Click on image for the Amazon link. I'm prepping the bodywork for paint on Project 29, a red/white/blue 1986 VFR750, and one of the more time consuming tasks is removing the decals. I detail how I approach this for plastic parts on the "Maintenance" page under "Decal Removal - No Mar," but there's a quicker way in the case of the metal fuel tank. Simply referred to as an eraser wheel, this device chucks up in my drill and does just what it says — quickly "erasing" the decal. After about five minutes of effort, I'm left with a lot of decal dust and some adhesive left behind, which I remove with 3M adhesive remover and plastic razor blade (below).
I'm left with a ridge of clearcoat paint along the edge of the decal's shadow which will need to be sanded smooth. I used some 320-grit wet/dry sandpaper followed by something like 800-grit over the entire tank. At that point I'll turn the tank over to a professional for final finishing and paint.
TIP: If you have one of these r/w/b tanks repainted, you'll need to follow a specific sequence. Because the decals are translucent, the entire tank is first painted blue, then the red decal applied, then the lower edge of the decal is taped off, then the white applied. Finally, apply clearcoat over the entire tank. If this sequence isn't followed, the division line between white and blue will be visible under the red stripe. I learned this the hard way.
TIP: If you have one of these r/w/b tanks repainted, you'll need to follow a specific sequence. Because the decals are translucent, the entire tank is first painted blue, then the red decal applied, then the lower edge of the decal is taped off, then the white applied. Finally, apply clearcoat over the entire tank. If this sequence isn't followed, the division line between white and blue will be visible under the red stripe. I learned this the hard way.
So, does the magic eraser work on plastic parts? I grabbed a scrap fairing and gave it a go. The answer is, no. The wheel treats the underlying plastic just like a decal and easily digs through the paint and into the plastic, creating divots as you go. I'm guessing that this is a result of the heat generated by the wheel.
I recommend using an eraser wheel outdoors due to the large amount of dust created.
Off to the painter!
I recommend using an eraser wheel outdoors due to the large amount of dust created.
Off to the painter!
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