Removing printed decals with Sharpie permanent markers

[Downendian]

Hi all,

I've discovered completely by accident a method to effectively remove printed decals for renumbering purposes, which I posted in my workbench thread.

 

I've just bought a number of Sharpie permanent markers in various rail colours to act as "touch up liners". The silver ones are excellent for use on window surrounds.

 

I wanted to mask a Heljan hymek numeral to apply Shawplan steel numbers over the top, and was most surprised to see it vanish by applying a near perfect matched green Sharpie. I've played with a number of blue shades, and found it works on Bachmann models as well, but needs a bit more elbow grease. The Sharpie ink can easily be removed with acrylic thinners and does not attack the original paint, and the blue shade does not need to be a perfect match as it's removed by the thinners in any case.

 

I assume the fibre tip provides the necessary abrasiveness and the solvent in the ink helps matters along. It's very good with Heljan decals, and at least as good as the traditional cocktail stick/T-cut method I've been using for years on the Bachmann 44.

Neil

 

Edited December 4, 2022 by Downendian
Re add photo

[31A]

Just to say thanks for this tip, and I tried it this afternoon to remove the Stratford-style nose end numbers on a Heljan Class 15 (D8204), prior to renumbering it as a Hornsey example.  The method worked very well; I'd never tried to remove Heljan numbers before as I'd been given to understand that it was difficult but doing it this way was easy!

[Downendian]

Hi Steve

Heljan decals have always been the most difficult to shift, hence the alternate approach. serendipity in action.

I have some 33s to do will try it soon on them.

Neil

[Enterprisingwestern]

Hi Steve

Heljan decals have always been the most difficult to shift, hence the alternate approach. serendipity in action.

I have some 33s to do will try it soon on them.

Neil

 

If it works on Heljan 33's I'll be doing neck rolls, I have 2 where the red plastic is showing through underneath the still extant number!

 

Mike.

[Andy Y]

Every day's a school day. I'll have to try that; thanks Neil.

[Downendian]

Heljan 33/1 on the operating table last night. I slightly refined the technique by prior wiping the numerals with acrylic thinners, and the decal came off quite easily. There is still a gloss finish where the old decal was, but as I seal new transfers with Satin varnish not really a problem and was the same issue as the old cocktail stick method.

Much more controllable than a cocktail stick and seems much less pressure is needed to shift the decal, and with a bit more refinement I'm sure will mean I will consign the T-cut method into my "historical methods" file.

Neil

Edited December 4, 2022 by Downendian
Re add photos

[Enterprisingwestern]

Neil, I hate you .

 

Mike.

Who daren't show the equivalent embarrasing pic of his own BRCW's!!

[Enterprisingwestern]

As the chances of getting BR blue or green coloured Sharpie marker pens over here are somewhere this side of infinitesimal, would black, (which cunningly I have in stock), do the job and wash off afterwards do you think?

I may bite the bullet and see what the Chino Supermercados have in their generic marker pen range, what's the worst that could happen?!!

 

Mike.

[Downendian]

Hi Mike,

I've just bought a pack of 12 blues from eBay. If they aren't available in Spain I'm happy to ship them to you, they are only £9.

I have noticed the tip wears after use on a number of locos and is less effective. Using a new one on the other flank of the 33/1 made a difference. So I think a small investment of less than a quid for renumbering 4 locos is worth it.

I haven't yet used black on blue, but would suspect it may "stain" the blue livery as inevitably there will be microscopic scratches in the original livery.

Neil

[31A]

As the chances of getting BR blue or green coloured Sharpie marker pens over here are somewhere this side of infinitesimal, would black, (which cunningly I have in stock), do the job and wash off afterwards do you think?

I may bite the bullet and see what the Chino Supermercados have in their generic marker pen range, what's the worst that could happen?!!

 

Mike.

 

 

I used a black Sharpie on my green Class 15 as it happens, as I didn't have a green one.  The black ink washed off with the acrylic thinners without leaving a trace.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Thanks to Neil's generosity I have been able to try out this method on my Heljan BRCW 3, and by golly it works!

 

Mike.

[SHerr]

Just tried this method tonight on a Heljan 47 after previous near disasters renumbering Heljan locos. Numbers come off perfectly and hardly any sheen/marking.

