Decal removal

I need to remove a number decal off a kato loco, which would be the best method of doing so. Have a replacment decal just to change one number that way do not have 2 of the same road number

 

Have you tried Micro-Sol?

 

If it is actually a decal and not a pad printed number you would need to remove the overcoating in order for the Micro-sol to soak it off. A pencil eraser might get off the overcoating. If it is a pad printed number you will have a hard time removing it. Better to paint over the old number before using a decal.

If the number you want to change is amenable just hidng it with a new decal is the easiest. A 3 becomes an 8, a 1 becomes a 4, etc. Not too many numbers are amenable.


Ben

 

I will second the notion of paint over it. I just dipped a new Walthers GP38-2 shell last night and the lettering was the last thing to come off. The paint was gone in just a few minutes in the denatured alcohol. I had to scrub to get the pad printed numbers off and they only came off when the alcohol finally go to the original shell paint underneath the lettering.

It seems everything today is pad printed and you risk damaging the underlying paint trying to remove the printing.

There are some products out there that are supposed to work but I have no experience with them.

 

Thanks for all the help will look at painting over it with the new number no one will notice

 

I've had pretty good luck scraping off numbers--decalled or painting--with the point of a very sharp exacto blade. It takes a lot of patience and a very light touch to remove the number without scarring the underlying paint noticeably. It will scar the paint some, but the new number will usually hide that.

 

Jim;
I have just finished removeing the lettering from a pair of UP SD40-2's for FEC use.

The letters and numbers(but not the paint) came off easily by using a Q-tip and alcohol. After rubbing it in real well and getting most of it off, use an eraser with some alcohol on it to finish up. By the way, my alcohol had a mint scent to it, don't
know if that means anything!
Hope this helps.........John

 

Peppermint schnapps?


Ben

 

Yeah, what is Jethro Tull gonna do without any "Locomotive Breath"?
Interesting how it took the lettering off rather easily, but had almost no effect on the paint. Oh well, whatever works. John

 

Most of the isopropyl alcohol sold is 70% strength, and sometimes manufacturers add scents to it. That should make no difference in paint removal, but it might in cleaning track. I have to special order 91% from my pharmacy. It just works a little faster.

I've stopped using isopropyl for cleaning tracks with my CMC machine. Acetone does a better job and, with the drip properly adjusted, does not create any noticeable fumes in the train room, nor reach the plastics ties to make them brittle.

 

Yep with those kato units I just take some 70 or 91 iso on a q-tip and put it on the number or letter and let it set a second or two usualy no more! Begin rubbing with a pencil eraser and after a while the thing, number or letter will come off!

 

I just took off a Chesapeake and Ohio logo and all the numbers off a Kato loco. I rubbed on some Micro-Sol with a Q-tip then, before it dried, I used a pencil eraser and a little rubbing. It all came off fairly easy. It was an older F3A so I don't know if they were decals or stamped.

 

I have used Pine-Sol to remove the lettering on Atlas GP-38's by applying the Pine-Sol on the numbers, letting it set for a few minutes, then rubbing with a Micro-Brush or Q-tip. The numbers came off easily, with no damage to the paint. Clear coat with Polly Scale Gloss, decal the new numbers, and then Clear Coat with Polly Scale Flat to finish and seal the decals in place.

Buzz Lenander