Weathering Roundhouse Cars

[tmlbk]

I bought a bunch of roundhouse box cars very inexpensively recently and figure I can sacrifice them as I learn the art of heavy weathering.  I'd like to remove a lot, if not all, of the original logos.  How do I do this?

My goal is to make the 1970's cars into something you might still see on the rails.

Thanks for the help!

[bsoplinger]

My poison of choice for removing lettering is ELO (Easy Lift Off, a Poly-Scale product I believe, ie, part of Testors now, check with your LHS). Other choices are rubbing alcohol (get the 91% stuff, not the weaker kind, you may have to ask the druggist where it is in the store) and a pencil eraser, just rub the letters away.

It somewhat depends on the item, but I've never done any Roundhouse cars yet so I can't offer a specific for them, sorry.

[tmlbk]

I tried an eraser but it didn't seem to work.  It just made the logo, and the paint around it shiney.

[tom mann]

Do 70% alcohol...it takes more work but there is less of a chance to remove the paint.

[quadk]

The alcohol works and I also use Micro Sol which I prefer more than alcohol. I have also used a very fine sand paper and wet sanded the logos. This works real good but you just have to be careful when doing it.

[RS-27]

I bought a bunch of Atlas Centerflows last weekend at our local NMRA mini-meet.  Some had been subjected to patch jobs to make them look as if they came off lease.   

Using a tissue pad to keep the patches wet with 91% isopropyl rubbing alcohol,  I was able to salvage some of the original factory paint jobs (well, maybe after some weathering). One car had Amoco Chemicals printed over a silver background.  It wasn't working, so I just started using a tooth brush while it was immersed...  everything came off EXCEPT the big red Amoco chemicals. Evidently some inks are a lot tougher than the paints.

The other method I've used successfully for engine numbers is a new #11 or my favorite dental chisel.  It takes a light touch, but I've shaved or chipped off numbers without ruining the underlying paint.  Hold the blade edge perpendicular to the surface and lightly scrape side to side to thin the printing, will make it easier for the solvent methods to work, also.

Bob in IDaho

[uspscsx]

Watch out! Roundhouse cars' paint tends to be thin-coated. I've ruined a couple of Roundhouse cars with 70% Isopropyl Alky.


Matt

[tmlbk]

I finally got around to trying he 70% and rubbing technique with little luck.  How long do you have to let it soak?  I resorted to using an exacto knife and scraping but ended up down at the black plastic too often.

Thoughts? 

[quadk]

The alcohol works and I also use Micro Sol which I prefer more than alcohol. I have also used a very fine sand paper and wet sanded the logos. This works real good but you just have to be careful when doing it.

I would do the wet sanding thing then, it's better than scratching the car with an exacto knife.