Caulking and Sealants (silicone, parbond, vulkem & more)

[john hd]

this may not work for you....

when replacing some sewer vents on a buddys trailer i used a brass wire wheel chucked in a drill.

takes all traces of vulkem right off! and everything else. it leaves a nice burnished surface.

obviously, this will not work if you are trying to save the clear coat. the wire wheel is better suited for areas that don't show or in preperation before polishing.

i also used it to clean the vulkem from the tops of windows before resealing.

john

[Dwight]

Try Hoppe's No. 9 Solvent. It works extremely well and you can get it at Wal-Mart as well.

[j54mark]

Mineral spirits (paint thinner) will work, albeit slowly. Use a craft stick sharpened like a chisel to speed removal.

Mark

[uwe]

How about a tiny brass wire wheel in a Dremel type tool?

[Sneakinup]

I removed mine with a wire wheel in my RotoZip tool. It worked great, with a few cautions. WEAR GOGGLES!!! Also, the Vulkem gets heated and flies all over the place, then cools, and is tough to remove from everything. In addition, the wire wheels tend to disintegrate quickly. At $3+ each, it adds up quickly.

Other than that... it does work well.

[Sue&Von]

We are beginning to research sealants in our own plodding way. There is so much on this subject to plow through.
As well as finding where to buy the products we choose finally.
Lots is here lots probably over at VAC list or whatever they changed it to, and probably lots at all other Airstream sites.
Then there are the manufacturers sites etc.

Gonna check with wholesale suppliers and glass companies and anyone else I can find.

Von seems to remember a body shop pro telling him years ago that silicone contained sodium (SALT that is) and for that reason it should never be used on metal. We don't know if that is accurate or not, but it stuck in Von's mind all these years. Do any of you know?

What if any knowledge does anyone have regarding applying heat ....flame or hot air to the old existing sealants to help with removal. We of course can appreciate the Safety risks. It is the removal data we seek.

TYIA
$&V

[ALANSD]

Vulkem stays soft? I used it around trim work on my motorhome a year or so ago. It has gotten dirty looking , and seems to hold onto black moldy tree stuff that is hard to get off.
I also used the "aluminum sealant" from HD around some windows, and it is still silver and shiny. So whats wrong with the aluminum stuff?
Looks good to me for trim work, although I would use the Vulkem for larger apps like around the TV antenna, etc.

[Davydd]

We use silicone construction sealants for metal to metal contact all the time. Generally it is used with sheetmetal, aluminum entrance frames, glazings, etc. I never heard of salt being an ingredient of silicone sealant or silicone being a detriment to metal. Metal is what it is primarily used for.

[Davydd]

I forgot. You might want to ask on what authority? OK, I am an architect registered in 11 states, a certified construction specifier, and responsible for architectural document production and quality assurance for about 3 billion dollars of construction per year. I better be right in what I said or I am in big trouble.

Besides, the American Institute of Architects' Masterspec documentation backs me up.

[wahoonc]

I was always taught not to use silicone and silicone base caulkings on mill finish aluminum because of the acetic acid. I work with architectural metals and NONE of our manufacturer's recomend or specify silicone caulk. Butyl, Polyurethane, Terpolymer, Rubber but not silicone. From what I have observed in the field, silicone does not adhere well to very many smooth surfaces, just got done peeling about 5 tubes worth of silicone off of the windows of my AS, considering the fact that I used my finger nail to pick at it and it just peels right off, I don't think it adheres well at all to smooth surfaces.

Aaron

[aviontt]

Well this just gets more difficult every day I'm watching this thread to get some info but I keep getting bushwacked...What is the best stuff ? and what is the best way to apply it ? HEEEELLLLP !!!!!

[wahoonc]

Originally posted by aviontt
Well this just gets more difficult every day I'm watching this thread to get some info but I keep getting bushwacked...What is the best stuff ? and what is the best way to apply it ? HEEEELLLLP !!!!!

aviontt,

The two types of caulk reccomended by AS are the Vulkem and Parabond, as far as the application use common sense as well as trial and error

Aaron

[thenewkid64]

Originally posted by aviontt
what is the best way to apply it ?

It has been said before but bears repeating.

Use Parr Bond for small seams and joints 1/8th inch and under, Vulcem for every thing else. You can use the Vulcem for the small seams but you will need to transfer it to a disposable medical syringe to get that small of a point on it. Also the Parr Bond is thin enough that it will wick into the seam where the Vulcem will just fill it.

Sometimes it is an issue of gap size and the amount you want to seal. I have and use both. I am one of those owners that has a the least an unopened tube of Vulcem on hand as well and a tube of the Parr Bond going. If you don't use all of the Vulcem wrap it tightly, especially the tip and store it in the refer. It will last for months. Non of it is really expensive I get it all locally for 5-6 bucks a tube.

[davidz71]

I mentioned in a post within the last year or so that Parr Bond in the 5 oz. tube comes in silver, white and clear. The RV company I stopped by only had white and clear on the shelf so I picked up a tube of clear. I will probably order the silver from Inland RV in the spring when I get back to polishing the trailer. I had planned on sealing the top seams with clear and the horizontal rub rails and windows with the silver.