3M 5200/4200 Clean-up Strategies

[renns]

Say you've buttered up a fastener to pass through the transom, and it the sealant oozes out nicely around the washer. What is the best method to clean up the excess? Let it dry and trim it off, or wipe it up with a solvent of some type? I'm worried about any solvents possibly affecting the curing/sealing capability of the sealant. Does the same process apply to both 5200 and 4200, or do folks use different techniques for each?
Thx!

 

[Scott Danforth]

use acetone and immediately clean up

 

[renns]

Thanks for the reply! My son keeps commenting on all the different containers of products needed to fix up an old boat. I thought I had some acetone on hand, but nope, needed to add another container to the lineup. Thanks again!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Thanks for the reply! My son keeps commenting on all the different containers of products needed to fix up an old boat. I thought I had some acetone on hand, but nope, needed to add another container to the lineup. Thanks again!

yes, you need about $150 in just engine related sealants. then $100 in solvents and $100 in elatstomerics on hand at all times.

 

[dingbat]

Cleanup:
For cleaning 3MTM Marine Adhesive/Sealant 5200 before it is cured, use a dry cloth to remove the majority of sealant, followed by a cloth damp with General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner*, P. N. 08984, toluene or acetone.

Cured 5200 can be removed mechanically with knife, razor blade or sanding

 

[Scott Danforth]

Cured 5200 can be removed mechanically with knife, razor blade or sanding

or napalm or a chain saw...

 

[Grub54891]

Yeah, I clean/wipe off the excess right away. The sealant is still under the washer or bolt so it'll still seal.

 

[dingbat]

Personally don’t use the stuff or recommend it’s use.

5200 is an adhesive with sealing properties. Unless your using the product for its adhesive properties there are better sealants on the market.

The other downside of 5200 is that it doesn’t have a UV inhibitor. If the sealer sees sunlight, there are better formulations.
https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/1514630O/marine-adhesives-sealant-brochure-for-boat-owners.pdf

 

[Grub54891]

I hate 5200. We currently have a strut we had to re-do and it's been three weeks, it's still soft. Not looking forward to removing it and doing it with 4200. I suppose it's a bad batch but still. Any time something is bedded with 5200 it's a bear to take off.

 

[dingbat]

I hate 5200. We currently have a strut we had to re-do and it's been three weeks, it's still soft. Not looking forward to removing it and doing it with 4200. I suppose it's a bad batch but still. Any time something is bedded with 5200 it's a bear to take off.

Are you doing this inside a heated area?

5200 is moisture cure. Low humidity increases cure times.

 

[Grub54891]

Yes, it's 60deg in the shop.

 

[renns]

The tube I had open was 4200. These are all above-waterline applications, but being on the transom, there will be lots of splash at times. I used a bbq skewer to smear the 4200 around the inside of the hole through the transom, then more on the shank of the fastener, and both sides of the flat washer. The shop is around 50 degF. I'll leave it a few days, and hopefully it will have cured properly by then.

 

[renns]

Just checked, and my 4200 is cured nicely this after 24 hrs in 50 deg shop. @Grub54891 sorry to hear about the non-curing 5200. That sounds like a real pain.

 

[Grub54891]

Just checked, and my 4200 is cured nicely this after 24 hrs in 50 deg shop. @Grub54891 sorry to hear about the non-curing 5200. That sounds like a real pain.

yeah, today we put a light bulb about a foot and a half under there. At the end of the day the 5200 was running out/down. Sh**.....And the bad part is the strut is located under the fuel tank in the aft berth. We have a younger guy who has to lay behind the tank, on his side and reach with one arm to get an extended wrench on the nuts. Again... sh**