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Removing Printed Vinyl Covering


Russ P
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I'm refurbishing an old VQ model and have removed the wing covering quite easily but it has left a very sticky surface on the wood. Its so sticky that I can't sand the surface!

I have tried using acetone, white spirit etc to remove the stuff but with no luck.

Any ideas.

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You could try to iron down some parcel tape onto the surface and then experiment with the angle and speed that you pull the tape off with. I've found that method is excellent for removing small fragments of residual covering film, colour and adhesive. The warm iron helps to soften the adhesive.

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Had exactly the same problem resurrecting an old VQ Bulldog. Tried all sorts of solvents, cellulose thinner works a bit but really just makes the goo penetrate further into the balsa. Sanding is a complete waste of effort, no effect whatsoever. Finished up recovering with laminating film and painting, not 100% but good enough, and I’m quite fussy!!
 

David

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Have you tried the proprietory "sticky stuff remover" (De-Solve-It)?

I was given some ages ago. It is not a strong solvent and I ignored it as a gimmick, until one day I used it - and read the instructions. It you try to use it like a solvent to wipe things off it is hopeless. But if you leave it on for the stated time it almost always gets the sticky off.

 

I find it is the only thing that will get the sticky off a 'local' honey jar lid - where they put the gold hexagon tab over from the side onto the lid.

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  • 2 weeks later...

In the good old days of high street shops 'for men' e.g. Radio Shack, Maplins etc. you could buy 'Label Remover'. I still have a can which I use sparingly for those difficult to remove stuck on labels etc. There should be equivalents available given a search online. Isopropanol alcohol may assist though this in my experience only goes so far in loosening stubborn stickies.

Strong, and I mean strong adhesive parcel tape may also pull off remnants of covering but care needed to avoid pulling balsa grain too. 

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Captain - I've been using the parcel tape removal method for quite a few years now and haven't had any damage to the balsa. It works even better if used with a warm iron and is particularly good with Solarfilm, which is horrible to get off as, once applied, the grip of the adhesive to the wood is better than the grip of the colour layer to the film.

 

Here some old piccies showing removal of horrible icky castor soaked Solarfilm, prior to electrification of my venerable Webbit.

 

Before - that's the residue after peeling off the Solarfilm, with lots of residual colour layer left stuck to the balsa.

 

 

ickycoveringmesssmall.jpg.5138989c41271e77688356f5abab6c0a.jpg

 

Here's the parcel tape applied - I don't think at this stage I was using a warm iron, just burnishing the tape on and experimenting with the pull off angle.

parceltapeapplysmall.jpg.97d58c9afdfa2095cb160f5c0cf52817.jpg

 

Then with the parcel tape pulled off, showing how much of the icky horrible mess has been lifted.

 

 

ickybitsliftedsmall.jpg

 

The finished, completely stripped model, before recovering. KI really don't like using solvents to do this job as it just drives the colour even deeper into the wood.

 

webbitstrippedsmall.jpg.d947ea818198b2a3faddaa40561c3297.jpg

 

 

Edited by leccyflyer
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I've done exactly this.... recovered a VQ ME109

 

I used cellulose thinners from a large 5L tin I bought a year or two back to clean down the wood, it's smelly but it did the trick.  I used this as a test for covering in Ceconite as used on microlights - it's beautiful easy stuff to work with, but is not self adhesive.  I put balsaloc on the wood and stuck it down with that with an iron in the normal way.  Two coats of dope then needed to fill the weave, coat of primer then the top colour, and I added a matt lacquer to even it all off afterwards as I was using a mix of celloluse and B&Q tester pots! With the VQ heavy base build the result hasn't come out light, but it definitely flies well.

 

hatch.thumb.jpg.262f89369ec8fe1403fc4313dd944bee.jpg

 

IMG_20191128_211927.thumb.jpg.666cfca61dd80c068e5fe860d18c6035.jpgIMG_20191128_210456.thumb.jpg.0ddfa102d83a4d111da19afaec4a1cd0.jpg109.thumb.jpg.71a2ab7d8ff3d858be3e01c4132f7b6f.jpg

 

some pictures of the covering in progress and the end result.

