Sticker removal from Tanks

[sarita75]

Wow, those are some seriously well-loved tanks.

Yeah, I am considering scraping them completely but, as I mentioned above, would rather not have to repay for the VI that I just did at the start of this month. Seems like a waste of money. Going to call up the DS and see what they have to say about it since I do question the paint flakes getting into the water system, etc.

 

[David P]

I agree completely with Ber

butter!?!?!?!? I gotta try that one day....

as to the stickers still after a vip.... how much is a vip in most places, $12? For that you have the air drained, valve removed (hopefully no tools needed) boot removed (hopefully nothing other than a mallet) light the inside, maybe pick at a few little dents, light and mirror to look at the inside of the crown, very intently inspect the threads (I at least very intently inspect them as once I did a normal, I feel standard intensity inspection of a tank, passed it, filled it, only to have air start escaping a tiny pin hole in the side of the neck! funny part I was training 2 other guys and all 3 of us missed the tiny crack inside), lube oring, reinstall valve, roll tank checking for bulges, general inspection of outside especially around boot line, maybe bell test, and refill. All this for $12 (dont forget that comes with an air fill, so knock the price down a few bucks ). Now most "shop rate" for labor based business runs from $60-$100 an hour. Do you want to pay that kind of money to have someone else sit there and scrape stickers off your tank? I think most shops wont do that becuase if they spent their time, they deserve money, and most customers would flip a lid if the recieved a bill for a $12 inspection + $30 sticker removal fee... I find if the stickers are removed every year then they are easy to remove but if they have several years worth of vips.... crank up the tunes 'cause youll be there awhile....

 

[muddiver]

There is a kit by Goo Gone or a similar product that comes with a plastic scraper. Works prety well.

I strongly reccomend you don't use WD40 or any petrochemical product. It will damage the paint and is a hazard around compressed gases. The citrus based goo remover is the safest.

A V.I.P. is typically only done by doing a close visual inspection of the inside of the cylinder to see if there are any contaminates or obvious corrosion. I have never had any external stickers removed with the exception that the old V.I.P. sticker is to be removed when a new inspection is done. The external inspection during a V.I.P. is simply a check for dents or obvious damage.

Leagally you can remove the paint if the bunged up look doesn't work for you, but you can not add any paint and cover up the portions of the cylinder that are scraped or scratched. The tanks must be recoated by the manufacturer after they do a therough inspection and pressure test. So, just enjoy you "salty" cylinders and know that you look like a well seasoned diver when you have one strapped to your back.

 

[muddiver]

David P: you might have missed the pin hole because it was probably to small to see with the necked eye to began with. That is why aluminum tanks are supposed to have the threads and neck tested with an eddy current device. I do a lot of inspection of metal equipment and vessels. Usually any cracks or pin holes are so small you would never notice them. So I use a lot of NDT tests that will detect them.

 

[Tavi]

I've had customers get upset because I removed the stickers from thier tanks!! Oh well

some like having 6 or 8 VIP stickers and other stuff on their tanks!!

 

[Hemlon]

Problem with letting a diveshop do it is you can't expect them to devote much time to it and so if you are buggy about keeping your tank finish perfect you better do it yourself.

After seeing the pictures of her tanks, I don't think the OP is too concerned about keeping the tank finishes perfect.

 

[sarita75]

The stickers that are being removed are the old VI stickers. I have to be careful, however, not to remove the current one. For the record, I am using goo gone, rather than a petrochemical for a number of reasons (worried about the effect [if any] on the tank, the smell, etc.). Plus I have some other jobs I can use the goo gone on.

The visual, if I am not mistaken, is $20 here in N. California (SF). I have to take the tanks into the DS where I was trained this weekend and am going to have a chat with the staff about the paint peeling, etc. I am not concerned so much about the cosmetics of the tanks as much as I am about the impact of paint chips shedding in the ocean. The sticker removal is all cosmetic since the DS they were rentals at did a pretty bad job at 'removing' them (just scrapping through them or little hunks off).

 

[Rhino_Portland_Oregon]

"Goo-be-Gone" is a great way to get rid of the stickey residue on the tank.

 

[in_cavediver]

A V.I.P. is typically only done by doing a close visual inspection of the inside of the cylinder to see if there are any contaminates or obvious corrosion. I have never had any external stickers removed with the exception that the old V.I.P. sticker is to be removed when a new inspection is done. The external inspection during a V.I.P. is simply a check for dents or obvious damage.

The reason you remove stickers for a VIP is to verify there is no damage hiding under the sticker. If you don't remove the sticker, how do you know what's under it?

 

[sarita75]

Like I have said, I am very surprised that the original VI stickers are on there in the first place, but there you go. I guess since there were rentals and the LDS renting them was also doing their own VIs to it was easy for them to get away with not taking them off. But what's weirdest is that I took them to another shop for the hydro and VI and even THEY left the stickers on. I would think that they would turn them away and require all stickers to be removed first (exc the then expiring VI sticker).

Anyhow, far be it from me to question these things. I just didn't want a bunch of tatty old stickers on the tanks. Just tatty old paint. Although I spoke with the DS that I have been trained through and they said stripping them would not require re-VI. So I might consider doing that in the next few weeks.