Removing lettering
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While this is a bit off topic, I figure that due to the nature of this group most of us have had to remove paint and lettering from a car or twenty. I have been trying to strip a Red Caboose box car recently. I have tried a number of things and while the paint has come off easily with all of them, the lettering isn't budging. So far I have tried Rubbing Alcohol, Denatured Alcohol, Simple Green Extreme Aircraft cleaner and LA Awesome Orange. My guess is that the lettering is ink and not paint so it isn't reacting the same. I am wondering about screen printing ink remover? I don't know how chemically "hot" this is and if it will affect the plastic. Dave |
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I've had the best luck with Scalecoat paint remover. On Tue, Feb 21, 2023 at 10:58 AM Dave Wetterstroem <framemakers@...> wrote:
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I have had good results on IM/RC carst with Testors ELO..
-- Ken Adams Covid Variants may come and go but I choose to still live mostly in splendid Shelter In Place solitude Location: About half way up Walnut Creek Owner PlasticFreightCarBuilders@groups.io |
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Jim and Barbara van Gaasbeek
But paint remover remove the paint. Mr Wetterstroem is asking about just removing lettering. Folks at my LHS say that you can wet a tissue with Solvaset and then apply that over the lettering to be removed, and it should come off. I’ve not tried it, so …
Jim van Gaasbeek Irvine, CA
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Yep you are correct. It does remove the paint. My bad Fenton On Tue, Feb 21, 2023 at 2:23 PM Jim and Barbara van Gaasbeek <jvgbvg@...> wrote:
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Scott H. Haycock
I believe Dave is trying to remove lettering that won't come off with the paint. I had a similar problem in the past with two paint colors, one came off, the other didn't. I never did solve it...
Scott Haycock
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Dennis Storzek
On Tue, Feb 21, 2023 at 01:37 PM, Scott H. Haycock wrote:
I believe Dave is trying to remove lettering that won't come off with the paint. I had a similar problem in the past with two paint colors, one came off, the other didn't. I never did solve it...This may be a job for an air eraser. Two potential causes of the problem: 1) Pad printing ink is related to screen printing ink, with pretty 'hot' solvents, that will definitely eat styrene. It works because there is so little ink that the solvent flashes off before it damages the styrene... except when it doesn't. Then the solvent migrates through the paint and really bonds both layers to the styrene. 2) Some shops use UV cure ink, same as used on coffee cups and the like. On coffee cups it's used for its durability, on models it's used because it hardens instantly, but it's still durable. Best bet is abrasive blasting with very fine grit; start with baking soda and if that doesn't work see if you can find a source of very fine Aluminum Oxide. McMaster has 240 grit in 6 oz packages: https://www.mcmaster.com/3210K12/ Dennis Storzek |
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Just to clear, in this case I am stripping the entire car. The paint is coming off easily enough, but the lettering is really tough. As Dennis mentioned, there are solvents that will remove it, but they will also destroy the car while doing so. I got some acetone free finger nail polish remover and tested on the inside of the car with a Q-tip. While it didn't have acetone, it was still very hot and instantly reacted with the plastic. It might make a great styrene glue though. I currently have the car soaking again and am going to try using a small piece of Magic Eraser to see if that will work better without damaging the details. I will see about using an abrasive blaster. I have a badger one from 30 years ago and I even think I know where it is at. I just don't know if it is fine enough to use on a plastic car side. Dave |
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ed_mines
Try a little turpentine on a Q tip on the inside of the car. If it doesn't attack the plastic then try to remove the lettering. |
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Philip Dove
I have used a pencil eraser in the past, it usually doesn't work, but a track cleaning rubber or fine abrasive rubber will work but superficially scratches the area, the scratching can usually be light enough that a repaint, new decalsand some weathering will hide it.If the lettering is sufficiently level with the surface of the car won't an opaque paint cover it? |
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Dave Parker
I have had my best success removing pad-printed lettering using either the Testor's ELO or brake fluid. Neither has attacked styrene that I have seen. Both have worked, but not by merely wetting the lettering and waiting. Some significant persuasion (=abrasion) is needed, for which the the Tamiya "q-tips" are invaluable.