 

Simon

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Try LAS aerospace limited, if you are UK based. They do the uncertified lightweight stuff. It is less that £8 for 72 inch wide per running meter. The instruction manual, with temperatures is on line. Don’t use the evostick type glue they recommend. Balsa loc does the job. Also haberdashery shops sell a heat setting interlining glue. I suspect it’s the same as Balsa loc. Works well. 

ceconite shrinks a bit more than Solartex. Nice stuff to use, and fabric of choice if you want to paint it. I’ve got a quarter scale Flair Triplane, all painted, and no heavier than Solartex.

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I have just tried Ceconite too. I used balsaloc, and found that worked well on wood, but not so well on itself, ie the overlaps. Not sure if you found that?

In the end I used dope and that was brilliant. But the dope wont soak through, you have to pre dope the airframe and use thinners to soften the dope through the covering, as you do with Esaki tissue. Stubborn bits lift the edge and splodge some dope between the covering and the balsa, 5 seconds rubbing with your thumb and it will be stuck and dry. The beauty of dope is you can soften with thinners and re-position.

Lovely to use and remember its almost 2 meters wide, so a lot cheaper than other covering.

 

148.thumb.JPG.0cf6137f5db5405122b76ed9f554de36.JPG

 

Only done the rudder so far, as a test and really like it.

 

Cheers

Danny

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Murat - in terms of ease of use, it's not really the same at all - Oratex is self adhesive, and comes in various finishes; Ceconite is completly bare.  You need to glue the wood (I used balsaloc) then iron on and shrink, then prepare the surface with a couple of coats of dope, then paint and other finishes... so it's a lot more work!  but it gives a beautiful linen finish... and it's incredibly tough!

 

I got mine from LAS Aerospace 

 

Simon

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I am not sure I agree Simon, regarding a lot of work. I rarely leave a model in the colour of the covering so the paint stage happens no matter what.

Yes you have to attach it, and yes you need some coats of dope to seal it. However Oratex is around £15 a sq/mtr. Ceconite is around £4 a sq/mtr as its 2 meters wide. makes a big difference on a larger model. I buy my dope by the gallon from LAS.

 

Cheers

Danny

 

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? ok.. so maybe a bit more work, depending on what level of finish you're looking for!  I love the stuff, such a nice finish and as you say, significantly cheaper than Oratex.  

 

We may have got a bit off the OP's topic.... but an interesting discussion nevertheless.  Cellulose thinners got the VQ sticky stuff off for me!

 

 

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Overlaps, try working balsaloc through the fabric, like dope, and wiping excess off, before dry.  Mind, you need to keep cleaning the iron, or buts that’s just keeping a damp sponge handy. 
Danny, I assume you are buying non shrink dope?
As I said, if the Oratex, Solartex is the right color, why use anything else. But if it’s all being painted, why paint over a already painted finish. 
Light is always good.

Edited by Don Fry
More gobbling to add, and then correcting spellchecker
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Yes, non-shrinking dope.  I found meths better than water for cleaning the sticky balsaloc residue off the iron, but it's a bit exciting as of course meths on a hot iron possibly isn't the best combination... don't use a sock on the iron though, in this case, the balsaloc makes a right mess of it!

 

Ceconite can shrink a LOT so beware of overshrinking with the iron as it could damage delicate understructures. Testing is the key.

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5 hours ago, Don Fry said:

Try LAS aerospace limited, if you are UK based. They do the uncertified lightweight stuff. It is less that £8 for 72 inch wide per running meter. The instruction manual, with temperatures is on line. Don’t use the evostick type glue they recommend. Balsa loc does the job. Also haberdashery shops sell a heat setting interlining glue. I suspect it’s the same as Balsa loc. Works well. 

ceconite shrinks a bit more than Solartex. Nice stuff to use, and fabric of choice if you want to paint it. I’ve got a quarter scale Flair Triplane, all painted, and no heavier than Solartex.

Thanks.. I ordered some.. And I have the balsa lock too.. Will give it a go on my next buid..

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