Hi, Recently I inadvertantly bid on the 'wrong' Boxcar and now have a requirement to remove some badly-applied post Factory Decals, of a certain nature.
Whilst I do not wish to start-off discussing the pros and cons of this type of 'weathering'. I cannot seem to find a thread or indeed a product for the simple job of removing retro-applied Decals, which when I was kid in the 60's - assembling Airfix kits, we would refer to as Transfers' and simply chuck some water at them. Most of the posts are about stripping Factory paint and/or decals.
Before I do more damage to the model - can I ask is it OK to just use a product such as 'DecalFix', or a low % Isopropyl - but in reverse? Or even Methylated Sprits?
I am keen not to damage the original Factory paint or decals. Any advice please, thanks, Paul
"It's the South Shore Line, Jim - but not as we know it".
Paul,
My technique for removing unwanted water-slide transfers (decals) consists of first breaking the seal formed by any fixative, such as varnisn or dull-cote, etc. For this, I employ a used number 11 blade in a hobby knife to scrape over the edge of the decal. Don't use a fresh blade which, is much more likely to damage your model. Let the weight of the knife apply the pressure needed and work in an area devoid of surface details such as rivets, panel seams, etc.
Once the seal between the decal and model is broken, a decal softening solution can be liberally applied to soften the decal to the point it can be wiped off. As an alternative, after breaking the seal on a dry model, a piece of sticky tape may also be used to lift the decal, instead of a chemical solution. Depending on how well the decal was applied over surface details, when the majority of it is removed, fragments may remain in those areas. Tiny pieces of bath tissue soaked in decal softening solution and pressed onto the offending areas for a few minutes, will permit removal with a toothpick or the tip of your number 11 knife blade. A tooth brush may also work. Good luck!
If you are in the UK (guessing here) Micro Set is available normally. Certainly I bought some around 6 months ago.
- -If micro set decal fluid is available in your market that should work.
Ok, Micro-set will not work. That was just a bad idea. Micro-set is the weakest of the popular decal setting solutions.
Walthers Solvaset might work.
If you are in the UK... Daco Strong will work, and unlike here in the USA, you can probably get it legally.
Anyhow... all these can only work if the car has not had clear coat applied over the decal. If the model was coated with Dullcoat or similar, you will need to get that off. Removing dullcoat will involve the same techniques as removing factory paint, ELO, Brake Fluid, Simple Green, Alcohol, or others.
Removing clear coat without damaging the factory paint underneath might not be possible, and certainly not easy.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Hi Guys, Thank you for your replies and I am pleased to report that I managed to remove the offending Decals.
Because they had been so badly applied, they did not go right into the corners of the Exterior Posts, can you believe? In real-life, you could have put arm down the inside of the triangular space behind.
I applied Humbrol 'DecalFix' at one end of the Decal, just to try and when it had softened a bit, I used an old blade to work underneath the edge and then slowly along. Once I had enough lifted-off I was able to peel it off by hand. It came away in one-piece, almost like it were an adhesive Vinyl.
This was repeated for them all. However, this has resulted in the nice original CSXT Blue and markings underneath (Atlas Berwick 50' C CSXT 164192) bordered by the overall white-wash blather of weathering that was also applied over the Decals! It looks a bit like when someone who had a beard and a sun tan decided to shave.
Anyway, your advice prompted me to make a start, thank you. Now for the paint. I just don't understand how people can do this to such a beautiful model? Paul
Lazers It came away in one-piece, almost like it were an adhesive Vinyl.
That is amazing. I have never had a decal come off easily in one piece like that.
Very good.
I wonder if the 'scraping the edges' method works for the "correct" decal application method we've come to establish: gloss surface to eliminate air bubbles; application followed by Solvaset; overcoat with gloss to hide physical edges; overcoat with dull coating; weathering. It certainly should, in principle, but as the turtle in the Tootsie Roll commercial might say 'I'd never make it without biting...'
It occurs to me that a 'hybrid' method might work in such cases: polish with very fine abrasive over the center area of the decal until you see the film and printing start to be mechanically affected, then use the decal solution and bentle sharp-blade 'edging under' from the center to the edges, instead of edges in. Then lightly feather the raised edges of the multiple coats and recoat with clear, holding the piece relatively flat so it 'fills' the depression as much as possible, then dullcoat and re-weather. Wouldn't that work?
Should we revise the 'standard procedure' so as to make removal of a perfect decal we apply over factory paint easier? That's not something I've ever really thought about or seen discussed here...