 

Then took a leap of faith and had to go onto the nameplate, a lot more effort required but end result is still pretty good, definitely more visible but should cover with varnish and no worse (probably better) than other normal methods with thinners, scratching etc.

 

Great new technique definitely easier than other methods.

[Roger Sunderland]

I've a large number of steam locos awaiting renumbering. Does this method work on Bachmann and Hornby Tampa printed numbers or just Heljan? Would black (or green) be best? Any particular acrylic thinners you've used afterwards, as there's some very different types around?

 

Any help much appreciated I hate the cocktail stick/Tcut method.

[Downendian]

Hi Roger

Indeed I have some Steam locos to be renumbered to engines that frequented the S&D, so trials forthcoming.

I used Tamiya acrylic thinners, and have done four Bachmann locos, a class 44 a warship and two class 25s I'm yet to attempt any Hornby models. I will use black on the steam locos, but any colour may work as the thinners remove all traces of the sharpie ink.

Neil

[Hilux5972]

Love how this hobby gives so much innovation. Great discovery. Hopefully this will work on Hornby too. Can anyone recommend a good brand of acrylic thinner? Not something I've ever used before so knowing my luck I'd buy one that strips the entire body shell.

Edited June 21, 2017 by Hilux5972

[BlackRat]

Love how this hobby gives so much innovation. Great discovery. Hopefully this will work on Hornby too. Can anyone recommend a good brand of acrylic thinner? Not something I've ever used before so knowing my luck I'd buy one that strips the entire body shell.

Depending on the paint I've used both water and isopropyl alchohol.......both have work well.

[Hilux5972]

And isopropyl does no damage at all? Ive always been a bit apprehensive about IPA.

[bgman]

And isopropyl does no damage at all? Ive always been a bit apprehensive about IPA.

That'll depend on how much of it you drink !

 

Hic !

[Hilux5972]

Lol

[Enterprisingwestern]

And isopropyl does no damage at all? Ive always been a bit apprehensive about IPA.

 

Any thinner/IPA will have a tendency to attack the finish of a loco, the trick is to just wipe a small amount on and then straight off, in this instance it's a surface cleaner.

 

Mike.

[Downendian]

I agree with Mike, speed is of the essence. I applied the Tamiya thinners onto the numerals with a cotton bud, and after a couple of minutes started with the Sharpie. I found they were somewhat softened doing it that way, and did not attack the paintwork at all.

Any sharpie ink is then removed with thinners and tissue and/or cotton bud. Alcohol based thinners rapidly evaporate, especially in this weather.

Off topic, but the hottest June since 1976 - when July 3rd was the hottest day of that year. I remember it well, tramping around Stratford depot in buckets of sweat, and buying a warm can of the new drink called Lilt back at the station.

Neil

[Enterprisingwestern]

I agree with Mike, speed is of the essence. I applied the Tamiya thinners onto the numerals with a cotton bud, and after a couple of minutes started with the Sharpie. I found they were somewhat softened doing it that way, and did not attack the paintwork at all.

Any sharpie ink is then removed with thinners and tissue and/or cotton bud. Alcohol based thinners rapidly evaporate, especially in this weather.

Off topic, but the hottest June since 1976 - when July 3rd was the hottest day of that year. I remember it well, tramping around Stratford depot in buckets of sweat, and buying a warm can of the new drink called Lilt back at the station.

Neil

 

Only 41 degrees here!

 

Mike.

[Hilux5972]

Off topic, but the hottest June since 1976 - when July 3rd was the hottest day of that year. I remember it well, tramping around Stratford depot in buckets of sweat, and buying a warm can of the new drink called Lilt back at the station.

Neil

You're lucky, we had -4 here in NZ yesterday morning.

[SHerr]

I tried a test on a redundant Hornby DMU body before moving onto s loco. I removed the BR double arrows which are a heavier printing than numbers.

 

They did come off, more effort than the Heljan loco.

 

One word of caution- even with care the thinners wiping the colouring away started to remove the white lining around the blue/grey. I presume you may have a similar issue with smokebox lining on steam locos - maybe need to mask around the numbers?

[Phil Bullock]

Look what SWMBO brought in Smiths today!

 

 

She thinks they are for her quilting! Little does she know.....hee hee

 

Phil