Removing Transfers from a Ti Frame

[eck]

Some of the transfers on my van Nick Zephyr have become a bit tatty, and I'd like to remove them. I've tried acetone (Mrs eck's nail varnish remover) and also her hair dryer with, let's say, qualified success.

Am I using the right stuff, but just not doing it right, or are there other methods?

Any tips, folks?

Thanks.

 

[green1]

A heat gun, hairdryer wont be hot enough. Always keep it moving though or you'll be respraying it afterwards.

 

[eck]

Thanks green1. I have a "heat gun" (hot air paint stripper thing, yes?). It's an unpainted ti frame, so no worries about a respray. But I might have to be careful not to melt the welds!

 

[screenman]

Have they been lacquered over, if you are having a hard job getting them off I would dc say so.

 

[eck]

TBH, I'm not sure about that. Possibly they have as there's a transparent "border" that extends beyond the actual graphics, IYSWIM.

 

[screenman]

TBH, I'm not sure about that. Possibly they have as there's a transparent "border" that extends beyond the actual graphics, IYSWIM.

In that case lacquered. Have fun, they are unlikely to remove cleanly. You could try cellulose thinners, depends on the lawyer.

 

[ianrauk]

Get some pure Acetone, either from a chemist or online. It's cheap as chips. Nail polish remover has other stuff in it which dilutes it.
Soak some kitchen towel, apply to transfer, leave for 30 seconds to a minute, then start wiping off.

If you want to replace the transfers, VN do sell sets.

 

[raleighnut]

Some of the transfers on my van Nick Zephyr have become a bit tatty, and I'd like to remove them. I've tried acetone (Mrs eck's nail varnish remover) and also her hair dryer with, let's say, qualified success.

Am I using the right stuff, but just not doing it right, or are there other methods?

Any tips, folks?

Thanks.

This is one thing that a jetwash is useful for, the non abrasive jet of water eats away at the decals and if you start at the edge can normally lift them quite quickly although you do need quite a powerful one and not one of the garage forecourt models (they run at low pressure as a high pressure one will strip paint off, not what you want on a shiny tin box)

 

[ianrauk]

, not what you want on a shiny tin box)

That's exactly what he wants

 

[eck]

"Pure" acetone sort of worked but, for future reference, cellulose thinners did the job in a fraction of the time. The transfers simply dissolved after being covered in soaked tissue paper for a few minutes, then another wipe over with a cloth soaked in thinners and you'd never know there had been transfers there (except if you look really closely there's a slight difference in the titanium which had been covered by the transfers, but I guess it will even out in time).
Indeed, @ianrauk, I now have a shiny ti(n) bike.

Thanks for all the suggestions.