I was wondering if anyone had a good suggestion for removing the decals from the cowling of my outboard. I have tried applying heat and was unsuccessful. Any thoughts?
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Guest
Not for amateurs
A razor blade is the preferred weapon, but one slip and you've nicked the paint. A professional signmaker no doubt roams your marina. He can do it in a few minutes and save you the aggravation.
A razor blade is the preferred weapon, but one slip and you've nicked the paint. A professional signmaker no doubt roams your marina. He can do it in a few minutes and save you the aggravation.
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Are you sure you tried heat long enough?
It takes a while, and a good bit of patience, but sooner or later a blower dryer on "high" will soften the glue enough to peel the decal off. You may have to do just a little at a time. Once you've got it off, spray the area with WD-40...let it soak a minute...scrub with a plastic scrubber to remove the last the glue residue. Wash with detergent and water.
It takes a while, and a good bit of patience, but sooner or later a blower dryer on "high" will soften the glue enough to peel the decal off. You may have to do just a little at a time. Once you've got it off, spray the area with WD-40...let it soak a minute...scrub with a plastic scrubber to remove the last the glue residue. Wash with detergent and water.
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ray
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Jim WIllis
Use IG Cleaner (of course!)
When using our cleaners, you have to take the precaurtion not to get the cleaner "behind" a decal (inactivate with water). Of course the corollary is that yo can do this deliverately and it will not damage gelcoat. Put any of our cleaners around the ouside of the decal. Come back after a while (can even leave overnight, peel the edges forward and add som more cleaner. Eventuall all the adhesive becomes like goop. To make the surrounding gelcoat the same color as under the decal, use appropriate cleanser/conditioenr (SEA GLOW for white, blue red etc, CLEAR for beige, cream, brown etc. Have done this of pieces of hobie cat I used to take to Boat Shows. and once customer removed dried on adhesive that would not budge by other means. Unlike acetone does not damage gelcoat. How does this compare with WS40? I have found that WD40 (which has some light petroleium products) works better than IG on grey duct tape residue but that IG is better on decal adhesive residue. How does it work? THe original solvent in the adhesive of the decals is closely related to a compenent in the IG cleaners. Thanks Jim Willis
When using our cleaners, you have to take the precaurtion not to get the cleaner "behind" a decal (inactivate with water). Of course the corollary is that yo can do this deliverately and it will not damage gelcoat. Put any of our cleaners around the ouside of the decal. Come back after a while (can even leave overnight, peel the edges forward and add som more cleaner. Eventuall all the adhesive becomes like goop. To make the surrounding gelcoat the same color as under the decal, use appropriate cleanser/conditioenr (SEA GLOW for white, blue red etc, CLEAR for beige, cream, brown etc. Have done this of pieces of hobie cat I used to take to Boat Shows. and once customer removed dried on adhesive that would not budge by other means. Unlike acetone does not damage gelcoat. How does this compare with WS40? I have found that WD40 (which has some light petroleium products) works better than IG on grey duct tape residue but that IG is better on decal adhesive residue. How does it work? THe original solvent in the adhesive of the decals is closely related to a compenent in the IG cleaners. Thanks Jim Willis
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bill kirch
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Jeremy Siprelle
Eraser Pad
There's an article in the Photo Forum describing the best way to tackle this job. It describes using a drill with an eraser pad to literally erase the decals. Below is a blurb from the article. The eraser pad is made by the Astro Pneumatic Tool Company and has a part number of 400E. Good Luck. "I got this device that you put into an electric drill and erase the vinyl stripes. The product is actually called a "Smart Eraser Pad". It is made for a pneumatic tool but works very well on a regular electic drill. The eraser cost me $15 plus tax and it tool less than an hour to do the job. If you are going to do the hull stripes it will probably take 2 plus hours for the hull."
