Update: Why I now use gentle heat on tough adhesive jobs

I always avoided heat near car paint, worried it would cause damage. Had a van with old pinstripe tape that was stuck on good. Tried every chemical remover in the shop, but it just smeared. A friend told me to hold a heat gun back a bit and move it slow. The adhesive peeled off in one piece, no harm to the clear coat. That job changed my whole view on using heat for cleanup. Now I reach for the heat gun first on similar sticky messes.

3 comments

3 Comments

aliceflores1mo ago

How far back do you hold the heat gun exactly?

felix7381mo ago

Actually, the distance matters less than keeping the heat gun moving in small circles. Lets you control the heat without burning one spot.

the_mila1mo ago

Honestly, I used to stick it real close, like 6-8 inches away. I saw a video that completely changed my mind, though. They showed how holding it back at 12-14 inches gives you way more even heat and stops that scorching. Total game changer for getting smooth results.