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How to Remove the Protective Film From Aluminum

Sheet aluminum ships with a coating to protect the surface of the aluminum from damage. Removing the protective coating from the sheet aluminum requires curling part of the coating back from the aluminum with a fingernail. This process can take hours. To reduce the amount of time it takes to remove the protective coating, you need to employ a method that pulls the protective coating from the aluminum in one piece.

Things You'll Need

Duct tape
One inch diameter pipe
Utility knife

Instructions

- 1
  Pull the protective film away from one edge of the aluminum. Lift one corner of the protective film with a fingernail. Work along one edge of the aluminum to loosen a strip of film roughly one inch wide. Fold the film to expose a one inch wide strip of bare aluminum.
- 2
  Tear a length of duct tape the width of the aluminum.
- 3
  Set the piece of duct tape on the exposed aluminum, adhesive side facing away from the aluminum. Align one edge of the duct tape with the fold of the protective film. Unfold the protective film. Press the protective film onto the duct tape adhesive.
- 4
  Place a piece of one-inch diameter pipe across the remaining section of exposed duct tape adhesive. Make sure the pipe lies across the aluminum sheet and extends at least 12 inches past one sheet edge.
- 5
  Remove the protective film from the aluminum. Twist the pipe toward the aluminum sheet to lift the protective film from the aluminum. Continue turning the pipe until you reach the opposite end of the aluminum and the last portion of the film lifts from the sheet.
- 6
  Remove the protective film from the pipe. Cut a slit along the protective film wrapped around the pipe with a utility knife. Slide the cut protective film from the pipe.

Aviation