Decal removal help sought

[Palm-tree]

Does anyone have any tips on how best to remove a decal from the surface of an engine cowling panel?

 

The panel was airbrushed with Tamiya gloss acrylic and then clear before the decal was placed.

 

Am trying not to ruin the perfect paint finish and fastener detail underneath.

 

The original decal was printed out of register which only became apparent after drying and I am trying to redo the panel with a replacement decal.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

[LSP_Kevin]

The standard go-to solution for this kind of problem is adhesive tape, but the trick is in choosing the right type. I usually start with the clear office type, as it has good tack, but not so much that it's likely to pull your paint up. Packing tape, for example, can be a bit too aggressive, but would be my second choice if the office type doesn't get the job done. The goal is to use a tape with only the minimum amount of tack to get the job done, and no more. This represents the least amount of risk to your paint work.

 

Kev

[Out2gtcha]

Yep, that's the way Id start off too, if not wanting to ruin the finish underneath. 

[Palm-tree]

Thanks Kev and Brian, I’ll give that a go and see what happens.....

 

....ten minutes later and it worked like magic.

Clear sellotape pressed on firmly, peeled back and it lifted the decal clean from the surface with no underlying damage to the paintwork.

 

Thanks for the great tip.

 

p-t

Edited August 1, 2019 by Palm-tree

[chrish]

10 hours ago, LSP_Kevin said:

The standard go-to solution for this kind of problem is adhesive tape, but the trick is in choosing the right type. I usually start with the clear office type, as it has good tack, but not so much that it's likely to pull your paint up. Packing tape, for example, can be a bit too aggressive, but would be my second choice if the office type doesn't get the job done. The goal is to use a tape with only the minimum amount of tack to get the job done, and no more. This represents the least amount of risk to your paint work.

 

Kev

Getting the damned things to stay on is my major boggle

[ringleheim]

I was just in need of doing something like this.  The first thing I did was use a decal setting solution on the decal, which did nothing.  I then used the stronger solution for melting decals and even that did nothing!  I was really rubbing aggressively with a Q-tip cotton bud and the thing was drenched in solution and it would not budge.

 

I then put a piece of Tamiya masking tape on the decal, and pulled.

 

It instantly came off in its entirety, and did absolutely nothing to the paint underneath.