https://www.amazon.com/Tamiya-America-Cotton-Triangle-TAM87106/dp/B0026IBC3I/ref=sr_1_6?crid=SX5AN9D026G2&keywords=tamiya+cotton+swabs&qid=1677022662&sprefix=tamiya+swabs%2Caps%2C633&sr=8-6 With the smallest triangle tips, I can remove lettering quite surgically. Last week I removed the LT WT data line from a Tangent tank car, without disturbing the CAPY stencil immediately above it. BTW, the Tamiya swabs have a raft of other uses on my bench; I would never be without. -- Dave Parker Swall Meadows, CA |
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Lester Breuer
I have encountered the problem. Not having an air eraser or blaster at the time which I now have; however, still have not used. What I have used is a scratch brush with nylon bristles, a little Walthers Solvaset and swabs for cleanup. Take care not to get the nylon bristle residue as the nylon bristles break down on your clothes as may create an inch that nylon can.
Lester Breuer |
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I have used many of the suggestions posted here. I have also used an electric eraser, as used by draftsmen. Mine are made by Staedtler, but there are other cheaper brands out there.
Thanks!
From: <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> on behalf of Lester Breuer <rforailroad@...>
I have encountered the problem. Not having an air eraser or blaster at the time which I now have; however, still have not used. What I have used is a scratch brush with nylon bristles, a little Walthers Solvaset and swabs for cleanup. Take care not to get the nylon bristle residue as the nylon bristles break down on your clothes as may create an inch that nylon can. |
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Craig Wilson
Another technique I have used - get some "pumice" based hand cleanser (GoJo is one brand I have used) and some cotton swabs. "Q-tips" have flexible shafts that don't work as well as ones with wooden shafts that I found in the paint supply section of a big box store. Dab a bit of the hand cleaner on the cotton swab and spread it over the lettering. Wait a few minutes then gently scrub off the lettering. Since you are stripping off the paint you don't have to worry about removing the underlying paint in the scrubbing process. Rinse with water to remove any residue from the hand cleaner. No solvents involved so this should not attack the plastic in any way. Craig Wilson |
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Front Range cars were painted with "Accupaint" (actually Accupaint learned about the supplier from FR) and stripping in Accupaint thinner would remove the paint, but not the lettering. I think I used brake fluid to remove the lettering (which does not harm the plastic because it's not ABS). Whatever works! :-) If not, there's always the grit blaster. On 2/21/2023 2:37 PM, Scott H. Haycock wrote:
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Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts |
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Friends, Best Regards, Bruce D. Griffin
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Hi,
Since no one has mentioned this yet ... I use Isopropyl (but not the other IPA) and apply it with a thin needle dropper (the ones that you can buy on the plastic bottles). I put it on, let it set for a bit, and then rub -gently- with the side if a round toothpick. This method - sometimes but not all - leaves some small streaks/smudges of the lettering color. I don't worry about those because after I have re-lettered the car (or just part of it) it will always go to the "weathering shop". Lettering is usually not paint - it is ink - and that means that if you can find a solvent that attacks (softens) the ink it usually will not affect the paint below it. - Jim in the PNW |
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spsalso
I am removing lettering from various locations on a set of Athearn Genesis F's, done in BN patched NP black.
I am using a No 16 blade in the standard handle. I use it gently, as a scraper. Left behind a very fine scrape marks that can easily be made invisible by a coat of clear flat. It is not difficult at all, and doesn't take long. I've used this method before with total success. Ed Edward Sutorik |
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You might consider a fiberglass bristle brush rather than a knife blade ! On 2/23/2023 5:23 PM, spsalso via groups.io wrote: I am removing lettering from various locations on a set of Athearn Genesis F's, done in BN patched NP black. --
Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts |
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spsalso
I probably should try one of those fiberglass brushes, but I've been very happy with the blade. I suppose I could get in trouble with a very thinly painted surface, but I don't seem to run into too many of those.
Ed Edward Sutorik |
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