Warm it near the edge and flood some lube behind it.  Start small and keep warming it up ahead of your working area.  WD 40 might work better.  Using a heat gun might over heat and could damage the paint.
If there is mildew under the plastic, seems like the adhesion is already breaking down.  That might help more than hurt.
Good luck
2007 Patriot Thunder
45' C-13
2006 Explorer Ltd.
DW is Carol
Safe travels and
May God bless!

Gerald Farris

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Re: 3 M Mask
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2015, 06:08:42 AM »
Jim,
The problem with removing a factory installed 3M film is that most were installed before the paint was properly cured, so it is very difficult if not impossible to remove the film without damaging the paint. For a professional body shop, it is much more cost effective to just sand off the surface with a power sander than it is to spend days trying to remove the film with the hope that the paint will not be damaged. A body shop has to give you a quote that they can stand behind and make a profit in doing so, and you will be happy with the end result.   

Gerald

Jim Shaw

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Re: 3 M Mask
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2015, 12:42:31 PM »
Gerald,
Do you know of any that have been sanded off and did they turn out OK?

Gerald Farris

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Re: 3 M Mask
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2015, 11:46:16 PM »
Jim,
The 3M mask can be sanded off, but of course the area that was covered by the mask will need to be repainted because the paint will be sanded off with the mask. As for how good the coach will look after sanding off the mask and repainting it, that depends strictly on how good the body shop paint department is. If the body shop does very good paint work including the very important prep work, the coach will look as good as a new one, but if they try to cut corners, the quality of the job will reflect it.

I would say that you get what you pay for, but when it comes to paint work that is not always true. Check the body shop and their references out if possible.

Gerald

Richard McQuillan

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Re: 3 M Mask
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2015, 06:09:56 AM »
I have also had my 3M mask removed and replaced with the spray on bed-liner , then repainted with the original paint colors. It looks great, is relatively easy to clean and seems ro be resistive to road hazards such a small rock chips. I had the removal, bed liner application and paint work done by Bend RV Repair. I am fully satisfied with their work. 
Dick McQuillan
2004 38' Monterey Huntington