There's an article in the Photo Forum describing the best way to tackle this job. It describes using a drill with an eraser pad to literally erase the decals. Below is a blurb from the article. The eraser pad is made by the Astro Pneumatic Tool Company and has a part number of 400E. Good Luck. "I got this device that you put into an electric drill and erase the vinyl stripes. The product is actually called a "Smart Eraser Pad". It is made for a pneumatic tool but works very well on a regular electic drill. The eraser cost me $15 plus tax and it tool less than an hour to do the job. If you are going to do the hull stripes it will probably take 2 plus hours for the hull."
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Kevin
Beware the Eraser Pad
I recently started to remove some stripes from my cabin and at one point I touched the eraser to the fiberglass and it blew apart. Chunks of it bruised a by stander and cut a gash in my leg. It appeared to me the slower the speed the less efficiently it works the faster the speed the more you risk it shattering. Since then I've been using a paint heat gun on low and it works great. Also it is less mess...while the eraser was working it threw blue vinyl dust ever where, heat leaves with one glob of shriveled up vinyl. Kevin S/V Katawa Cay
I recently started to remove some stripes from my cabin and at one point I touched the eraser to the fiberglass and it blew apart. Chunks of it bruised a by stander and cut a gash in my leg. It appeared to me the slower the speed the less efficiently it works the faster the speed the more you risk it shattering. Since then I've been using a paint heat gun on low and it works great. Also it is less mess...while the eraser was working it threw blue vinyl dust ever where, heat leaves with one glob of shriveled up vinyl. Kevin S/V Katawa Cay
Fore warned is fore armed!
Kevin: Sorry to hear that. When I did my stripes I used an electric drill. They actually recommend that you use a HIGH speed pneumatic device. I am planning on doing the hull this summer. I'll make sure that I wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt when I do it this time. I tried heat guns, hair dryiers, razor blades solvents and NOTHING would take these off. As far as them dust, I just wash the boat down and then wiped the area with acetone. I think that the heat and solvents work OK if the vinyl is still soft, mine was 13-14 years of baking sun. So I recommend it highly but BE CAREFUL.
Kevin: Sorry to hear that. When I did my stripes I used an electric drill. They actually recommend that you use a HIGH speed pneumatic device. I am planning on doing the hull this summer. I'll make sure that I wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt when I do it this time. I tried heat guns, hair dryiers, razor blades solvents and NOTHING would take these off. As far as them dust, I just wash the boat down and then wiped the area with acetone. I think that the heat and solvents work OK if the vinyl is still soft, mine was 13-14 years of baking sun. So I recommend it highly but BE CAREFUL.
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John Powell
WD-40
Have you tried heat plus WD-40 and a plastic scraper like a credit card? I saw this on a web site and it worked for me. Then, to get rid of the outline, use straight bleach. The outline from the decal you remove is not as faded as the boat, so repeated applications of bleach will get rid of the outline.
Have you tried heat plus WD-40 and a plastic scraper like a credit card? I saw this on a web site and it worked for me. Then, to get rid of the outline, use straight bleach. The outline from the decal you remove is not as faded as the boat, so repeated applications of bleach will get rid of the outline.
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Dorian Quirk
Thanks
To all, Thanks for the advice. I ended up using a razor blade to scrape the decals off; this was a time consuming process. After the decal was removed, I was left with a hell of a lot of glue. To remove the glue, I used "Goof Off" and a paint scraper. I applied the Goof Off, let it soak, and then removed the glue with the scraper. It worked great. Thanks again for all of your advice.
To all, Thanks for the advice. I ended up using a razor blade to scrape the decals off; this was a time consuming process. After the decal was removed, I was left with a hell of a lot of glue. To remove the glue, I used "Goof Off" and a paint scraper. I applied the Goof Off, let it soak, and then removed the glue with the scraper. It worked great. Thanks again for all of your advice.
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Russ
Automotive paint supply stores sell a decal removing spray that is safe for paint. Worked well on my boats.
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