On Tue, 09 Aug 2005 06:56:03 GMT, Ed Sullivan
wrote:

On Mon, 8 Aug 2005 19:56:58 -0400, "Kyle Boatright"
wrote:


wrote in message
groups.com...
Our club just received our newest 172. The previous owner put a decal
on the door advertising his company and we would like to remove it
without harming the paint. Any suggestions?

What you refer to as a decal is probably a vinyl graphic. A true decal
is made up of multple layers of silk screened ink with a clear layer
on each side which is printed on a paper that has a water soluble
coating on it. They are soaked in water then slid of the paper onto
the surface to be adorned. The water is squeegeed out from under them
and they adhere thru surface tension. The advise you have received so
far are probably pretty good for removing a vinyl graphic. Sign
companies make solvents to remove the remaining adhesive after they
are peeled of with heat, but mineral spirits might just do the job.
A true decal is a real bitch to get off.

*Sometimes* and I emphasize the sometimes, the reverse of the
application will work. A towel soaked in hot water and held firmly in
place over the decal (if it is a true decal) can soften them and they
almost slide off. This usually takes a good half hour to hour of
soaking while keeping the water at least warm. It's an interesting
exercise on vertical surfaces and an exercise in frustration on
overhead surfaces.

I have removed good sized decals this way and I've run into some where
the water soaking didn't do a thing.

Those with adhesive on the backs have been pretty well covered in
other posts.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com