Frame Decals

[email hidden] (Syrinx) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Is there any relatively easy way to remove the decals from a painted
aluminum frame? Any advice would be appreciated.

I just removed most of the decals from a painted steel frame, and there
shouldn't be any difference with aluminum. Here's the method I used (found
it in a Google search on this group):

Place the tip of a portable hair dryer (set to high, unless it's a mega-
watt model) a few millimeters away from the decal, and turn it on for about
15 seconds. You might need more, or less heating time, depending on how
your decals are glued on. Then quickly scrape it off with your fingernail
while it's still soft. Work on a small section at a time. After the decal
is off, remove the gummy adhesive residue with Goo-Gone. Use cooking oil or
mineral oil if you don't have any Goo-Gone handy.

If you don't have strong fingernails, then use a scraper that's soft enough
that it won't harm the underlying paint, like a plastic picnic knife or
spoon.

Note: this works for decals that have been applied directly on top of the
paint, and without a clear overcoat that embeds the decal in the finish. I
don't know how you'd deal with that situation. It wouldn't hurt to try the
hair dryer method, but I doubt it would work very well. You might have to
use a solvent that would let you get to the decal, but that wouldn't be so
strong that it would attack the underlying paint. That would be tricky.
Maybe someone else here has some suggestions on how to deal with that type
of decal.

--
Mike Barrs

(Syrinx) said:

Is there any relatively easy way to remove the decals from a painted
aluminum frame? Any advice would be appreciated.

Use a hairdryer (NOT a heat gun or paint stripping gun; they could
overheat the frame material and change the metal's characteristics) to
soften the decal, and scrape it carefully with a plastic putty knife
or the edge of a plastic spatula. If bit of adhesive residue remains,
use the sticky parts of the just-removed decal to daub them off with.
If there's too much adhesive, use some sticky plastic packaging tape
to grab and lift it. (This works about half the time in my
experience.) Gum removers like Goo Gone may attack the paint or dull
the finish, so use them with caution.

I just got through doing decal removal on a frame that I'll be putting
into service to replace the Trek 950 that was stolen from me last
week. I had neglected to remove the Trek decals, and I'm regretting
that now.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.