I am re-decaling some Broadway cars for a friend and I am having problems removing the old decals without damaging the paint. I have tried micro sol with no luck. Brake fluid will remove them, but takes away the paint also. I can soak them in 91% alcohol for 30 minutes, but again It takes away paint. Any suggestions??
Since most factory decorated cars are pad printed, not decaled, I'm not sure how well microsol will work. Just about anything you use will cause some paint damage. You might try a pencil erasure. Rub gently. As you have learned, brake fluid and 91% alohol are paint strippers. 70% alcohol may work.
I have not had any luck removing factory lettering from Broadway Limited cars. I think they are printed in super-glue. I even tried a bright-boy on them.
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This experience was on their 70 to 4 bay hoppers. Fortunately I found them in undecorated from an online dealer.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
The only way I can get them off is to soak the shell in 91% alcohol for 15-20min. The only problem is that this also removes the paint. I contacted Broadway and they state that they use pad printing instead of decals. They suggested rubbing with paint thinner, but this takes a while and by the time the lettering starts to disappear, so does the paint. I will say one thing about Broadway. They don't have problems with their decals coming off!!
I have read about using Goop brand waterless hand cleaner to remove ink pad printing on RR rolling stock. I have seen it recently at Home Depot at$1.67 for a 14 oz jar. I have not tried it myself but I intend to at some point. It does remove ink from the hands after all. If you do try it, please post your results.
Another option is to paint a rectangle of black over the existing road name and then apply your custom decals. Real RR's did this when they purchased equipment from another RR. This would be fine for any RR you model in my opinion. AT&SF did this with heavyweight passenger cars they purchased from the Pennsy in times of yore and in modern time (almost) I have seen engines that had the original AT&SF blacked out and BNSF lettered over.
I hope this helps. Good luck in any case.
Robert
The Tularosa Basin RR operating in the High Desert of Southern New Mexico
The Tularosa Basin: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Tularosa-Basin-NM-USGS-map_opaque.gif
rettopI have read about using Goop brand waterless hand cleaner to remove ink pad printing on RR rolling stock.
I've used it as a hand cleaner for years. Think squirt bottle hand soap mixed with Lava soap. I don't understand how any of these abrassive cleaners are supposed to take just the lettering off and not score the plastic underneath.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
BigDaddy I don't understand how any of these abrassive cleaners are supposed to take just the lettering off and not score the plastic underneath. Add Quote to your Post
Sorry, I should have said use the cream, non-abrasive Goop.