Removing Kato Printing

[dmidkiff]

Looking to do the Boy Scouts and Susan Komen UP locos. I’ll need to remove the flags from the side of the Kato shells and preserve the yellow below. Does anybody have ideas for the best way to remove Kato printing?

MicroSol and tissue worked the cab numbers off, but didn’t touch the flags. I’ll reach out to Kato USA today as well.

Thanks, Doug

[ednadolski]

IIRC there was a product called "Mr. Surfacer" that supposedly worked, tho I have not tried it myself.  Alternately, 91% ipa might work, but don't leave it on too long or it may take off the yellow.

Not sure tho, if either of those would leave a slight silhouette of whatever they remove.

Ed

[peteski]

IIRC there was a product called "Mr. Surfacer" that supposedly worked, tho I have not tried it myself.  Alternately, 91% ipa might work, but don't leave it on too long or it may take off the yellow.

Ed

Gunze Sangyo/CREOS has a large line if "Mr." hobby products. All their hobby supplies are "Mr. something".
Mr. Surfacer is a thick gray primer, so I don't think that's it.  Maybe it is somethging like "Mr. Thinner" or Mr. Decal Solver" (or somethign of that nature).

There is a thread on the 3D Printing section about using Air-Eraser mini sandblaster.  One of the applications mentioned (either there, or elsewhere on TRW)  for Air-Eraser is removing Tampo-printed shell decoration without removing the underlying paint.

[dmidkiff]

I did try 70% iso but it was starting to take yellow off before the flag artwork.

Katy published an article about renumbering HO scale SD40’s and they used Mr. Thinner. Not sure where to find it in Denver.

My buddy dos have an air eraser so maybe I’ll see if he’ll let me borrow it.

Doug

[PaulCoats]

White abrasive ink eraser.  Have done this for years, removing numbers, or removing Southern Pacific so that I could decal as Cotton Belt.

Recently removed a Cargil logo from a tank car and decaled for Louisiana Hot Sauce.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

This is before light weathering and a good coat or two of Krylon Crystal Clear Flat.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[JanesCustomTrain]

I did try 70% iso but it was starting to take yellow off before the flag artwork.

Kato cab numbers seem to be pad printed, they are easy to remove without damaging the paint under it. The flags are printed with one of those modern inkjet printers, it is impossible to remove them with any of the usual liquids, they are like glass. You can easy chip them off but what ever you are trying you will destroy the yellow under it as well. Stripping the whole shell and start from scratch is the only way to get rid off these flags unfortunately.

Jane

[peteski]

The flags are printed with one of those modern inkjet printers, it is impossible to remove them with any of the usual liquids, they are like glass. You can easy chip them off but what ever you are trying you will destroy the yellow under it as well.

Ah, those  inks are usually UV-cured, so likely impervious to most mild solvents (ones mild enough not to damage the base coat).

[dmidkiff]

Kato cab numbers seem to be pad printed, they are easy to remove without damaging the paint under it. The flags are printed with one of those modern inkjet printers, it is impossible to remove them with any of the usual liquids, they are like glass. You can easy chip them off but what ever you are trying you will destroy the yellow under it as well. Stripping the whole shell and start from scratch is the only way to get rid off these flags unfortunately.

Jane

Great info Jane, even if it is unfortunate news.

In the end I used an xacto and scraped the flag off. Before that I even tried some of my wife’s non acetone nail polishe remover, which unfortunately damaged some of the plastic molding. Both methods took yellow with it and I had to spray on a coat to color match and blend back in.

All in all, it came out better than I hoped after trying so many methods to remove the printing.

[cbroughton67]

Gunze Sangyo/CREOS has a large line if "Mr." hobby products. All their hobby supplies are "Mr. something".
Mr. Surfacer is a thick gray primer, so I don't think that's it.  Maybe it is somethging like "Mr. Thinner" or Mr. Decal Solver" (or somethign of that nature).

I believe this is what you're looking for - Mr. Color Thinner. I use it and a Q-tip to successfully remove lettering from Kato locomotives.


Chris


[ Guests cannot view attachments ]