Removing lettering
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
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
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
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
Scott Haycock
On 02/21/2023 12:27 PM O Fenton Wells <srrfan1401@...> wrote:
Yep you are correct. It does remove the paint. My badFenton
On Tue, Feb 21, 2023 at 2:23 PM Jim and Barbara van Gaasbeek <jvgbvg@...> wrote:
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
--
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
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
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.
You may not be able to find turps so easily. I had a can from years ago.
I used to formulate UV curable coatings. UV cure tunnels are very hot and likely to soften plastic.
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
Lester Breuer
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!
--
Brian Ehni
From: <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> on behalf of Lester Breuer <rforailroad@...>
Reply-To: <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io>
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 6:24 PM
To: <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Removing lettering
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
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:
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
On 02/21/2023 12:27 PM O Fenton Wells <srrfan1401@...> wrote:
Yep you are correct. It does remove the paint. My badFenton
On Tue, Feb 21, 2023 at 2:23 PM Jim and Barbara van Gaasbeek <jvgbvg@...> wrote:
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 …
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts
Friends,
I was looking through some old MR magazines and read an article with information about removing lettering (The ABCs of Lettering Rolling Stock - April 1988 issue). It recommended using Badger Air-Brush Co. cleaning solution (7-100). The article makes bold claims about it effectiveness at removing lettering and not paint by simply rubbing it on with a cloth. I appears the product is still around, the name is Air-Opaque Cleaner in a 4oz. Bottle and a search on the web shows its readily avaible.
I have never tried it, I'd love to hear if anyone else has tried it with good results.
Best Regards,
Bruce D. Griffin
Ashland, MD
https://bomodeling.com/blog/
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
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
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.
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.
Edward Sutorik
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts
