Need some help. Even though I always use booties (because of the stingers)am finding the grip on my McT (ft red model) is getting rather slippery. Any hints about stripping the old and replacing (with what) would be most appreciated. Or is it just time to get a new SUP? Thanks.
stripping old deck pads is a nasty business 
Sounds like a good excuse for a new board to me 
Before you ditch the board first make sure it's not the booties? I've gone back to bare feet (over the summer months anyway) because my booties kept slipping on the deckpad.
what about roughing up the deck pad (and/or the soles of your booties) with something like the edge of a hacksaw blade? (works on my kreepy krawly when the foot starts wearing out 
)
failing that, if you must remove the pad there's a post somewhere over on the 'zone where a guy chops down his unlimited, in the process he removes his deck pad with one of those "amazing renovator...as seen on TV" type power tools and folks get all excited about what a good job it does, sounds like a few of the seppos have adopted it as their preferred method
edit...found it:
www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=18700.0
Massive job! I think roughing it with a large file or old cheese grater would give you traction.
Hi , getting the deck grip off is not that hard but getting the glue off is another story, most deck grips are held on with a 3m product like a gum . . 2 products on the market (MUST BE CITRUS BASED),dosn,t get it off but it makes it like snot enough to allow to scrape off is called OOMPH and DE-SOLV-IT get it from Bunnings, Also in the paint section they sell a 3 pack blue plastic scrapers, costs a dollar get these as well. Spray it on allow glue to soften and scrape and wipe. You could also use a heat gun or hair dyer to warm glue up but be careful you don,t want to damage board or delaminate deck.
Clean board off with soapy water, until clean.THEN getting a enough deck grip will cost you, look up Balin surf company and buy the grip in a roll, save you heaps .
Brad
Removing the glue is actually a breeze. You need to let the solvent some minutes to impregnate the glue, then it comes off easily in big sheets at a time. You do not need to use corrosive solvents, "Solvent F" is sufficient. the trick:
- remove the pad (rolling it under the thumb works well)
- put a cloth rag on top of the part you want to remove the glue
- wet the rag fully with Solvent F
- wrap a plastic sheet on top of it, sealing it at the edge with tape (no need for waterproof seals: just weighting the sheet edges will work)
- wait 10mn
- remove and peel the glue with a (used) credit card
Pictures:
I received a board but with too much pad forward (I like as little pad up front as possible) factory glued
I removed the front part of the pad, and put the rag, solvent F, and a plastic sheet on it, wait 10mn:
And I got a shiny mirror-like surface without a drop of sweat:
... too bad I had to put some Monster paint on this beauty :-)
Select to expand quotecolas said...
Removing the glue is actually a breeze. You need to let the solvent some minutes to impregnate the glue, then it comes off easily in big sheets at a time. You do not need to use corrosive solvents, "Solvent F" is sufficient. the trick:
- remove the pad (rolling it under the thumb works well)
- put a cloth rag on top of the part you want to remove the glue
- wet the rag fully with Solvent F
- wrap a plastic sheet on top of it, sealing it at the edge with tape (no need for waterproof seals: just weighting the sheet edges will work)
- wait 10mn
- remove and peel the glue with a (used) credit card
Hi, I disagree with Colas, I wouldn,t use solvent F especially as it is in the hydocarbon,aromatics group of chemicals which have the potential to react with epoxies and are carcinogenic. Some of these families of chemicals are banned in Australian work places for their low flash points , noxious fumes and are poisonous through skin contact.
I realize that these hazards can be minimized and managed but with so many different construction methods of SUP on the market you couldn,t be sure if this family of solvents wouldn,t cause some irreparable damage to the board eg blistering ,burning or delaminating.
When I removed the glue from my deck I wrote to the 3m company and the response they gave was only use a citrus based product, sure it takes a little more time and effort but it is safe.
Thanks for all the great suggestions! I have gone for the simplest - so far. (No I didn't buy a new board ThOmO). Checked my daughter's booties (different brand) & they had tread whereas mine were smooth, however, on closer inspection mine may have had tread in the distant past! Therefore, bought a new pair, tried them today but results are inconclusive as it was typical wet season Darwin onshore mess.
A few things I have found:
there are differences in deck pads, both in traction and in the glue used. Board construction and finish alos plays a roll in how well any type of deck pad/glue/adhesive bonds.
I had one Known brand of board with a deck pad that got real slippery in bare feet. I found if I washed it with fresh water straight after a surf it greatly improved.
How easy a deck pad and its adhesive removes is a crap shoot. I have had some come off VERY easy .Left in the sun for 10mins and peeled of in 5 peices. Whipe board over light and quick with wax and grease remover and BAM! job done all of about real time 10mins. Another, the deck pad came off, the adhesive not so. This poard was a PU/Glass board. I had to use wax and grease remover, same thing as prep wash, and a scraper blade. Doing 1-2hrs at a time, for a total of about 10-12hrs 
Those "renovator tools" are all based on the original by a german company called Fein. They make very high quality constructin and industrial tools. Their "Multi Master" and "Super Cut" are available in corded and cordless all over Oz, with a god range of attachments. Not cheap, but will have for life if looked after.....not a gimick.
Yes Redfezz, all these solvents are toxic, just as paints and varnishes, so you should only handle them outside. Note that I read that this method works also for the 3M glue with just .... vegetal oil as solvent. Anyways, the trick is to let the glue marinate in the product and the glue comes off in seconds, not hours.
I also brush clean with household detergent new pads, as they often have some dust/oily layer on them from the factory, help the traction.
